Does a handyman need a license in Virginia?

A state contractor license is needed for a job worth more than $1,000. A handyman may do a job worth $1,000 or less without one. Paid electrical, plumbing, heating, and cooling work needs a state trade license, even for small jobs, unless a tradesman licensed in that trade supervises the worker. Gas fitters need a state license too.

Can I fix up my own house in Virginia without a license?

The contractor law does not apply to work on your own main home, for one home in any 24-month period. You must live in it when the work is done and follow the building code. Ask your local building office about permits.

What should a Virginia contractor's contract include?

A licensed contractor must use a written contract that you both sign before work starts or payment is taken. It must show the payment schedule and the down payment. Changes must be in writing and signed by both of you.

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Who can fix it in Virginia? Handyman and contractor license rules

Checked October 20, 2026 against Virginia law and state agency pages · General information, not legal advice

The short answer: In Virginia, a job worth more than $1,000 needs a state contractor license. A handyman may do a job worth $1,000 or less without one. This does not include electrical, plumbing, heating, cooling, or gas work.

“the total value referred to in a single contract or project is over $1,000 but less than $30,000” — Va. Code § 54.1-1100

What that means for your job

The limit is for the total value of the whole job.
Paid electrical, plumbing, heating, and cooling work needs a state trade license, unless a tradesman licensed in that trade supervises the worker. Paid gas work also needs a state license, such as a gas fitter license. Small jobs count too.
You may still need a permit from your city or county. The worker may also need a local business license.
You may fix your own main home without a license if you follow the building code. You can use this rule for one home every two years.

Trades that need a license in Virginia

General building/home improvement: Yes. A job worth more than $1,000 needs a state contractor license from the Board for Contractors. The home improvement (HIC) specialty covers repairs and improvements to houses and townhouses, but not electrical, plumbing, HVAC, or gas fitting work. (Va. Code § 54.1-1100 (Class C contractors); Va. Code § 54.1-1103(A) (license required); Beware of Unlicensed Contractors Following Virginia Beach Storms; 18VAC50-22-30 (home improvement contracting specialty); Va. Code § 54.1-1129(C) (gas fitter license required); Va. Code § 54.1-1128 (liquefied petroleum gas fitter defined))
Electrical: Yes. Anyone who does electrical work for pay needs a state tradesman license, unless a tradesman licensed in that trade supervises them. Small jobs count too. Electrical contracting firms also need a master tradesman license to get their contractor license. (Va. Code § 54.1-1128 (tradesman defined); Va. Code § 54.1-1129(A) (tradesman license required; supervised helpers); Va. Code § 54.1-1100 (Class C contractors))
Plumbing: Yes. Anyone who does plumbing work for pay needs a state tradesman license, unless a tradesman licensed in that trade supervises them. Small jobs count too. Plumbing contracting firms also need a master tradesman license to get their contractor license. (Va. Code § 54.1-1128 (tradesman defined); Va. Code § 54.1-1129(A) (tradesman license required; supervised helpers); Va. Code § 54.1-1100 (Class C contractors))
Heating and air conditioning: Yes. Anyone who does heating, ventilation, or air conditioning work for pay needs a state tradesman license, unless a tradesman licensed in that trade supervises them. Small jobs count too. HVAC contracting firms also need a master tradesman license to get their contractor license. (Va. Code § 54.1-1128 (tradesman defined); Va. Code § 54.1-1129(A) (tradesman license required; supervised helpers); Va. Code § 54.1-1100 (Class C contractors))
Roofing: Virginia has no separate roofing license. A roofing job over $1,000 needs a contractor license that covers roofing, such as the roofing (ROC) or home improvement (HIC) specialty. (18VAC50-22-30 (roofing contracting specialty); Beware of Unlicensed Contractors Following Virginia Beach Storms)

Before you sign with a contractor

Licensed contractors doing home work must use a written contract. You and the contractor both sign it before work starts or any payment is taken.
The contract must show the payment schedule and the down payment.
Any change to the contract needs a written change order signed by both of you.
Many sales made at your home can be canceled until midnight of the third business day after you sign. Cancel in writing. If you asked for an emergency job, you may lose this right once the seller has started the work and you have signed a dated note giving it up.
Did a licensed contractor's improper or dishonest conduct cost you money? If you win a court judgment, the state recovery fund may pay what is unpaid. It pays at most $30,000 for one claim on one job.
The fund only pays for acts done while the contractor had a license.
If you sue the contractor, send the contractor board a copy of your complaint by certified mail. Send it copies of later court papers too. File your fund claim within 12 months after the final judgment.
The contractor board's tip: never pay for the whole job up front. It suggests paying 10% down or $1,000, whichever is less. This is advice, not a law.

Sources: (18VAC50-22-260(B)(8) (written residential contracts); 18VAC50-22-260(B)(9)(c) (payment schedule and down payment); 18VAC50-22-260(B)(31) (written change orders); Va. Code § 59.1-21.3(1)-(2) (cancelling a home solicitation sale; written notice); Va. Code § 59.1-21.3(5)(c) (emergency waiver); Va. Code § 59.1-21.2(A)(1) (home solicitation sale defined); Va. Code § 54.1-1120(B) (recovery fund claims); Va. Code § 54.1-1123(A) (recovery fund limit); Beware of Unlicensed Contractors Following Virginia Beach Storms (tips for hiring); Va. Code § 59.1-21.3(5)(a) (emergency: seller has started the work); Va. Code § 54.1-1120(B)(1) (serve the Board with the complaint); Va. Code § 54.1-1120(B)(3) (12-month claim deadline); Va. Code § 54.1-1120(B)(2) (later court papers to the Board))

Doing the work yourself

You may do or manage work on your own main home without a contractor license. You can use this rule for one home in any 24-month period.
The home must be for your own use. The contractor board says you must live in it when the work is done. Building or fixing a home to sell needs a license.
You must follow the Uniform Statewide Building Code. Ask your local building office about permits.
Before you sell, you need a certificate of occupancy. You can skip it only if the buyer agrees in writing.
A landlord may repair or improve rental units they own under Virginia's landlord-tenant law without a contractor license. The building code still applies.

Sources: (Va. Code § 54.1-1101(A)(7) (owner's primary residence); Board for Contractors Guidance Document 2959 (v9, effective 2/26/2026) (interpretation of § 54.1-1101, 'for own use'); Board for Contractors Guidance Document 2959 (v9, effective 2/26/2026) (building to sell); Va. Code § 54.1-1101(C) (building code applies); Va. Code § 54.1-1101(B) (certificate of occupancy before sale); Va. Code § 54.1-1101(A)(10) (owner's rental units))

Check a license in Virginia

Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), Board for Contractors

Ask for the license number, then look it up yourself. Check that the name and the license type match the work. See how to check any contractor's license.

Common jobs: who should do them

These are the tool's answers for each job. The Virginia rules above decide who may do it. Tap a job to see why, where to stop, and what to ask.

Job	Who should do it
Replace a toilet	It depends
Replace a kitchen or bathroom faucet	DIY
Replace a water heater	Pro
Replace a dishwasher	It depends
Replace a light fixture	It depends
Put a ceiling fan where a light was	It depends
Replace an outlet or light switch	It depends
Replace your old thermostat	It depends
Patch a hole in drywall	It depends
Paint a room	It depends
Replace a few cracked ceramic tiles	Handyman
Put in new flooring	It depends
Replace an interior door	It depends
Clean the gutters	It depends
Replace an outside window or door	Pro
Replace the roof	Pro

What could change

Starting January 1, 2027, home solar sales and leases must use a written contract with set terms. Customers will have five business days to cancel. Status as of 2026-10-20: Signed into law. It takes effect January 1, 2027. The contractor board's matching rule is final and takes effect the same day. (Va. Code § 54.1-1117.1 (home solar contracts; 2026 Acts cc. 851, 852); Va. Code § 54.1-1117.1(B) (written solar contract); Va. Code § 54.1-1117.1(B)(8) (solar right to cancel); Regulatory action 7101: HB 1439/SB 823 Amendment (Solar Energy Systems Contracts))

Common questions

Does a handyman need a license in Virginia?: A state contractor license is needed for a job worth more than $1,000. A handyman may do a job worth $1,000 or less without one. Paid electrical, plumbing, heating, and cooling work needs a state trade license, even for small jobs, unless a tradesman licensed in that trade supervises the worker. Gas fitters need a state license too.
Can I fix up my own house in Virginia without a license?: The contractor law does not apply to work on your own main home, for one home in any 24-month period. You must live in it when the work is done and follow the building code. Ask your local building office about permits.
What should a Virginia contractor's contract include?: A licensed contractor must use a written contract that you both sign before work starts or payment is taken. It must show the payment schedule and the down payment. Changes must be in writing and signed by both of you.

Sources

Va. Code § 54.1-1100 (Class C contractors) — Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia)"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 $30,000, 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 $250,000. The Board shall require a master tradesmen license as a condition of licensure for electrical, plumbing, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contractors.
Va. Code § 54.1-1103(A) (license required) — Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia)No person shall engage in, or offer to engage in, contracting work in the Commonwealth unless he has been licensed under the provisions of this chapter.
Beware of Unlicensed Contractors Following Virginia Beach Storms — Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational RegulationVirginia law requires a state license, not just a local business license, for most contracting work or bids over $1,000.
Beware of Unlicensed Contractors Following Virginia Beach Storms (tips for hiring) — Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational RegulationNever pay for the entire job upfront. Pay 10% down, or $1,000 whichever is less.
Va. Code § 54.1-1128 (tradesman defined) — Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia)"Tradesman" means any individual who engages in, or offers to engage in, work for the general public for compensation in the trades of electrical, plumbing and heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
Va. Code § 54.1-1129(A) (tradesman license required; supervised helpers) — Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia)no individual shall engage in, or offer to engage in, work as a tradesman as defined in § 54.1-1128 unless he has been licensed under the provisions of this article. Individuals shall not be subject to licensure as a tradesman when working under the supervision of a tradesman who is licensed in the specialty for which work is being performed.
18VAC50-22-30 (home improvement contracting specialty) — Virginia General Assembly (Virginia Administrative Code)"Home improvement contracting" (Abbr: HIC) means the service that provides for repairs or improvements to dwellings and townhouses as defined in the USBC or structures annexed to those dwellings or townhouses as defined in the USBC. The RBC classification also provides for this function. The HIC specialty does not provide for electrical, plumbing, HVAC, or gas fitting functions.
18VAC50-22-30 (roofing contracting specialty) — Virginia General Assembly (Virginia Administrative Code)"Roofing contracting" (Abbr: ROC) means the service that provides for the installation, repair, removal, or improvement of materials common to the industry that form a watertight, weather resistant surface for roofs and decks. This includes roofing system components when installed in conjunction with a roofing project, application of dampproofing or waterproofing, and installation of roof insulation panels and other roof insulation systems above roof deck. The CBC and RBC classifications and the HIC and CIC specialties also provide for this function.
Va. Code § 54.1-1101(A)(7) (owner's primary residence) — Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia)Any person who performs or supervises the construction, removal, repair, or improvement of no more than one primary residence owned by him and for his own use during any 24-month period;
Va. Code § 54.1-1101(A)(10) (owner's rental units) — Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia)Any person who performs or supervises the repair or improvement of residential dwelling units owned by him that are subject to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (§ 55.1-1200 et seq.);
Va. Code § 54.1-1101(B) (certificate of occupancy before sale) — Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia)Any person who is exempt from the provisions of this chapter as a result of subdivision A 7, 10, 11, or 12 shall obtain a certificate of occupancy for any building constructed, repaired or improved by him prior to conveying such property to a third-party purchaser, unless such purchaser has acknowledged in writing that no certificate of occupancy has been issued and that such purchaser consents to acquire the property without a certificate of occupancy.
Va. Code § 54.1-1101(C) (building code applies) — Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia)Any person who is exempt from the provisions of this chapter as a result of subdivision 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, or 14 of subsection A shall comply with the provisions of the Uniform Statewide Building Code (§ 36-97 et seq.).
Board for Contractors Guidance Document 2959 (v9, effective 2/26/2026) (interpretation of § 54.1-1101, 'for own use') — Virginia Board for Contractors“For own use” means that the person performing or supervising the construction of a residential building must live in the residential building upon completion
Board for Contractors Guidance Document 2959 (v9, effective 2/26/2026) (building to sell) — Virginia Board for ContractorsThe Board stated that there should be no misunderstanding that a person who performs or supervises the construction of or improvements to any building with the intent to sell it must have a contractor’s license.
18VAC50-22-260(B)(8) (written residential contracts) — Virginia General Assembly (Virginia Administrative Code)Failure of all those who engage in residential contracting, excluding subcontractors to the contracting parties and those who engage in routine maintenance or service contracts, to make use of a legible written contract clearly specifying the terms and conditions of the work to be performed. For the purposes of this chapter, residential contracting means construction, removal, repair, or improvements to single-family or multiple-family residential buildings, including accessory-use structures as defined in § 54.1-1100 of the Code of Virginia. Prior to commencement of work or acceptance of payments, the contract shall be signed by both the consumer and the licensee or the licensee's agent.
18VAC50-22-260(B)(9)(c) (payment schedule and down payment) — Virginia General Assembly (Virginia Administrative Code)The amounts and schedule for progress payments, including a specific statement on the amount of the down payment;
18VAC50-22-260(B)(31) (written change orders) — Virginia General Assembly (Virginia Administrative Code)Failure to obtain written change orders, which are signed by both the consumer and the licensee or the licensee's agent, to an already existing contract.
Va. Code § 59.1-21.3(1)-(2) (cancelling a home solicitation sale; written notice) — Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia)Except as provided in subsection (5), in addition to any right otherwise to revoke an offer, the buyer has the right to cancel a home solicitation sale until midnight of the third business day after the day on which the buyer signs an agreement or offer to purchase which complies with § 59.1-21.4. (2) Cancellation occurs when the buyer gives written notice of cancellation to the seller at the address stated in the agreement or offer to purchase.
Va. Code § 59.1-21.3(5)(c) (emergency waiver) — Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia)The buyer's emergency request is in a dated writing personally signed by the buyer and which expressly states that the buyer understands that he is waiving his right to cancel the sale under the provisions of this act.
Va. Code § 59.1-21.2(A)(1) (home solicitation sale defined) — Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia)A consumer sale or lease of goods or services in which the seller or a person acting for him engages (i) in a personal solicitation of the sale or lease or (ii) in a solicitation of the sale or lease by telephone or electronic means at any residence other than that of the seller without prior invitation or appointment;
Va. Code § 54.1-1120(B) (recovery fund claims) — Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia)against any individual or entity that involves improper or dishonest conduct occurring (i) during a period when such individual or entity was a regulant and (ii) in connection with a transaction involving contracting, the claimant may file a verified claim with the Director to obtain a directive ordering payment from the Fund of the amount unpaid upon the judgment
Va. Code § 54.1-1123(A) (recovery fund limit) — Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia)The maximum claim of one claimant against the Fund based upon an unpaid judgment arising out of the improper or dishonest conduct of one regulant in connection with a single transaction involving contracting is limited to $30,000, including any amount paid from a contractor's surety bond under § 54.1-1120.1, regardless of the amount of the unpaid judgment of the claimant.
Va. Code § 54.1-1117.1 (home solar contracts; 2026 Acts cc. 851, 852) — Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia)§ 54.1-1117.1. (Effective January 1, 2027) Sale, lease, or power purchase agreement for solar energy system; required provisions and disclosures; civil penalty.
Va. Code § 54.1-1117.1(B) (written solar contract) — Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia)Any sale, lease, or power purchase agreement for a solar energy system shall require the execution of a written contract that includes the following in at least 10-point font:
Va. Code § 54.1-1117.1(B)(8) (solar right to cancel) — Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia)The right to cancel the contract, without penalty, within five business days of contract execution.
Regulatory action 7101: HB 1439/SB 823 Amendment (Solar Energy Systems Contracts) — Virginia Regulatory Town HallStage complete. Becomes effective on 01/01/2027.
Va. Code § 54.1-1129(C) (gas fitter license required) — Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia)no individual shall engage in, or offer to engage in, work as a liquefied petroleum gas fitter or natural gas fitter provider as defined in § 54.1-1128 unless he has been licensed under the provisions of this article.
Va. Code § 59.1-21.3(5)(a) (emergency: seller has started the work) — Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia)The seller in good faith makes a substantial beginning of performance of the contract before the buyer gives notice of cancellation
Va. Code § 54.1-1120(B)(1) (serve the Board with the complaint) — Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia)If an action is instituted against a regulant by any person in a court of competent jurisdiction in the Commonwealth, such person shall serve a copy of the complaint upon the Board by certified mail or the equivalent
Va. Code § 54.1-1120(B)(3) (12-month claim deadline) — Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia)A verified claim shall be filed with the Director no later than 12 months after the date of entry of the final judgment from which no further right of appeal exists.
Va. Code § 54.1-1120(B)(2) (later court papers to the Board) — Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia)A copy of any pleading or document filed subsequent to the initial service of process in the action against a regulant shall be provided to the Board.
Va. Code § 54.1-1128 (liquefied petroleum gas fitter defined) — Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia)"Liquefied petroleum gas fitter" means any individual who engages in, or offers to engage in, work for the general public for compensation in work that includes the installation, repair, improvement, alterations or removal of piping, liquefied petroleum gas tanks and appliances

Checked October 20, 2026. We used AI-assisted research, then separate review passes that tried to prove each claim wrong against the law and agency pages above. This is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change; confirm with the state board or your local building department before you hire or start work. See a mistake? Email [email protected].

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