Virginia Solar Contractor License Requirements (2026)

Virginia does not issue a standalone solar contractor license. Solar PV installation is regulated as electrical work under Code of Virginia Title 54.1 Chapter 11 and requires the DPOR Board for Contractors ELE Electrical specialty designation with a Virginia Master Electrician as the qualifying individual. Solar thermal water heating requires the PLB Plumbing specialty with a Master Plumber. Virginia issues Class A (no project cap), Class B ($120K project / $750K annual cap), and Class C ($10K project / $150K annual cap) contractor business licenses, and the appropriate specialty designation must be added. NABCEP PV Installation Professional certification is the industry standard but is voluntary in Virginia.

Governing Authority

Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation — Board for Contractors (DPOR) administers and enforces this credential under the authority of Code of Virginia Title 54.1 Chapter 11; 18 VAC 50-22 (Board for Contractors regulations). DPOR Board for Contractors licenses general and specialty contractors statewide, adopts the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code by reference, and conducts disciplinary proceedings.

Official portal: https://www.dpor.virginia.gov/Boards/Contractors/
Address: 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 400, Richmond, VA 23233
Phone: (804) 367-8511

Eligibility Requirements

At a minimum the applicant has to be 18 years old and supply a valid Social Security Number. No Virginia residency requirement.

Good moral character

DPOR conducts a fitness review on every applicant.

Background investigation

Mandatory criminal history disclosure on the application.

Experience & Education Matrix

The applicant must document and verify at least four years and 8,000 hours of qualifying electrical experience to reach the Virginia Journeyman Electrician credential, plus one year as a journeyman to qualify for the Master Electrician examination. Keep payroll, tax, project, or supervisor records to support the claim, as the board can request proof for any period within its lookback window.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

DPOR Tradesman Experience Verification Form signed by each licensed Master Electrician supervisor
W-2 statements covering the qualifying period
Approved electrical apprenticeship completion certificate

Education substitution

Approved electrical apprenticeship and accredited trade school programs substitute for portions of the experience requirement.

Examination Structure

The licensing examination is delivered by PSI Services LLC (under contract to DPOR). All of the following parts must be cleared prior to issuance:

Virginia Master Electrician Examination — NEC, Virginia amendments, business and law — 100 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: $100 examination fee.

Retake policy: Failed exams may be retaken by paying a new $100 fee.

Insurance & Financial Security

This credential carries no state-level surety bond requirement under the cited sources. Individual jobs may still trigger a permit or public-works bond, which should be verified before bidding.

General liability

No state minimum, but $1M CGL is the de facto industry standard.

Workers' compensation

Workers' compensation insurance is mandatory under §65.2-800 et seq. for any business with three or more employees.

Additional financial requirements

Class A requires $45,000 net worth; Class B requires $15,000; Class C has no minimum.

Application and License Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$385
Examination	$100
Initial license	$385
Renewal (every 2 years)	$385

Maintenance & Renewal

Expect to renew the Virginia DPOR Class A/B/C Contractor with ELE Electrical or PLB Plumbing Specialty (Solar PV / Solar Thermal) every 2 years. Renewal currently costs $385. Virginia contractor licenses renew every two years.

Continuing education: Three hours of DPOR-approved CE per renewal cycle.

Downloadable Asset

2026 Virginia Solar License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity and Endorsement

Virginia does not accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination for this classification.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
Maryland	Trade exam waived	Limited DPOR–Maryland Master Electrician reciprocity (verify with the board; solar-specific reciprocity is rare).
North Carolina	Trade exam waived	Limited DPOR–NCBEEC reciprocity (verify with the board; solar-specific reciprocity is rare).
West Virginia	Trade exam waived	Limited DPOR–West Virginia reciprocity (verify with the board; solar-specific reciprocity is rare).

DPOR maintains limited master-electrician reciprocity (electrical credential only — solar contractor reciprocity is rare) with neighboring states.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares Solar license requirements in every state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

Earn the Virginia Journeyman Electrician credential. Four years and 8,000 hours of qualifying experience.
Document one year as a Virginia Journeyman. Required to qualify for the Master Electrician exam.
Pass the Virginia Master Electrician exam at 70%. PSI administers the exam.
File the DPOR Class A/B/C Contractor application. Designate the Master Electrician as the qualifying individual and add the ELE specialty.
Submit financial statement (Class A or B). Class A requires $45K net worth; Class B requires $15K.
Receive the contractor license with ELE specialty. DPOR issues the credential after exam, fees, and financial review.
Pull local building and electrical permits per project. Each Virginia jurisdiction requires local permits.

Pre-Submission Checklist

These are the pieces to lock down before filing with DPOR:

☐ Virginia Master Electrician credential
☐ DPOR Class A/B/C Contractor application with ELE specialty
☐ Financial statement (Class A or B)
☐ Workers' compensation coverage
☐ $1M commercial general liability insurance (recommended)
☐ Local building and electrical permits per project
☐ NABCEP certification (recommended)

Study and Reference Materials

What follows are the regulator-cited and commonly used preparation references for this trade. They appear here for convenience only; CLR takes no compensation for them.

NEC Article 690 — Solar Photovoltaic Systems — NFPA. Primary technical reference.
Code of Virginia Title 54.1 Chapter 11 and 18 VAC 50-22 — State of Virginia. Licensing law and rules.
PSI Virginia Master Electrician Candidate Information Bulletin — PSI. Free PDF outlining exam content.

Common Filing Mistakes

Based on the board's own instructions and the sources cited here, the problems below are what most often stall a Virginia Solar application.

Confusing tradesman with contractor

Master Electrician is the individual credential. You still need a Class A/B/C contractor license to operate as a business.

Picking Class C with growth plans

Class C caps at $10K/project. Most commercial PV exceeds this.

Skipping the financial statement

Class A and B applications get returned without a positive net worth financial statement.

Letting workers compensation lapse

Mandatory for any business with three or more employees.

Forgetting solar thermal is plumbing

Solar hot water requires the PLB specialty, not ELE.

Other Virginia Trade Licenses

CLR covers other Virginia trades as well — the published guides below may be more relevant:

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Virginia have a solar license?

No. Solar PV requires the DPOR ELE Electrical specialty with a Master Electrician.

Is NABCEP required?

No. NABCEP is voluntary in Virginia.

What about solar thermal?

Solar hot water requires the DPOR PLB Plumbing specialty with a Master Plumber.

Class A, B, or C?

Class A has no project cap. Class B caps at $120K per project / $750K annual. Class C caps at $10K per project / $150K annual.

How does the license renew?

Every two years. Three hours of CE are required.

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

Verified 2026-04-17 · Next scheduled review 2026-07-16