Petitioner requests the Board for Contractors ("the Board”) to amend sections 18VAC50-22-40, 18VAC50-22-50, and 18VAC50-22-60 of the Board for Contractors Regulations (18VAC50-22). These sections of regulation provide for the entry requirements for Class C, Class B, and Class A contractor licenses, respectively. The entry requirements in these sections provide for the minimum experience qualifications for those who will be the Qualified Individual on the contractor license. For a Class C license, the minimum required experience is one (1) year in the classification or specialty service for which the individual is the qualifier. For a Class B license, the minimum required experience is three (3) years in the classification or specialty service for which the individual is the qualifier. For a Class A license, the minimum required experience is five (5) years in the classification or specialty service for which the individual is the qualifier.

Petitioner requests the Board to consider amending these sections to provide an alternative means for satisfying the Qualified Individual experience requirement. Petitioner proposes that the regulation be amended so that a Qualified Individual who passes the applicable Board-approved examination, or who holds a relevant postsecondary degree or credential, may substitute that demonstrated competency for some or all of the required experience. Petitioner is not requesting the Board reduce its competency standards, but recognize examination and education as an additional, equivalent way to prove competence.

Petitioner states that under the Board’s current rules, the only license class large enough to serve as a general contractor on a typical new home or small multifamily building is the Class A license. Section 18VAC50-22-60 requires that the Qualified Individual have five (5) years of prior experience. For anyone with the capital and the commitment to begin building in Virginia, this leaves two options: (i) spend several years working for an established firm before building independently; or (ii) take the project, and the resulting housing, out of state. Petitioner notes that Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina each allow a qualified newcomer to reach an equivalent licensing tier without a multi-year experience prerequisite, generally by examination.

Petitioner contends that a blanket multi-year experience requirement is a significant barrier to entry that favors firms already established in Virginia and discourages new entrants at precisely the moment the Commonwealth is working to expand housing supply and reduce housing costs. Petitioner cites § 54.1-201(A)(1) of the Code of Virginia, and the provision that all qualifications for licensure or certification established by a regulatory board be necessary to ensure either competence or integrity to engage in the profession or occupation. Petitioner contends that competence can be demonstrated through the Board’s examinations, and that a rule which does not recognize a substitute for years of experience may impose more than is necessary to protect the public. Petitioner states an exam-or-education alternative would preserve consumer protection while removing an unnecessary obstacle to new homebuilders.

A copy of the petition is available from the agency.

The petition for rulemaking will be published in the Virginia Register of Regulations on August 10, 2026 (Volume 42, Issue 26). The petition will also be published on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall (www.townhall.virginia.gov). Public comment on the petition will be received from August 10, 2026, to August 31, 2026. Upon conclusion of the public comment period, the Board will consider all public comments received on the petition and make a decision to either grant or deny the petitioner’s request at the Board’s next available meeting, which is expected to be October 20, 2026. The petitioner will be notified in writing of the Board’s decision.