Virginia Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) Exam Prep Courses

Contractor Training Center offers everything you need to prepare for the Virginia Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) Exam and obtain your home improvement contractor license.  

The Virginia Home Improvement Contractor Exam is a challenging test of your knowledge of building regulations, best practices, and terminology. However, with the right study materials and courses, you’ll build the base knowledge and confidence you’ll need to pass the exam and begin your career as a contractor. 

As a licensed home improvement contractor in Virginia, you will be able to perform repairs or improvements on existing residential buildings. This includes dwellings, townhouses, and accessory structures.

Such projects often include:    

• Kitchen and bathroom remodeling 
• Interior and basement finishing 
• Room additions 
• Deck and patio construction 
• Building or repairing outdoor living spaces 
• Window and door replacement 
• Window insulation  
• Roofing repairs or replacement 
• Siding replacement and installation  

In Virginia, in addition to Home Improvement Contractor classification, specialty designations must be obtained for licensees to perform:  

• Electrical work 
• Plumbing 
• HVAC projects 

You can also refer to the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin for more information on registration, testing policies, and locations.

To register for the Virginia Home Improvement Contractor Exam and become a licensed contractor, you’ll need to:

- Determine which class of license to obtain 

• Class A: Projects over $120,000. Requires 5 years of experience.    
• Class B: Projects between $10,000 and $120,000. Requires 3 years of experience. 
• Class C: Projects between $1,000 and $10,000. Requires 2 years of experience.
  

- Meet the Requirements: 

• Complete an eight-hour pre-license education course approved by the Board for Contractors.    
• Demonstrate financial responsibility by meeting certain net worth requirements.    
• Have 2 years of verifiable experience in residential building for Class C applicants; 3 years for Class B applicants, and 5 years for Class A applicants.
  

- For Class A/B licenses: Class A applicants must also pass business law exams (General, Virginia and Advanced); Class B applicants must pass the General and Virginia business law exams.   

- Get pre-approved for the exam by completing a license application and experience verification forms and submitting to DPOR; you can find the application and instructions on their website at www.dpor.virginia.gov.       

• Pay the required application and licensing fees: 
• Class A License: $385 
• Class B License: $370 
• Class C License: $235
  

- Once you have been pre-approved, register for the exam with PSI Exams online at www.psiexams.com. There is an $85 exam fee. 

- Take and pass the exam. The Virginia Home Improvement Contractor exam is an open-book test of 50 multiple-choice questions. You are allotted two hours to complete the exam, and a score of 70% is required to pass.

- After passing the exam, your license will be issued in 5-7 days.