Contractor License Renewal in Virginia (2026)

Contractor license renewal in Virginia is handled by the Virginia Board for Contractors (Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, DPOR), which requires General Contractors to renew every 24 months. Below are the renewal deadline rule, continuing-education (CE) hours, fees, and a direct link to the official renewal page — last verified 2026-06-01. This is an unofficial guide; always confirm the details with the board before you file.

Virginia Contractor renewal at a glance

Renewal cycle	24 months
Deadline rule	License expires on the date printed on the license (two-year term). Renewal payment must be RECEIVED by DPOR (not merely postmarked) by the expiration date. A 30-day grace period follows expiration during which the license can still be renewed without a reinstatement fee (but the licensee may not legally operate while expired). From day 31 up to 24 months past expiration, reinstatement (with reinstatement fee) is required; after 24 months past expiration the license cannot be reinstated and the holder must reapply as a new applicant.
CE hours required	None required
Renewal fee	see board (fee not fixed/published)
Online renewal	Yes
Governing body	Virginia Board for Contractors (Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, DPOR)

Go to the official Virginia Board for Contractors (Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, DPOR) renewal page →

Last verified 2026-06-01 from the Virginia Board for Contractors (Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, DPOR). automated research workflow (official virginia contractor board), confidence high.

Continuing-education requirements for Contractors in Virginia

Virginia does not impose a general continuing-education requirement on the contractor business license (Class A/B/C) itself for renewal. CE obligations in Virginia apply to specific individual tradesman certifications/licenses (e.g., 3 hours per cycle for electrical, plumbing, and HVAC tradesmen; gas-fitting 1 hour; certified elevator mechanics 8 hours), not to the general/building contractor firm license. Note: some third-party sources reference a 3-hour CE requirement for a contractor's qualified individual; this could not be confirmed as a general firm-license renewal requirement on an official DPOR page, so the firm-license CE requirement is treated as 0/none.

Need approved hours? Compare Virginia Contractor CE courses (some links are affiliate links).

How to renew your Contractor license in Virginia

Confirm your renewal deadline and current status on the Virginia Board for Contractors (Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, DPOR) portal.
Submit the renewal application and pay the current fee online.
Keep proof of CE and your renewal confirmation for your records.

Good to know: Virginia licenses general/building contractors at the state level through DPOR's Board for Contractors. Contractor firm licenses are tiered by class based on the monetary value of work: Class C (smallest), Class B, and Class A (no project value limit); each class is paired with a specialty designation such as BLD (Building/residential), RBC (Residential), or CBC (Commercial). Per DPOR, online renewal is available only for contractor FIRMS and RBEA firms, not for individual licensees; firms may also renew by mailing the renewal card with payment or a credit-card payment form. Renewals cannot be processed by phone. RENEWAL FEE: not set to a single fixed number because the fee is tiered by license class and could not be confirmed on an official .gov page during this research. Third-party sources conflict: one reports a flat $385 contractor business license renewal; another reports class-tiered renewals (Class A $270, Class B $260, Class C $220) each plus a $30 Contractor Transaction Recovery Fund assessment. Per accuracy rules, renewal_fee_usd and late_fee_usd are nulled pending verification on the official DPOR fee schedule / Board for Contractors regulations. Reinstatement fee exists but the exact amount was not verified on an official page. Verify current fees on the DPOR Board for Contractors fee documents before publishing dollar amounts.

Contractor license renewal in Virginia: frequently asked questions

How often do I renew my Contractor license in Virginia?

Virginia Contractor licenses renew every 24 months. License expires on the date printed on the license (two-year term). Renewal payment must be RECEIVED by DPOR (not merely postmarked) by the expiration date. A 30-day grace period follows expiration during which the license can still be renewed without a reinstatement fee (but the licensee may not legally operate while expired). From day 31 up to 24 months past expiration, reinstatement (with reinstatement fee) is required; after 24 months past expiration the license cannot be reinstated and the holder must reapply as a new applicant.

How many CE hours are required to renew an Contractor license in Virginia?

Virginia does not require continuing-education hours to renew a standard Contractor license. Virginia does not impose a general continuing-education requirement on the contractor business license (Class A/B/C) itself for renewal. CE obligations in Virginia apply to specific individual tradesman certifications/licenses (e.g., 3 hours per cycle for electrical, plumbing, and HVAC tradesmen; gas-fitting 1 hour; certified elevator mechanics 8 hours), not to the general/building contractor firm license. Note: some third-party sources reference a 3-hour CE requirement for a contractor's qualified individual; this could not be confirmed as a general firm-license renewal requirement on an official DPOR page, so the firm-license CE requirement is treated as 0/none. Confirm the current rule with the Virginia Board for Contractors (Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, DPOR).

Can I renew my Virginia Contractor license online?

Yes — Virginia offers online renewal through the Virginia Board for Contractors (Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, DPOR). Use the official link on this page.

What happens if I let my Virginia Contractor license expire?

Practicing on an expired license is generally prohibited and can carry penalties. Late or reactivation fees may apply. Contact the Virginia Board for Contractors (Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, DPOR) promptly if your license has lapsed.

Renew the same license in another state

All states: General Contractor renewal