Virginia Contractor License Exam — All Questions

What is the purpose of Virginia's Contractor Transaction Recovery Fund?

• a.To pay contractors when owners fail to pay them
• b.To fund the Board for Contractors' operating budget
• c.To reimburse eligible consumers who obtain an unpaid judgment against a licensed contractor for improper or dishonest conduct✓
• d.To provide low-interest loans to new contractors

The Contractor Transaction Recovery Fund reimburses eligible consumers who win a judgment against a licensed contractor for improper or dishonest conduct but cannot collect it. It is funded by assessments on licensees and is a frequently tested Virginia-specific topic.Va. Code §§54.1-1118 to 54.1-1127 (Contractor Transaction Recovery Fund)

For a Virginia contracting business, who must sit for and pass the licensing examination?

• a.A designated employee (the qualified individual) who represents the firm✓
• b.Every field worker on the payroll
• c.Only the company's outside attorney
• d.No one; passing an exam is not required in Virginia

A Virginia contracting firm qualifies through a designated employee, the qualified individual who takes the licensing examination on behalf of the business. That person is responsible for the firm's compliance with the board's rules.18VAC50-22 (designated employee / qualified individual)

Where are the detailed regulations of the Virginia Board for Contractors found?

• a.In the International Building Code
• b.In IRS Publication 15
• c.In Title 40.1 of the Code of Virginia only
• d.In the Virginia Administrative Code at 18VAC50-22✓

The Board for Contractors' regulations are codified at 18VAC50-22 in the Virginia Administrative Code, implementing the statute at Va. Code Title 54.1, Chapter 11. These regulations cover classifications, monetary limits, exam content, and standards of practice and conduct.18VAC50-22 (Board for Contractors regulations)

Which code governs building construction statewide in Virginia and is tested on the exam's building-code content?

• a.A different building code adopted separately by each locality
• b.The Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC)✓
• c.The National Electrical Code only
• d.OSHA 29 CFR 1926 only

Virginia adopts a single Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) that applies across all localities, based on the model International Codes. Because the USBC is statewide, a contractor faces one consistent building-code framework rather than varying local codes.Va. Code §36-98 (Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code)

The Virginia portion of the business exam includes questions on erosion and sediment control. Why is this a contractor's concern?

• a.It is only an issue for farmers, not contractors
• b.It applies only to federal projects
• c.Land-disturbing construction activity must control erosion and sediment to protect water quality, and contractors must comply with state and local requirements✓
• d.It has been repealed and is no longer tested

Construction that disturbs land can send sediment into waterways, so Virginia requires erosion and sediment control on qualifying land-disturbing activities. Contractors must follow approved plans and state and local requirements, which is why the exam's Virginia portion tests it.Va. Code Title 62.1, Ch. 3.1 (erosion and sediment control); exam VA portion

A person contracts for and performs a $12,000 remodeling project in Virginia without holding any contractor license. What best describes this conduct?

• a.It is unlawful unlicensed contracting, because the project exceeds the $1,000 licensing threshold✓
• b.It is permitted because residential remodeling is exempt
• c.It is permitted because the amount is under $30,000
• d.It is permitted as long as the person later applies for a license

Because the $12,000 project exceeds the $1,000 threshold that defines a contractor under §54.1-1100, the person needed at least a Class C license. Performing it unlicensed is unlawful unlicensed activity under §54.1-1115, exposing the person to penalties.Va. Code §54.1-1115 (unlicensed activity)

Before a consumer can recover from the Contractor Transaction Recovery Fund, what must generally happen first?

• a.The consumer must simply file a complaint with the board
• b.The contractor must voluntarily agree to pay
• c.The consumer must wait five years
• d.The consumer must obtain a court judgment against the licensed contractor and be unable to collect it✓

A Recovery Fund claim generally requires the consumer to first obtain a court judgment against the licensed contractor based on improper or dishonest conduct, then show the judgment cannot be collected. The Fund is a payer of last resort, not a substitute for suing.Va. Code §§54.1-1120, 54.1-1123 (Recovery Fund claims)