State requirements
Virginia contractors are licensed by Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) - Board for Contractors. General liability is not required by statute to hold the license, but contracts and leases require it in practice. Workers compensation is required once you reach the state's employee threshold.
| Licensing authority | Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) - Board for Contractors |
|---|---|
| General liability required for license | No |
| Statutory GL minimum | No state minimum verified |
| Workers compensation | Required above a threshold |
| Contractor license bond | $50,000 surety bond (optional alternative to the net worth requirement for Class A ($45,000 net worth) and Class B ($15,000 net worth) licenses), 18VAC50-22-50 and 18VAC50-22-60 |
Verified against https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency50/chapter22/section60/ in the October 2026 research pass. Where a figure is not stated, no authoritative source published one, and we say so rather than estimating.
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Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) - Board for Contractors
Virginia does not require general liability insurance to hold a contractor license; the Board tests financial responsibility (net worth or working capital) instead, and a firm may file a $50,000 surety bond in lieu of meeting the net worth minimum. Licenses are split into Class A, B and C by project value, each requiring a designated employee, qualified individual and pre-license education. Workers' comp is required for employers regularly employing more than two employees.
No statutory minimum applies in Virginia. What you actually need is set by the contract in front of you. Most Virginia general contractors require one million per occurrence and two million aggregate from their subcontractors, plus additional insured status and a waiver of subrogation.
Workers compensation is required once you reach the state's employee threshold. Operating without it where it is required exposes the business to penalties and to direct liability for an injured worker's medical costs.
Any vehicle used for business needs commercial auto. A personal policy excludes business use in every state, and it will not cover the tools inside the truck.
General liability never covers your own tools. Inland marine covers them in transit and on site, including theft, which is the most common loss contractors actually file.
Workers compensation is required once you reach the state's employee threshold.
Workers compensation covers medical costs and lost wages for a work-related injury or illness. It is separate from general liability, which covers injury to other people. If an employee is hurt on a job site in Virginia, that is a workers compensation claim, and general liability will not respond to it.
Virginia requires a contractor license bond of $50,000 surety bond (optional alternative to the net worth requirement for Class A ($45,000 net worth) and Class B ($15,000 net worth) licenses), 18VAC50-22-50 and 18VAC50-22-60. A license bond protects the consumer if you fail to complete the work or violate licensing law. It is not insurance and it does not pay a claim made against you, which is why contractors carry both.
Beyond the license bond, bid bonds and performance bonds come up on larger and public work. Bid bonds are typically priced as a percentage of the bid amount rather than a flat fee, so the cost scales with the project.
No. Virginia does not mandate general liability by statute for contractor licensing. In practice you still need it, because contracts, commercial leases and most licensing applications require proof of coverage. A contract requirement is not less binding than a statute, it is just enforced by the party hiring you.
Workers compensation is required once you reach the state's employee threshold.
Yes. The contractor license bond is $50,000 surety bond (optional alternative to the net worth requirement for Class A ($45,000 net worth) and Class B ($15,000 net worth) licenses), 18VAC50-22-50 and 18VAC50-22-60. It protects the consumer, not you, and it does not take the place of insurance.
Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) - Board for Contractors.
The consequences run from losing the contract to losing the license. A general contractor who finds your certificate is not what the subcontract required will typically stop work and withhold payment until it is corrected, and an uninsured loss becomes a personal liability rather than an insurance claim.
Yes. A single policy can list every state you operate in. Pricing is driven by the highest-exposure state on the schedule, so tell us all of them rather than only your home state.
Requirements differ enough by state that it is worth checking before you bid.
Tell us your trade, payroll and what Virginia requires of you.
