Build Required Field License For Free

Those who are caught contracting without a license likely will have to appear before a Superior Court judge to answer to misdemeanor charges that can carry a potential sentence of up to six months in jail and/or a $5,000 fine, as well as an administrative fine of $200 to $15,000.

If the total project amount exceeds $50,000 for commercial projects, $10,000 for plumbing, electrical & HVAC, and $7,500 for residential projects, a contractor's license is required.

If you're working on projects valued in excess of $1,000 in Virginia, you need a contracting license. As mentioned, the agency that oversees Virginia contractor licensing is the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation.

The code states further in section 54.1-1103 that no person shall engage in, or offer to engage in, contracting work without a license. That means that not only can you not perform the work without a license, but you cannot even market and offer your services without a license.

If the contractor does not have a valid license, then the contractor may have violated § 59.1-200(A)(46) of the VCPA, which allows the consumer homeowner to file a complaint against the unlicensed contractor to recover whatever financial damages were caused by the contractor in addition to reasonable attorney's fees (

Operating without a required contractor's license is a criminal class one misdemeanor. There can be DPOR civil penalties. Operating without a required contractor license would be a violation of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. This is a very legitimate police power by the state.

To become a general contractor in Florida, you must pass a state issued contractor exam and have at least 4 years of work experience. Though the contractor exam costs money to take, it can help you find positions as a contractor through construction companies.