If you’re interested in becoming a contractor in Virginia, you will need one of the three classes of licences issued by DPOR to ensure you are working legally. A class C licence is at the lowest level, thus it’s ideal for anyone who will be working on smaller-scale construction projects.
This article will cover what you need to know about acquiring this licence to ensure you have everything that’s required before jumping in.
What Are the Requirements?
Most of the requirements of a type C licence are similar to those of the other licence categories (A&B). Here’s a quick checklist of what you must take care of:
Have a business entity (since the licence has to be tied to a business)
Complete 8 hours of pre-licensing education
Select a Qualified Individual with a minimum experience of 2 years (this has to be a full-time employee or someone in the business’s management)
Apply for your licence and pay the required application fee (currently $210 for a class C initial licence)
Take the trade exam (only required if you choose a speciality that requires an additional exam). Note that Class C licensees aren’t required to take an initial licensing exam at the moment, so the only exam you may need to take will be the trade exam.
Once you’ve met the above requirements, you can receive your licence and start bidding on projects. Most people who need this licence wonder whether they will have to take continuing education courses after acquiring their licence. If that’s you, then you should be relieved to know you won’t need any of that.
However, it’s always a good idea to get your pre-licensure Class C Contractor License VA course from a reputable provider like RocketCert. That way, you are sure that you’re not only purchasing high-quality study material but that you’ll also get any updates as they come. If the state decides to make changes and require licensees to continue their education, for example, you will not only get the information, but such a provider will create customised courses to help you meet such requirements.
Quick Tips for Success
Acquiring your VA Class C contractor licence shouldn’t be an overly complicated process. However, the following tips will make the procedure easier:
Start Early
Though it’s not anything you’d never expect, the application process can be a tad lengthy, from gathering your documents to passing the exam. This process can take months, at the very least. Starting early makes it easier to meet your deadlines without worry.
Prepare Adequately for the Exam
If you’ve chosen a speciality such as roofing or residential building that requires you to pass an exam, you will want to prepare enough. Bear in mind that most specialities have an exam requirement in addition to a continuing education requirement.
You may be wondering what we mean, considering we mentioned earlier that the state doesn’t require you to continue your education for any of the licence categories, as of now. Well, that’s different from continuing education for specialities. Therefore, regardless of the licence type you hold, there will most likely be a continuing education requirement to retain your speciality approval.
Think About All the Costs and Make Preparations
In addition to the initial licence cost (currently at $210), you may have to plan for other costs such as paying for the Qualified Individual exam, settling the fees for your speciality exam, and other costs such as insurance. Typically, you should expect to spend anywhere from $500 to $1,000. Having the maximum amount in hand saves you the trouble of dealing with unwanted surprises.
Get the Support You Need to Sail Through
Becoming a licensed contractor in Virginia can be quite challenging depending on how you look at it, but it shouldn’t always be that way. Even if you’re raring to go and willing to put in work to ensure you get everything right, there’s always a point where you may need someone to give you what you need to succeed.
RocketCert offers you the best solutions such as pre-licensing courses and exam prep materials so you can satisfy all the requirements as effortlessly as possible. Visit rocketcert.com to learn more and get started on a journey of success.
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