Important Virginia licensing fact: HIC means Home Improvement Contracting. It covers qualifying repairs and improvements to dwellings, townhouses, and structures annexed to them. It does not provide for electrical, plumbing, HVAC, or gas-fitting functions, and it does not provide general new-construction authority beyond the limited exceptions in Virginia's HIC definition.
Virginia defines Home Improvement Contracting, or HIC, as the service that provides repairs or improvements to dwellings and townhouses or structures annexed to those dwellings and townhouses within the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code.
The Residential Building Contractor, or RBC, classification also provides for the home improvement function. HIC is the focused specialty used for businesses performing qualifying remodeling, repair, renovation, and improvement work.
The specialty does not include electrical, plumbing, HVAC, or gas-fitting functions. It also does not include new construction beyond the existing building structure, except for decks, patios, driveways, and utility outbuildings that do not require a permit under the USBC.
PSI also identifies Masonry Contracting, Painting and Wallcovering Contracting, and Roofing Contracting as included functions that do not need to be separately listed on an HIC contractor license.
Virginia specialty: Home Improvement Contracting, HIC.
Licensing authority: Virginia Board for Contractors / DPOR.
Testing provider: PSI.
Questions: 50.
Time: 120 minutes.
Passing score: 35 correct answers, or 70%.
Format: computer based and open book.
Current ICC code basis: 2021 edition for applicable code questions.
HIC scope: qualifying repairs and improvements to dwellings, townhouses, and annexed structures.
Major exclusions: electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and gas fitting.
For structured preparation, review the Virginia Home Improvement Contracting Online Exam Prep Course .
HIC identifies the specialty. Class A, Class B, or Class C identifies the financial level of contracting the licensed business may perform. The contractor business must satisfy both sides of that equation.
| Step | Requirement | What to Verify |
|---|---|---|
| Select HIC | Virginia Specialty | Confirm Home Improvement Contracting matches the residential repair and improvement work the business plans to perform |
| Select Class A, B, or C | Contractor License Class | Choose the class based on individual project value and expected twelve-month contracting volume |
| Identify the Qualified Individual | QI | QI must be Responsible Management or a bona fide full-time employee and meet the required HIC experience level |
| Document QI Experience | Class-Specific Experience | Current Virginia requirements use at least 1 year for Class C, 3 years for Class B, and 5 years for Class A |
| Complete Pre-License Education | 8-Hour Course | New Class A, B, and C contractor license applicants must complete the Board-approved education requirement |
| Complete the HIC Exam Requirement | Technical Specialty | Follow current DPOR and PSI procedures for the 50-question HIC examination |
| Complete Business Exams | Class A / B | Class B uses Virginia and General portions; Class A adds Advanced |
| Prepare Business Documentation | Application | Responsible Management, QI, Designated Employee when applicable, financial information, entity information, and current fees |
| Submit the Contractor Application | Virginia DPOR | Use the current Board for Contractors application and instructions |
Use current Virginia DPOR, Virginia law, and the PSI HIC outline as the final authority before registering, ordering final references, scheduling, or filing a contractor application.
| Verified Point | Authority | Current Result |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing authority | Virginia DPOR | Virginia Board for Contractors |
| Specialty abbreviation | Virginia Contractor Regulations | HIC |
| Testing provider | Virginia DPOR | PSI |
| Questions | PSI HIC Outline | 50 |
| Time | PSI HIC Outline | 120 minutes |
| Passing score | PSI HIC Outline | 70%, or 35 correct |
| Exam format | PSI HIC Outline | Open book |
| Current ICC code basis | PSI HIC Outline | 2021 edition for applicable ICC code questions |
| QI specialty exam fee | Virginia DPOR | $85, verify before scheduling |
| Class C QI experience | Virginia DPOR | At least 1 year |
| Class B QI experience | Virginia DPOR | At least 3 years |
| Class A QI experience | Virginia DPOR | At least 5 years |
| Pre-license education | Virginia DPOR | 8 hours for new Class A, B, and C contractor licenses |
| Class C thresholds | Code of Virginia | Over $1,000 but under $30,000 per project, with annual volume below $250,000 |
| Class B thresholds | Code of Virginia | $30,000 to under $150,000 per project, or $250,000 to under $1 million annually |
| Class A thresholds | Code of Virginia | $150,000 or more per project, or $1 million or more annually |
Keep the requirements separate: HIC tests technical home-improvement knowledge. Class A and Class B business examinations test business and legal knowledge. Passing one does not magically check every box on the contractor application.
The current HIC exam contains 50 questions across 11 published subject areas. Unlike exams with one giant category, HIC spreads the questions fairly evenly across the residential improvement trades.
Six categories contain 5 questions each: Rough Carpentry and Framing, Siding, Finish Carpentry, Roofing, Insulation, and Safety. Together, those six areas account for 30 of the 50 questions.
The remaining five categories contain 4 questions each: Concrete, Masonry, Painting and Wall Covering, Drywall, and Windows and Doors. Together, they account for the remaining 20 questions.
This even distribution changes how you should study. There is no single category large enough to rescue a weak score everywhere else. A candidate who knows framing but ignores drywall, painting, masonry, and insulation can still leave a lot of points on the table.
HIC preparation works best when you treat the exam like a remodeling project. Every trade has its turn, and skipping one usually becomes noticeable later.
Study by trade and by reference. Because the exam spreads questions across many residential improvement areas, you need a repeatable way to recognize the subject, choose the right book, and locate the answer quickly.
Concrete: review materials, mixing, placement, finishing, curing, forms, reinforcement, slabs, and quality-control practices.
Masonry: study brick, block, stone, mortar, bond patterns, layout, tools, walls, openings, and common masonry procedures.
Painting and Wall Covering: review surface preparation, coatings, application methods, tools, wallcoverings, caulking, sanding, and finishing procedures.
Drywall: study gypsum products, framing support, fasteners, wall and ceiling systems, joints, finishing, and installation practices.
Carpentry: practice rough framing, floor and wall systems, roof framing, layout, fastening, finish carpentry, trim, doors, and interior woodwork.
Exterior systems: review siding, roofing, insulation, windows, doors, weather protection, and residential code requirements.
Safety: practice OSHA lookups for PPE, ladders, scaffolds, falls, tools, material handling, excavation, and general construction hazards.
For a structured course, review the Virginia Home Improvement Contracting Online Exam Prep Course .
The HIC exam is a reference-switching exam. A concrete question, a drywall question, an IRC question, and an OSHA question may appear one after another. The fastest candidate is not always the person who reads the quickest. It is often the person who opens the correct book first.
Virginia HIC preparation for residential remodeling, trade references, code navigation, and construction safety.
Move from specialty and license-class selection through Qualified Individual experience, education, testing, business requirements, and the final DPOR application.
Review the Virginia HIC scope and make sure your planned remodeling, repair, and improvement work fits the specialty.
Choose the license class based on the value of individual projects and the business's expected twelve-month contracting volume.
The QI must meet the business-relationship requirement and have the HIC experience required for the selected license class.
New Class A, B, and C contractor license applicants must satisfy Virginia's Board-approved pre-license education requirement.
Prepare for the current PSI HIC examination and follow the Board's current exam-approval and scheduling procedures.
Complete the 50-question, 120-minute, open-book examination and earn at least 35 correct answers.
Class B uses the Virginia and General business portions. Class A adds the Advanced portion.
Provide the current application, business information, QI documentation, financial documentation, exam records, and applicable fees.
The current HIC outline contains 50 questions. The bars compare each subject with the six five-question categories.
Balanced exam warning: six categories contain 5 questions each and five categories contain 4 questions each. There is no tiny throwaway section. A broad study plan is the safest study plan.
The current HIC preparation library is large because the exam covers many residential construction trades. Use the newest PSI outline as the final authority for exact titles, editions, and testing-room rules.
| Reference | Primary Study Use | Preparation Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 | Construction safety, PPE, ladders, scaffolds, falls, tools, material handling, excavation, and jobsite requirements | Safety |
| International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings, 2021 | Residential code requirements for dwellings, townhouses, framing, roofs, openings, structural systems, and related improvement work | Residential code navigation |
| Carpentry and Building Construction, 2016 | Rough carpentry, framing, building materials, layout, tools, construction systems, windows, doors, and practical residential methods | Framing and carpentry |
| The Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction, 4th Edition | Concrete materials, placement, finishing, curing, preparation, and quality practices | Concrete |
| Painting & Decorating Craftsman's Manual and Textbook, 8th Edition | Surface preparation, coatings, tools, application, decorating, and wall-covering work | Painting and Wall Covering |
| Modern Masonry - Brick, Block, Stone, 10th Edition | Brick, block, stone, mortar, layout, tools, and masonry construction techniques | Masonry |
| ASTM D4756 - Standard Practice for Installation of Rigid PVC Siding and Soffit | Rigid PVC siding and soffit installation practices | Siding |
| Insulation Handbook | Insulation materials, thermal principles, installation methods, and residential applications | Insulation |
| Gypsum Construction Handbook, 7th Edition | Gypsum products, drywall walls and ceilings, fastening, joints, finishing, and installation | Drywall |
| Finish Carpenter's Manual, Jim Tolpin | Trim, fitting, measurement, interior woodworking, tools, doors, and finish-carpentry methods | Finish Carpentry |
| ICC A117.1-2017 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities | Accessibility dimensions, clearances, doors, maneuvering spaces, routes, and usable building elements | Windows, Doors, and Accessibility |
Code-cycle note: PSI states that applicable ICC code questions are based on the 2021 code edition. Always verify the newest HIC outline before finalizing your exam-room books.
Current PSI reference rules: references may be highlighted, underlined, and indexed before testing. Permanent tabs are allowed. Removable tabs are not. Study guides are not permitted as exam-room references, and written notes in the references are not allowed.
HIC is designed for repairs and improvements to dwellings and townhouses and structures annexed to those dwellings and townhouses. That makes it a natural specialty for many residential remodeling and renovation businesses.
Within that scope, home improvement work can involve concrete, masonry, painting, drywall, framing, siding, finish carpentry, roofing, insulation, windows, doors, and related residential improvement tasks.
Virginia specifically states that HIC includes the Masonry Contracting, Painting and Wallcovering Contracting, and Roofing Contracting functions without requiring those specialties to be separately listed on the HIC license.
HIC does not provide for electrical, plumbing, HVAC, or gas fitting. Those functions follow their own licensing rules. It also does not provide broad new-construction authority beyond the limited exceptions listed in the Virginia HIC definition.
Scope warning: review the current Board for Contractors regulations before bidding a project that mixes home improvement work with separately regulated trades or work that may fall outside the HIC specialty.
HIC tells Virginia what kind of work the business performs. Class A, B, or C tells Virginia the financial level of projects the business may perform.
| License Level | Contract / Volume Range | QI Experience | Business Exam Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class C | Over $1,000 but under $30,000 per project, with annual volume below $250,000 under current Virginia thresholds | At least 1 year | No Class A/B Designated Employee business-exam structure, but pre-license education, HIC qualification, and other application requirements still apply |
| Class B | $30,000 to under $150,000 per project, or $250,000 to under $1 million in a twelve-month period | At least 3 years | Virginia + General |
| Class A | $150,000 or more per project, or $1 million or more in a twelve-month period | At least 5 years | Virginia + General + Advanced |
| HIC Specialty | Home improvement specialty scope | Depends on the selected Class A, B, or C license | HIC technical testing is separate from Class A/B business testing |
QI relationship rule: the Qualified Individual must be a member of Responsible Management or a bona fide full-time employee of the contractor business, and must satisfy the class-specific experience requirement.
Build broad trade knowledge, reference-navigation speed, residential-code familiarity, and timed open-book confidence.
The Virginia HIC exam is challenging because it is broad rather than deep in only one trade. A candidate can move from masonry to drywall, then roofing, then safety, then windows and doors in only a few questions.
Candidates receive 120 minutes for 50 questions. That averages about 2 minutes and 24 seconds per question.
Open-book testing helps, but the large reference library can become its own challenge. The wrong book can waste more time than a difficult question. That is why reference-selection practice matters almost as much as reading the material.
The exam's categories are balanced. Six subjects contain five questions, and the other five subjects contain four. There is no giant category that allows you to ignore the rest.
A strong candidate should be able to identify the subject, choose the likely reference, search efficiently, and understand enough residential construction to recognize when an answer does not make practical sense.
Testing-center rule: current PSI policies control the books, markings, tabs, identification, and other materials allowed into the examination. Check the latest HIC outline and bulletin before test day.
Need a rental option? Review the Virginia Home Improvement Contracting Ultimate Exam Prep Rental Package .
Need permanent tabs? Review the Virginia Home Improvement Contractor Pre-Printed Tabs .

This Virginia-specific 1 Exam Prep image directly matches the Home Improvement Contractor exam-preparation topic.
• Virginia HIC specialty examination
• 50 scored questions
• 120-minute testing period
• 35 correct answers required
• 70% passing score
• Open-book preparation
• 2021 residential code basis for applicable ICC questions
• Concrete, masonry, painting, and drywall
• Rough and finish carpentry
• Siding, roofing, and insulation
• Windows, doors, and OSHA safety
HIC preparation is about breadth and organization. Know the remodeling subject, know which reference covers it, and practice reaching the right section quickly enough that open book becomes an advantage instead of a very heavy scavenger hunt.
Virginia HIC Licensing
HIC Exam Basics
Exam Topics
Books and Open-Book Rules
Scope of Work
Virginia Contractor Classes
1 Exam Prep
This related 1 Exam Prep Virginia contractor video covers the broader Virginia contractor exam and licensing process, including open-book preparation, reference navigation, highlighting and tabbing, practice-test strategy, and how trade examination preparation fits into the licensing process. Those strategies are directly useful for Virginia HIC candidates.
HIC study tip: use the video for Virginia licensing and open-book strategy, then pair it with HIC-specific practice across all eleven trade categories. The technical exam is broad, so your study plan needs to be broad too.
Combine current Virginia DPOR and PSI information with HIC-specific 1 Exam Prep courses, prepared references, tabs, rental packages, pre-license education, and business exam resources.
Final verification rule: use the newest PSI HIC outline for exam questions, time, passing score, reference books, tabs, and testing-room rules. Use current Virginia DPOR, Virginia regulations, and the Code of Virginia for HIC scope, QI requirements, license classes, experience, pre-license education, and application requirements.
Build stronger residential remodeling knowledge, faster open-book navigation, better framing and carpentry skills, confidence with concrete, masonry, drywall, painting, siding, roofing, insulation, windows, doors, OSHA safety, and a clearer understanding of how HIC fits into the Virginia Class A, B, or C contractor licensing process.
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Virginia Home Improvement Contractor Exam Prep