Handyman Licenses in Virginia: Everything You Need to Know

If you want to offer handyman services in Virginia, it’s essential to understand the local laws.

In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about licensing laws for handymen in the state.

I’ve poured over pages of difficult-to-understand legal jargon and pulled out the critical information you need to know before offering handyman services for profit.

Do you need a license to offer handyman services in Virginia?

No, you do not need a contractor license to offer small home repairs in Virginia.

Handymen can take on all sorts of projects without a license as long as labor and materials remain under $1,000. Once jobs exceed $1K, the state requires a General Contractor license. For handymen, this means a Class C GC license, allowing for work up to $10,000, including labor and materials.

However, you will need the proper business licenses to legally provide services for profit (more on that below).

What are some of the jobs unlicensed handymen can take on?

You can tackle pretty much anything that doesn’t include serious electrical, plumbing, or HVAC. You’ll also want to avoid projects that require a permit or deal with hazardous materials (mold or asbestos).

Here are some examples of services you can offer:

• Door, deck, and drywall repair
• Fence and gate repair
• Gutter cleaning, power washing, and staining
• Assembling and moving furniture
• Window repair
• Shelving installation
• Applying caulk and removing old grout
• Patching and painting walls and trim
• Door repair; replacing hinges and knobs
• Flooring installation: carpet/tile/linoleum
• Window treatment installation
• Tile repair
• Many more that are too numerous to list

Virginia also allows handymen to change light fixtures, faucets, and electrical outlets, tasks many other states forbid.

The clerk I spoke with in the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation confirmed that Virginia allows “dabbling” in electrical and plumbing if the work you’re being asked to do is cosmetic. So, handymen can change a ceiling fan as long as there’s no rewiring. Similarly, handymen can change a toilet or faucet if there’s no pipe reconfiguring.

With this said, he advises handymen to check in with their local town hall to ensure the legality of these types of jobs since regulations can vary by district.

Limitations for unlicensed handymen

Handymen are restricted from working on electrical panels, running wires, laying pipes, or HVAC systems. They’re also barred from pulling permits and working with hazardous materials. A good rule of thumb is that if what you’re doing poses a substantial risk to you or the homeowner,if not done correctly, you probably need a license to perform that task.

What about insurance?

The state of Virginia does not require liability insurance for unlicensed handymen, but it could be required in certain jurisdictions.

Either way, obtaining liability insurance is a good idea, and here’s a great place to get it.

If your handyman business hires employees, however, you’ll need Worker’s Compensation Insurance.

Advertising guidelines and constraints

The clerk I spoke with indicated that advertising restrictions are few and that the focus is on transparency. If you have opted to forego licensing, wording like “Not a Licensed Contractor” must be included on marketing materials.

Similarly, if you’ve opted to obtain your General Contractor license, your license number should be displayed on all business communication and advertisements.

Penalties for contracting illegally

Working outside laws in place for handymen–whether performing work over $1,000 without a GC license, or engaging in prohibited plumbing, HVAC, and electrical work without the proper speciality license–places the handyman in jeopardy.

Virginia considers these infractions Class 1 misdemeanors, punishable by up to 12 months in jail and $2,500 in penalties. For every day the handyman is found in violation, he can be fined an additional $500 per day.

Definitely not worth the risk.

What are the steps to get licensed as a General Contractor in Virginia?

If you’d like to tackle projects over $1,000, here’s what you need to do.

The two departments a handyman must contact for licensing are the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation and the Virginia State Corporation Commission. The DPOR doesn’t issue licenses to individuals, only to businesses.

Before applying for a GC license through the DPOR, handymen must register as a business through the State Corporation Commission. The fee to register a business is $20 and can be done here.

Virginia’s GC application begins with two years of related experience, the completion of a board-approved pre-license education course, and the fulfillment of a Criminal Conviction Reporting Form and an Adverse Financial History Reporting Form (to capture information on outstanding debt or tax obligations). These requirements are explained in detail here.

The application itself is $235 and can be found on this page.

License renewal is required every two years for $75.

Additional Handyman Licensing Requirements

Please note that this article primarily covers contracting licenses for basic repairs. To operate a business legally, you also must comply with other state and city regulations. Often, this includes the following:

• Registering your business with the state (forming an LLC, for example)
• Obtaining a Sales & Use Tax License (if you plan to sell materials and mark them up).
• Acquiring a city business license for each city you service.
• Some counties also require a business license.

**Please do not consider this list exhaustive. There may be additional requirements in your city/state that I did not find during my research.**

Conclusion

Virginia is a great place to start a handyman business, even if you decide not to get a contractor’s license.

Plenty of small repairs, maintenance, and improvement tasks are profitable and in high demand. And staying under the $1,000 limit is surprisingly easy.

And, if you decide to get licensed, it’s a relatively straightforward process with minimal fees when compared to other states.

Do you offer handyman services in Virginia?

If so, I’d love to hear about your experience. Please leave a comment below to share any additional insights I may have missed.