How to check a contractor license in Virginia
In Virginia, search the contractor's name or license number in DPOR's free License Lookup. The Board for Contractors issues Class A, B and C licenses, and the class caps how large a job the contractor may take on. A Class C license covers single jobs over $1,000 but under $30,000, and tradesmen hold separate licenses from the same board.
How do I check a contractor license in Virginia?
Search DPOR's License Lookup by the contractor's name or license number, then open the record and check that the license is current. The search is free, and DPOR is the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, which runs the Board for Contractors.
- Ask the contractor for the Virginia license number, and note the exact business name on the bid.
- Open DPOR's License Lookup and search by license number, or by business or individual name if you don't have the number.
- Open the record and check that the license is active and hasn't expired.
- Match the name on the license to the business on your bid and to the person you're dealing with.
- Check that the class, A, B or C, covers the price of the job. The section below explains the classes.
- For electrical, plumbing, HVAC or gas work, search the tradesman's name as well.
The search box on DPOR's page loads in your browser, so open the link in a regular web browser if you don't see it. We last checked this lookup on 2026-10-19. If you'd rather ask a person, call the board's Licensing Section at (804) 367-8511. If the contractor also works in a neighboring state, the state-by-state guide has that state's lookup.
How to check if a contractor is licensed in Virginia?
Run the same DPOR search, and expect to find a license for any job over $1,000. Under the Code of Virginia, a single contract over $1,000 already falls in Class C, so a contractor quoting you more than that should show up in the lookup.
What do Class A, B and C contractor licenses mean in Virginia?
The class tells you how large a job the contractor may take on. Code of Virginia section 54.1-1100 sets the limits by the value of a single contract or project and by the total work the contractor takes on in any 12 months.
| Class | Single contract or project | Total in any 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| Class C | Over $1,000 but under $30,000 | Under $250,000 |
| Class B | $30,000 to under $150,000 | $250,000 to under $1 million |
| Class A | $150,000 or more | $1 million or more |
Compare the class with the price on your bid. A Class C contractor quoting a $60,000 addition is bidding above its class, so ask about it before you sign. You may see older limits repeated online, but the figures above are the ones in the Code today.
Who licenses electricians and plumbers in Virginia?
The Board for Contractors does. Besides contracting businesses, it licenses tradesmen, including electricians, plumbers, HVAC tradesmen and gas fitters, and it also licenses people who do residential building energy analysis.
The company and the electrician or plumber can each hold a separate license with the board. On an electrical or plumbing job, look up both names before the work starts.
What does a Virginia license lookup not tell you?
It doesn't tell you whether the work will be good. A current license shows the contractor met the board's requirements, and it says nothing about how the last kitchen turned out.
- It says nothing about workmanship. Ask for recent jobs you can see and past clients you can call.
- The recovery fund has limits. Virginia's Contractor Transaction Recovery Act offers some relief to eligible consumers who lose money through a licensed contractor's improper and dishonest conduct, but DPOR says filing a claim doesn't ensure payment.
- It doesn't confirm who's at the door. Make sure the person on site works for the business named on the license.
A job near a state line can involve a contractor based next door, so check that state's records too. The lookups for Maryland, the District of Columbia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina are on their own pages.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm details with DPOR's Board for Contractors.
Sources
- Virginia DPOR: License Lookup
- Virginia DPOR: Board for Contractors
- Code of Virginia: Section 54.1-1100, Definitions
Agents can keep these contractors in Proferral
Proferral is a free app real estate agents use to keep a go-to list of the providers they trust and to remember every referral they send. Its license checks cover Oregon and Washington only, so for Virginia you still run the lookup above by hand. Here's how Proferral's license checks work.
It's free, no credit card needed, and you're never charged unless you choose Pro.