Contractor Licensing & Tradesman Information

CONTRACTORS LICENSING / TRADESMAN / FAQ'S / COMPLAINTS / RECOVERY FUND

The Town of Christiansburg requires all persons performing contracting work to be duly licensed with the Department of Occupational Regulation (DPOR) and have a Town of Christiansburg Business License.

***This is an overview of the most basic licensing details. You should contact the Department of Occupational Regulation for interpretations, licensing questions, or to obtain a license.***

CONTRACTOR: Any person, that for a fixed price, commission, fee, or percentage undertakes to bid upon, or accepts, or offers to accept, orders or contracts for performing, managing, or superintending in whole or in part, the construction, removal, repair or improvement of any building or structure permanently annexed to real property owned, controlled, or leased by him or another person or any other improvements to such real property. Section 54.1-1100 of the Code of Virginia


DO I NEED A CONTRACTORS LICENSE? (VA Title 54.1, Chapter 11)
DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITES	CONTRACTORSLICENSE REQUIRED
Receiving payment in the form of: Fixed price, commission, Fee, or percentage of the work.	YES
The value of the contract for the work is over $1000.	YES
The value of the contract for the work is < less than $1000	NO
Performing "TRADE" work being: Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, and Fuel Gas and the value of work is $1000 or more.	YES
Performing "TRADE" work and the value is < less than $1000 *Work must be performed by certified Master or Journeyman.*	NO
Government agency doing work with own forces	NO
Department of Transportation on the construction, reconstruction, repair or improvement of any highway or bridge.	NO
Doing work to my primacy residence myself and not using contractors.	NO
Building more than ONE (1) primary residence in a 24 month period.	YES
Building, supervising, demolishing, repairing, or improving a dwelling on your own property as a gift to an immediate family member and the family member will live in the dwelling for TWO (2) years.	NO
Supervising, repairing, improving, a commercial building for my own use.	NO
Building a new commercial structure.	YES

LICENSE CLASSIFICATION

A	"Class A contractors" perform or manage construction, removal, repair, or improvements when (i) the total value referred to in a single contract or project is $120,000 or more, or (ii) the total value of all such construction, removal, repair, or improvements undertaken by such person within any 12-month period is $750,000 or more.
B	"Class B contractors" perform or manage construction, removal, repair, or improvements when (i) the total value referred to in a single contract or project is $10,000 or more, but less than $120,000, or (ii) the total value of all such construction, removal, repair or improvements undertaken by such person within any 12-month period is $150,000 or more, but less than $750,000.
C	"Class C contractors" perform or manage construction, removal, repair, or improvements when (i) the total value referred to in a single contract or project is over $1,000 but less than $10,000, or (ii) the total value of all such construction, removal, repair, or improvements undertaken by such person within any 12-month period is less than $150,000. The Board shall require a master tradesmen license as a condition of licensure for electrical, plumbing and heating, ventilation and air conditioning contractors.

LICENSE "SPECALTIES"

The following "specialties" shall be shown on the contractors license for the work being performed. This is not a complete list of specialties but rather the most common associated with permitting in this jurisdiction. For a complete list of specialties see DPOR Contractors Regulations Title 54.1, Chapter 11.

***Working outside of your “scope of practice” is a violation of the regulations.***

TYPE OF WORK	SPECALTIE DESIGNATION
New dwelling, Residential garage, Sheds, additions, remodel, demolition, framing, porches, decks, screened in porch, retaining walls, masonry, concrete, landscape, modular homes, swimming pools, paint, wall coverings The RBC classification does not provide for electrical, plumbing, HVAC, or gas fitting services and does not allow construction, repair, or improvement, to commercial, industrial, institutional, or governmental use structures outside of dwellings and townhouses as defined in the USBC.	Residential Building Contracting (RBC)
Construction, remodeling, repair, improvement, removal, or demolition on real property owned, controlled, or leased by another person of commercial, industrial, institutional, governmental, and accessory use buildings or structures The CBC classification does not provide for electrical, plumbing, HVAC, or gas fitting services and does not allow construction, repair, or improvement, of dwellings and townhouses as defined in the USBC.	Commercial Building Contracting (CBC)
Decks, patios, storage sheds < 256 sqft, repairs, improvements, remodels, The HIC specialty does not provide for electrical, plumbing, HVAC, or gas fitting functions, new dwellings, garages, accessory buildings >256 sqft, and no new construction functions beyond the existing building.	Home Improvement Contracting (HIC)
Electrical service upgrades, new wiring, new panels, installing new circuit(s), fire alarm systems, and electronic communication services	Electrical (ELE)
All plumbing within buildings, water/sewer supply systems, installation, maintenance, extension, or alteration, or removal of all piping, fixtures, appliances, and appurtenances, water heaters, backflow prevention devices	Plumbing (PLB)
Installation, alteration, repair, or maintenance of heating systems, ventilating systems, cooling systems, steam and hot water heaters, heating systems, boilers, process piping, and mechanical refrigeration systems, including tanks incidental to the system. This classification does not provide for fire suppression installations, sprinkler system installations, or gas piping.	HVAC (HVA)
Installation, maintenance, extension, alteration, or removal of all piping, fixtures, appliances, and appurtenances used in transporting, storing or utilizing liquefied petroleum gas. This excludes hot water heaters, boilers, and central heating systems that require an HVA or PLB license. The GFC specialty also provides for this function.	Liquid Petroleum Gas Contracting (LPG)
Construction, repair, improvement, demolition, water/sewer supply systems, tanks, concrete work, steel erection, grading, excavating, installation of backflow devices, signs and billboards	Highway Heavy (H/H)
Installation, repair, improvement, or removal of gas piping and appliances annexed to real property	Backflow
Installation, repair, improvement, or removal of gas piping and appliances	Gas Fitting Contracting
Installation, repair, improvement, or dismantling of any billboard or structural sign, No trade related plumbing, electrical, or HVAC work is included in this function except that a contractor in this specialty may connect or disconnect signs to existing electrical circuits.	Billboard/Sign (BSC)
Installation, removal, or encapsulation of asbestos	Asbestos Contracting (ASB)
Installation, repair or improvement, from the customer's meter, of alternative energy generation systems, supplemental energy systems and associated equipment, This service does not include the installation of emergency generators powered by fossil fuels. No other classification or specialty service provides this function. This specialty does not provide for electrical, plumbing, gas fitting, or HVAC functions.	Alternative Energy Systems (AES)

https://www.dpor.virginia.gov/sites/default/files//Boards/Contractors/A501-27REGS.pdf

TEMPORARY CONTRACTORS LICENSE

1. A temporary license is only valid for 45 days and cannot be renewed, reinstated or reapplied for.

2. This license will allow firms to have 45 days to complete all license requirements for a two year contractor license that will be renewable.

3. This application is for contractors with a current out of state contractor license.

https://www.dpor.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/boards/Contractors/A501-2703LIC_pdf.pdf

BUSINESS LICENSE

The contractor must have a valid business license from a Virginia locality for jobs valued at $25,000 or less. For jobs valued at more than $25,000, the contractor must have a valid Town of Christiansburg Business License.

TRADESMAN

“Trade” means any of the following: electrical, gas fitting, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), liquefied petroleum gas fitting, natural gas fitting, plumbing, and divisions within them.

1. Anyone performing TRADE work must have a valid tradesman card regardless of the value of work.

2. Journeyman may be issued permits for TRADE work less than < $1000.

3. TRADE work valued at more than > $1000 requires a valid class A,B,C contractors license.

3. TRADE contractors must have a master tradesman card in order to be issued a contractors license and must have a QI Qualified Individual which is the person with the knowledge and experience in the classification or specialty on the license.

4. A TRADESMAN license is an individual license and only allows work to be performed up to $1000. Work valued more than >$1000 must be performed by a person/firm with a valid Virginia Contractors License.

https://www.dpor.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/boards/Tradesman/A501-27TRADEREGS.pdf

FRQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Can TRADE work be done without a contractors license?

Answer; YES - Trade work valued less than < $1000 may be performed without a contractors license.

2. Do I need a masters TRADE license to do work valued at less than <$1000

Answer; NO - Journeyman TRADE license holders may do work less than < $1000.

3. Can a permit be issued to a journeyman tradesman?

Answer; YES - For work less than < $1000

4. Can I obtain a permit using another firms contractors license?

Answer; NO - Using another contractors license not issued to you is illegal. You must be the license holder or an employee of the firm / company to obtain a permit.

5. What's the difference in a contractors license and a tradesman license?

Answer; (1) A tradesman license is issued to an individual, an individual license. (2) A contractors license is an entity license issued to a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or any other form of organization permitted by law.

FILING A COMPLAINT AGAINST A CONTRACTOR

https://www.dpor.virginia.gov/Report-Licensee/

CONTRACTOR TRANSACTION RECOERY FUND

https://www.dpor.virginia.gov/Boards/Contractors