Virginia plumbing license requirements and insurance
To work for yourself as a plumber in Virginia, you need the Class A Contractor license, specialty Plumbing (PLB) license. Virginia has 6 plumbing license types, and which one you need depends on the work you take on. Workers' comp is required once you regularly have more than two workers, part-time or full-time. The state does not ask for a bond.
1Who needs a plumbing license in Virginia? What is this?
Class A Contractor license, specialty Plumbing (PLB): a business that takes any single plumbing job of $150,000 or more, or does $1,000,000 or more of work in any 12 months
| License | Who needs it | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Class A Contractor license, specialty Plumbing (PLB) | A business that takes any single plumbing job of $150,000 or more, or does $1,000,000 or more of work in any 12 months | Plumbing work of any size anywhere in Virginia. The PLB specialty covers piping, fixtures, appliances, water supply, drainage, boilers, and water heaters |
| Class B Contractor license, specialty Plumbing (PLB) | A business whose single jobs run from $30,000 up to but not including $150,000, or that does $250,000 up to $1,000,000 of work in any 12 months | Same plumbing work as Class A, capped at the dollar limits above |
| Class C Contractor license, specialty Plumbing (PLB) | A business whose single jobs are over $1,000 but under $30,000, and whose work in any 12 months stays under $250,000. This is the usual first business license for a one-truck plumber | Same plumbing work as Class A, capped at the dollar limits above |
| Journeyman Plumber (tradesman license) | The individual license for a plumber who works for a licensed business. It does not let you run a business or take contracts over $1,000 on your own | Plumbing work as an individual under a licensed contractor |
| Master Plumber (tradesman license) | The senior individual license. A plumbing business usually names a master plumber as its qualified individual. Check with the board whether this is required for the PLB specialty | Plumbing work as an individual, and supervising journeymen |
| Residential Plumber (tradesman license) | Optional. A shorter first step for someone doing house plumbing under a licensed business. Three years holding it counts toward a master license | — |
2Who issues plumber licenses in Virginia? What is this?
Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, Board for Contractors (DPOR) issues plumbing licenses in Virginia.
See how this compares in every state: How to check a contractor's license, state by state
| Name | Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, Board for Contractors (DPOR) |
|---|---|
| Website | dpor.virginia.gov |
| Look up a license | dpor.virginia.gov |
| The law | Code of Virginia Title 54.1 Chapter 11 (sections 54.1-1100 and following) |
| The rulebook | 18VAC50-22 for the business license and 18VAC50-30 for the individual tradesman license |
| Who runs the exam | PSI |
3How to become a plumber in Virginia What is this?
Virginia has 6 licenses that matter to a plumber: Class A Contractor license, specialty Plumbing (PLB), Class B Contractor license, specialty Plumbing (PLB), Class C Contractor license, specialty Plumbing (PLB), Journeyman Plumber (tradesman license), Master Plumber (tradesman license), Residential Plumber (tradesman license). Each is below, with what you need before you apply.
| License | Experience required | Training required | Exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A Contractor license, specialty Plumbing (PLB) | The qualified individual (the person whose trade experience backs the firm) needs 5 years of plumbing experience and must be a full-time employee or an owner | A board-approved basic business course of 8 hours, taken by the designated employee or an owner before you apply | Yes, a board exam run by PSI for the designated employee, plus the trade exam for the qualified individual. PSI charges $40 to $85 per exam portion |
| Class B Contractor license, specialty Plumbing (PLB) | The qualified individual needs 3 years of plumbing experience and must be a full-time employee or an owner | A board-approved basic business course of 8 hours | Yes, a board exam run by PSI for the designated employee, plus the trade exam for the qualified individual |
| Class C Contractor license, specialty Plumbing (PLB) | The qualified individual needs 1 year of plumbing experience and must be a full-time employee or an owner | A board-approved basic business course of 8 hours | The rule says the qualified individual must have passed the board-approved exam for the specialty. The DPOR page lists the PSI business exam for Class A and B only. Whether a master plumber license satisfies the trade exam for PLB is not stated by the board. Ask DPOR before you rely on it |
| Journeyman Plumber (tradesman license) | One of these, with plumbing work counted in years and classes in hours. 8 years of work and no classes. 7 years and 40 hours. 6 years and 80 hours. 5 years and 160 hours. 4 years and 240 hours. 2 years and a two-year trade certificate or associate degree. 1 year and an engineering bachelor's degree | The class hours in the row you pick above. Board-approved continuing education can count as class hours | Yes, a board exam run by PSI. The rule caps the journeyman exam at $200. The DPOR page says $100 to $125 paid to PSI |
| Master Plumber (tradesman license) | One of these. One year holding a journeyman plumbing license. Three years holding a Virginia residential plumbing tradesman license. Or nine years of practical experience in the trade | None beyond the journeyman path | Yes, a board exam run by PSI. The rule caps the master exam at $225. The DPOR page says $100 to $125 |
| Residential Plumber (tradesman license) | 6 years of work and no classes. 5 years and 40 hours. 4 years and 80 hours. 3 years and 120 hours. 2 years and 160 hours | — | Yes, run by PSI |
4How much does a plumbing license cost in Virginia? What is this?
The government fees on this page add up to about $760 in Virginia. Add insurance, tools, and a vehicle to get the real number.
| License | Application | Exam | Renewal | Adding a license type | Adding a trade | Changing the qualifying person | Recovery fund fee, with the application | Recovery fund fee, with renewal | Technology fee, per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class A Contractor license, specialty Plumbing (PLB) | $400 | — | $270 | $125 | — | $125 | $25 | $30 | $7.25 |
| Class B Contractor license, specialty Plumbing (PLB) | $380 | — | $260 | — | — | — | $25 | $30 | $7.25 |
| Class C Contractor license, specialty Plumbing (PLB) | $235 | — | $220 | — | — | — | $25 | $30 | $7.25 |
| Journeyman Plumber (tradesman license) | $150 | $125 | $160 | — | $105 | — | — | — | $7.25 |
| Master Plumber (tradesman license) | $150 | $125 | $160 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Residential Plumber (tradesman license) | $150 | — | $160 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Added up
| Government fees, added up | $760 |
|---|
Does not include the 8-hour business course, a bond, insurance premiums, tools, a vehicle, or city permits
5How much plumbing insurance do you need in Virginia? What is this?
What Virginia requires you to carry before you work.
| Minimum liability insurance | Not listed yet |
|---|---|
| Type of policy | None required for the license. The DPOR page and the rules for Class A, B, and C list a money check (net worth or bond), not an insurance policy |
| Who this applies to | Not applicable |
| Who must be named on the certificate | Not applicable |
| Workers' comp required? | Yes, once you regularly have more than two workers, part-time or full-time. That means three or more |
| Workers' comp: who counts as an employee | Workers employed by your subcontractors count toward your total, even when the subcontractor has its own policy. Officers, LLC managers, family members, and part-timers all count |
| Who can opt out |
|
| Workers' comp: if you skip it | Up to $250 for each day without coverage, capped at $50,000 |
6Does Virginia check your credit for a plumber license? What is this?
Virginia does not check your credit for this license.
| Credit score you need | None |
|---|---|
| Net worth needed, Class A | $45,000 |
| Net worth needed, Class B | $15,000 |
| Net worth needed, Class C | None |
| If your score is lower | A $50,000 surety bond on the board's form replaces the net worth figure for Class A or Class B |
| What you must disclose | You must list past-due debts, judgments, unpaid taxes, and bond defaults for the last 3 years (Class B and C) or 5 years (Class A), plus felonies and recent misdemeanors |
7Does a plumber need a bond in Virginia? What is this?
Virginia does not require a state bond for this license. Some cities ask for one before they issue permits.
| Does the state require a bond? | No |
|---|---|
| Amount | Not listed yet |
The state does not make you post a bond. A $50,000 surety bond (a promise, backed by an insurance company, that customers can be paid if you do not finish the job) is one way to pass the money check for Class A or B. Every firm also pays into the Contractor Transaction Recovery Fund, $25 with the application and $30 at each renewal. Cities may ask for a permit bond, so check with your city.
8Where must a Virginia plumber show the license number? What is this?
In Virginia: every contract for work on a home must show your business name, address, license number, class of license, and your classifications or specialties. No rule read makes the number mandatory on ads or vehicles. Ads must not be false or misleading.
| The rule |
|
|---|---|
| If you forget | Leaving it off a residential contract breaks the board's standards of practice, which can bring a fine or action against the license. The board does not publish a set figure for this one |
9Does a plumber charge sales tax on labor in Virginia? What is this?
In Virginia, no sales tax. Work on real property is not a taxable sale. The rest of the rules are below.
See how this compares in every state: Can you charge sales tax on labor? The rule in 25 states
| Who pays tax on materials |
|
|---|---|
| Materials you bill to the customer | You do not add sales tax to the customer's bill as a tax. Build the tax you paid into your price |
| Labor on buildings | No sales tax. Work on real property is not a taxable sale |
| Resale certificate |
|
| Repairs to things that are not part of the building | If you sell and install an item that stays tangible personal property (not part of the building), you charge tax on the item, and labor you list separately on the invoice is exempt. Which plumbing items fall here is not spelled out by the state |
| Homes versus businesses | Same rule for a home and a business. The tax follows the materials, not the customer |
| Tax rate | 5.3 percent in most of the state, 6 percent in Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, and Central Virginia, 6.3 percent in some Southside counties, 7 percent in James City County, Williamsburg, and York County |
10Getting paid: lien and notice deadlines for a Virginia plumber What is this?
If you are not paid in Virginia, a lien on the property is your backstop, but only if your notice goes out on time: the statute read sets no fixed day for the subcontractor notice. Give it as early as you can, because the owner only has to pay you out of what the owner still owes the general contractor on the day your notice arrives.
- Day 0Your first day on the job
The clock starts here.
- Day 90File your lien
File a memorandum of lien (the lien paper, recorded with the circuit court) within 90 days from the last day of the month you last worked or delivered material, and never later than 90 days after the building is finished (last work on January 10 means the clock starts January 31 and you file by May 1)
Each day count is counted from the day the rule beside it names, which is not always the same day. Read the sentence under each one.
| Who has to send a notice | A subcontractor or supplier hired by the general contractor, not by the owner, must give the owner written notice of the amount and type of the claim to hold the owner liable. A general contractor must file proof that it mailed a copy of the lien to the owner |
|---|---|
| Send your notice by | The statute read sets no fixed day for the subcontractor notice. Give it as early as you can, because the owner only has to pay you out of what the owner still owes the general contractor on the day your notice arrives |
| File your lien by | File a memorandum of lien (the lien paper, recorded with the circuit court) within 90 days from the last day of the month you last worked or delivered material, and never later than 90 days after the building is finished (last work on January 10 means the clock starts January 31 and you file by May 1) |
| How far back a lien can reach | The lien can only cover work or material from the 150 days before your last day on the job |
11How do you renew a plumbing license in Virginia? What is this?
The Class A Contractor license, specialty Plumbing (PLB) renews on this cycle: not published. The rules give the renewal fee and a 30-day window after the license expires, but never the length of the term. Your renewal notice carries your own date.
| License | Renewal | Training hours each year | Training hours each renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A Contractor license, specialty Plumbing (PLB) | Not published. The rules give the renewal fee and a 30-day window after the license expires, but never the length of the term. Your renewal notice carries your own date | None for the business license. The tradesman license has its own rule below | — |
| Class B Contractor license, specialty Plumbing (PLB) | The same as Class A | — | — |
| Class C Contractor license, specialty Plumbing (PLB) | The same as Class A | — | — |
| Journeyman Plumber (tradesman license) | Three years, counted from the last day of the month your license was issued. An old answer on the DPOR questions page still says two years, and dates its example to 2012. The rule says three. Your renewal card carries your own date | — | — |
| Master Plumber (tradesman license) | Three years, counted from the last day of the month your license was issued. An old answer on the DPOR questions page still says two years, and dates its example to 2012. The rule says three. Your renewal card carries your own date | — | — |
Renewal fees are in what the license costs. The official page for each license is linked under how you get it.
12What catches people out in Virginia What is this?
The things people get wrong or do not expect about Virginia, in a few sentences.
- You need a state license for any plumbing job worth more than $1,000. Class C covers jobs up to $30,000, Class B up to $150,000, and Class A has no ceiling. Total work in a year also moves you up a class.
- The state sets no liability insurance minimum for the license. Instead a Class A firm must show $45,000 of net worth and a Class B firm $15,000, or post a $50,000 bond in place of either.
- Workers' comp becomes mandatory at three workers, and workers employed by your subcontractors count toward that number. Virginia offers no owner waiver form.
- A plumber's tradesman license runs three years and needs 3 hours of code classes to renew. An old answer on the board's own questions page still says two years, with a 2012 example. Go by three.
- Sales tax works one way only. You pay tax when you buy pipe and fixtures and you never add tax to the customer's bill for work on a building.
- The 90-day lien clock starts on the last day of the month you last worked, not the day itself. Work that ended on January 10 gives you until May 1.
·8 official pages
- law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title54.1/chapter11/section54.1-1100/
- law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency50/chapter22/section60/
- law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency50/chapter22/section50/
- workcomp.virginia.gov/workers-compensation-insurance-information-employers
- law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency50/chapter30/section120/
- dpor.virginia.gov/Boards/Tradesmen
- law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title23/agency10/chapter210/section410/
- law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title43/chapter1/section43-4/
13Where these numbers come from
The labels under each table are explained on how to read a page.
- law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title54.1/chapter11/section54.1-1100/
- law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency50/chapter22/section60/
- law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency50/chapter22/section50/
- workcomp.virginia.gov/workers-compensation-insurance-information-employers
- law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency50/chapter30/section120/
- dpor.virginia.gov/Boards/Tradesmen
- law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title23/agency10/chapter210/section410/
- law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title43/chapter1/section43-4/
- dpor.virginia.gov/boards/contractors
- law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency50/chapter30/
- law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency50/chapter22/section61/
- law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency50/chapter22/section100/
- law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency50/chapter22/section140/
- law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency50/chapter22/section20/
- law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency50/chapter22/section40/
- law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency50/chapter30/section39/
- law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency50/chapter30/section90/
- law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency50/chapter30/section100/
- law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title65.2/chapter1/section65.2-101/
- law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency50/chapter22/section260/
- law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title54.1/chapter11/section54.1-1103/
- law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title58.1/chapter6/section58.1-609.5/
- tax.virginia.gov/retail-sales-and-use-tax
- law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title43/chapter1/section43-7/