Virginia Class A/B Business - Online Exam Prep Course

Prepare for the Virginia Class A or Class B contractor business examination with an online exam prep course designed to help candidates study the business, law, financial, project-management, and Virginia regulatory topics required for contractor licensing. The Virginia Class A/B Business - Online Exam Prep Course from 1 Exam Prep provides a structured study system for the Designated Employee who must complete the applicable business examination requirements for a Class A or Class B contractor license.

Virginia contractor licensing is regulated by the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) through the Board for Contractors. A contractor license has two important components: the license class, which determines the monetary limits of the work the business may perform, and the classification or specialty, which determines the type of contracting work the business is authorized to perform.

For Class A and Class B businesses, Virginia requires a Designated Employee who meets the applicable examination requirements. The Class B examination consists of the Virginia and General portions. Class A candidates complete those same two portions plus the Advanced portion. This online course is structured to help candidates prepare for the applicable sections through organized instruction, test-taking guidance, printable practice questions, and computer-based simulated exams.

Students receive 1 year of online course access, allowing time to work through the material, revisit difficult subjects, and practice under timed conditions. Course preparation covers contractor regulations, business organization, estimating and bidding, contracts, project management, financial management, taxation, labor laws, safety, risk management, lien laws, building-code topics, and other subjects identified in the business examination outline.

The course also provides highlighting and tabbing locations for the applicable books so students can organize permitted references for more efficient use during the open-book examination. Books and tabs are sold separately.

What You Get

• 1 Year of Online Access: Study through the online course for a full year.
• Class A and Class B Business Exam Preparation: Review content for the Virginia and General portions, plus the Advanced portion required for Class A.
• Test-Taking Techniques and Tips: Develop a more organized approach to reading, interpreting, and answering contractor exam questions.
• Book Highlighting and Tabbing Guidance: Learn useful locations to highlight and tab in applicable reference materials. Books and tabs are sold separately.
• Printable Practice Questions: Download practice questions in PDF format for the Virginia, General, and Advanced portions.
• Timed Simulated Practice Exams: Practice in a computer-based format designed to help build familiarity with timed testing.
• Business and Law Review: Study contractor regulations, contracts, estimating, project management, finance, taxes, labor laws, safety, risk management, lien laws, and related business topics.

Exam Details

Virginia's Class A and Class B contractor business examinations are administered for the Board for Contractors through PSI. The Designated Employee of a Class A or Class B contractor business must meet the applicable business examination requirements.

Class B requires two examination portions:

• Virginia Portion
• General Portion

Class A requires three examination portions:

• Virginia Portion
• General Portion
• Advanced Portion

The Virginia portion contains 24 items. Candidates need a passing score of 18 and are allowed 48 minutes.

The Virginia portion covers:

• Regulation of Contractors – 7 items
• Board Rules and Regulations – 5 items
• Building Codes – 5 items
• Transaction Recovery Fund – 5 items
• Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Regulations – 2 items

The General portion contains 50 items. Candidates need a passing score of 35 and are allowed 100 minutes.

The General portion covers:

• Business Organization – 2 items
• Estimating and Bidding – 10 items
• Contract Management – 10 items
• Project Management – 7 items
• Risk Management – 3 items
• Safety – 5 items
• Labor Laws – 3 items
• Financial Management – 5 items
• Federal and State Taxes – 4 items
• Lien Laws – 1 item

The Advanced portion, required for Class A, contains 24 items. Candidates need a passing score of 17 and are allowed 60 minutes.

The Advanced portion covers:

• Estimating and Bidding – 1 item
• Contract Management – 4 items
• Project Management – 1 item
• Risk Management – 2 items
• Safety – 2 items
• Labor Laws – 4 items
• Financial Management – 5 items
• Federal and State Taxes – 4 items
• Lien Laws – 1 item

Open Book Test

The Virginia Class A and Class B contractor business examinations are open book. Candidates must bring their own permitted reference materials to the testing center because references are not provided at the exam site.

No loose papers or unbound references are permitted. Candidates should prepare their books before examination day and become familiar with the organization of the reference materials rather than relying on searching unfamiliar books during the test.

This course includes highlighting and tabbing locations to help students organize their references and identify sections that may be useful during preparation and examination-day reference searches. Books and tabs are sold separately.

Open-book testing makes reference navigation an important study skill. Candidates should practice identifying the subject of a question, determining the most likely reference or section, and locating the applicable material efficiently. The timed simulated exams included with the course can help students combine subject knowledge with time management and reference-navigation practice.

Licensing Steps

Virginia contractor licenses are issued to business entities and sole proprietors rather than to the Designated Employee personally. Class A and Class B applicants must satisfy several business, personnel, education, financial, and examination requirements.

1. Determine the appropriate license class. Decide whether the business requires a Class A or Class B contractor license based on the contract and annual project-value limits established by Virginia law.
2. Select the appropriate classification or specialty. The license class determines project-size limits, while the classification or specialty determines what type of contracting work the business may perform.
3. Identify the Designated Employee. Class A and Class B businesses must name a Designated Employee who is at least 18 years old and is either a full-time employee of the business or a member of responsible management.
4. Complete the required Pre-License Education. A Designated Employee or member of responsible management for a new contractor business must complete an approved eight-hour business course. This is a separate licensing requirement from the Class A/B examination.
5. Complete the appropriate business examination. Class B requires the Virginia and General portions. Class A requires the Virginia, General, and Advanced portions.
6. Name a Qualified Individual. The business must have a Qualified Individual for each classification or specialty requested. The Qualified Individual must meet the applicable experience and prerequisite requirements.
7. Meet the financial requirement. Class A and Class B firms must provide the required financial verification or satisfy the applicable surety-bond alternative.
8. Submit the contractor license application. Complete the DPOR Board for Contractors application and provide the documentation required for the business, Designated Employee, Qualified Individual, and requested classification or specialty.

The eight-hour Virginia contractor Pre-License Education requirement is separate from this exam prep course. 1 Exam Prep also offers the Virginia 8 Hour Pre-License Education Online Course for Contractors.

State Requirements

Virginia currently defines Class A contractors as contractors performing or managing construction, removal, repair, or improvements when a single contract or project is valued at $150,000 or more, or when the total value of applicable work performed within a 12-month period is $1 million or more.

Virginia currently defines Class B contractors as contractors performing or managing construction, removal, repair, or improvements when a single contract or project is valued at $30,000 or more but less than $150,000, or when the total value of applicable work performed within a 12-month period is $250,000 or more but less than $1 million.

For Class A, the Qualified Individual generally must have a minimum of five years of experience in the classification or specialty for which that person is qualifying. For Class B, the Qualified Individual generally must have a minimum of three years of experience.

Class A firms must verify net worth or equity of $45,000 through an accepted financial statement process, or may use the Board's permitted surety-bond alternative. Class B firms must verify net worth or equity of $15,000 or more, or may use the permitted surety-bond alternative.

The Designated Employee and Qualified Individual serve different functions. The Designated Employee fulfills the business examination requirement for a Class A or B firm. The Qualified Individual establishes qualification for the particular classification or specialty of work the business wants to perform. One person may satisfy multiple roles when that person meets all applicable requirements.

Virginia also requires a Board-approved eight-hour business course for new contractor license applicants. For Class A and Class B firms, the course must be completed by the Designated Employee or a member of responsible management. The eight-hour Pre-License Education requirement is separate from the Class A/B business examination.

Reference Books

• NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management – Virginia Edition
  A contractor business and law reference used to study topics such as business organization, estimating and bidding, contract management, project management, risk management, safety, labor requirements, financial management, taxation, lien laws, and Virginia contractor requirements.

Reference materials are not included with this online course unless specifically stated as part of a separate product offering. Books and tabs are sold separately.

Test Information and Study Materials

The online course is designed to support preparation for both Class A and Class B candidates. Class B students can concentrate on the Virginia and General portions, while Class A students can continue into the Advanced material required for the higher license class.

The Virginia portion focuses heavily on state-specific contractor requirements. Candidates should study contractor regulation, Board rules, applicable building-code concepts, the Virginia Contractor Transaction Recovery Fund, and erosion and sediment control requirements. Because these subjects depend on Virginia-specific rules, students should take time to distinguish state requirements from general construction business practices.

The General portion emphasizes the day-to-day business knowledge needed to operate a contracting business. Estimating and bidding and contract management are the two largest categories, with 10 questions each. Project management, safety, financial management, taxes, risk management, labor laws, business organization, and lien laws are also tested.

The Advanced portion adds another layer of business preparation for Class A candidates. Financial management, contract management, labor laws, and taxation represent a significant share of this portion, making these subjects important areas for focused review.

Downloadable printable practice questions give students another way to reinforce the material. Candidates can work through Virginia, General, and Advanced questions away from the online testing environment and review why particular answers apply.

Timed simulated practice exams help candidates prepare for the pace of the PSI examination. Instead of only studying facts, students can practice managing the available time, recognizing difficult questions, using reference materials strategically, and completing a full test section under a deadline.

Regular study sessions are generally more useful than attempting to review the entire course in a short period. With 1 year of online access, students can organize preparation around their schedule, revisit topics such as finance or contract management, and repeat practice exams as they build familiarity with the content.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep helps Virginia contractor candidates organize a large amount of business, law, finance, and regulatory information into a study structure designed around the Class A/B examination. The course combines instructional review, practice questions, timed simulated testing, reference-navigation guidance, and exam-taking strategies in one online preparation program.

Students can use the course to concentrate on the topics that apply to their license class. Class B candidates can focus on the Virginia and General portions, while Class A candidates can prepare for those sections and continue into the Advanced portion.

Practice-oriented preparation is an important part of the course. Timed simulations can help candidates become familiar with managing the examination clock and moving through questions efficiently. Printable practice questions provide another format for reviewing the material and reinforcing important concepts.

The book-highlighting and tabbing guidance supports preparation for an open-book examination. Candidates can organize their permitted reference materials and practice navigating them before test day rather than trying to locate unfamiliar information during the examination.

With 1 year of online access, students can build a preparation schedule that fits around work and other responsibilities. The course can be revisited throughout the access period, allowing candidates to spend additional time on subjects such as estimating, contracts, financial management, Virginia regulations, taxes, or labor laws.

Exam preparation does not guarantee a passing score or contractor license approval. The course is designed to provide structured study guidance, realistic practice, organized review, and reference-navigation support so candidates can approach the Virginia Class A/B Business examination with stronger preparation and confidence.

What is the Virginia Class A/B Business exam?

It is the business examination requirement associated with Virginia Class A and Class B contractor licensing. The examination is taken by the firm's Designated Employee and evaluates knowledge of contractor regulations, business practices, finance, contracts, project management, and related topics.

What exam portions are required for a Virginia Class B contractor?

The Class B Designated Employee must complete the Virginia and General portions.

What exam portions are required for a Virginia Class A contractor?

The Class A Designated Employee must complete the Virginia, General, and Advanced portions.

Is the Virginia Class A/B Business exam open book?

Yes. The contractor business examinations are open book. Candidates must bring their own permitted references and follow the testing center's rules regarding reference materials.

How many questions are on the Virginia portion?

The Virginia portion contains 24 items, requires 18 correct points to pass, and allows 48 minutes.

How many questions are on the General portion?

The General portion contains 50 items, requires 35 correct points to pass, and allows 100 minutes.

How many questions are on the Advanced portion?

The Advanced portion contains 24 items, requires 17 correct points to pass, and allows 60 minutes. It is required for Class A.

How long do I have access to the online course?

The course includes 1 year of online access.

Does the course include practice exams?

Yes. The course includes timed simulated practice exams in a computer-based format as well as downloadable printable practice questions for the Virginia, General, and Advanced portions.

Are the books included with the online course?

No. Books and tabs are sold separately. The course includes guidance on highlighting and tabbing locations to help students organize applicable reference materials.

Is the 8-hour Virginia Pre-License course included?

The eight-hour Virginia contractor Pre-License Education course is a separate requirement and is not the same as the Class A/B Business exam prep course.

What are the current Virginia Class A contract limits?

Class A applies when a single contract or project is $150,000 or more or the applicable total construction work performed within a 12-month period is $1 million or more.

What are the current Virginia Class B contract limits?

Class B applies when a single contract or project is $30,000 or more but less than $150,000, or when the applicable total work within a 12-month period is $250,000 or more but less than $1 million.

What is the difference between the Designated Employee and Qualified Individual?

The Designated Employee satisfies the applicable Class A or Class B business examination requirement. The Qualified Individual demonstrates the experience and prerequisites required for the classification or specialty in which the contractor business seeks to be licensed.

Who administers the Virginia contractor business examination?

Virginia uses PSI to administer the Class A and Class B contractor business examinations for the Board for Contractors.