Electrician License in Virginia: Fees, Requirements & Startup Costs
Quick answer: Virginia’s Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), Board for Contractors requires an electrical company to hold a Class A, B, or C contractor license with the ELE classification and designate a licensed Master Electrician as its qualified individual. Initial firm fees are $235, $380, or $400 by class, plus a $25 Recovery Fund assessment. A new master license by examination costs $150 and its PSI exam costs $125. See the firm fee rule and tradesman fee rule.
License the company and name its qualifier
Virginia treats the contractor firm and its electrical qualified individual as different license holders. A Master Electrician credential qualifies the person for the ELE classification; it does not license a new company by itself. An electrician leaving an employer to open a shop should therefore plan both filings before offering electrical contracts under the new firm’s name.
Choose the firm’s class based on the work it intends to contract. The record places Class C projects over $1,000 and under $30,000, Class B projects from $30,000 to under $150,000, and Class A projects at $150,000 or more. Annual volume thresholds also apply. A series of smaller jobs can change the appropriate class, so consider the projected workload as well as a typical invoice.
Licensing in Virginia
Jurisdiction: state
Authority: Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), Board for Contractors
Virginia licenses contractor firms statewide by Class A, B, or C and trade classification; the firm's qualified individual must hold the corresponding master tradesman license.
Contractor firm license (Electrical ELE classification; Class A, B, or C)
BUSINESS Business license with ELE trade classification. Class C: projects over $1,000 and under $30,000; Class B: $30,000 to under $150,000; Class A: $150,000 or more; annual-volume thresholds also apply. Qualified individual must hold Master Electrician license.
| Fee | Amount | Period (years) |
|---|---|---|
| Class C initial contractor license | $235 OFFICIAL FEE Source — law.lis.virginia.gov | 2 |
| Class B initial contractor license | $380 OFFICIAL FEE Source — law.lis.virginia.gov | 2 |
| Class A initial contractor license | $400 OFFICIAL FEE Source — law.lis.virginia.gov | 2 |
| Recovery Fund assessment with each initial contractor license application | $25 OFFICIAL FEE Source — law.lis.virginia.gov | — |
| Class C contractor license renewal | $220 OFFICIAL FEE Source — law.lis.virginia.gov | 2 |
| Class B contractor license renewal | $260 OFFICIAL FEE Source — law.lis.virginia.gov | 2 |
| Class A contractor license renewal | $270 OFFICIAL FEE Source — law.lis.virginia.gov | 2 |
| Recovery Fund assessment with each contractor license renewal | $30 OFFICIAL FEE Source — law.lis.virginia.gov | 2 |
Master Electrician
INDIVIDUAL Individual master tradesman license required for the firm's ELE qualified individual.
| Fee | Amount | Period (years) |
|---|---|---|
| Original master tradesman license by examination | $150 OFFICIAL FEE Source — law.lis.virginia.gov | 2 |
| PSI Master Tradesman examination, paid directly to PSI | $125 OFFICIAL FEE Source — www.dpor.virginia.gov | — |
| Tradesman license renewal | $160 OFFICIAL FEE Source — law.lis.virginia.gov | 2 |
Exam: Provider: PSI · Fee: 125 · Source
Experience: Master exam eligibility requires at least one year holding a valid journeyman license in the trade or nine years of practical trade experience. A firm’s qualified individual needs one year for Class C, three for Class B or five for Class A in the specialty.
Bond: $50,000 OFFICIAL FEE Source — law.lis.virginia.gov
Renewal and CE: Renewal period: 2 years · Continuing education: 3 hours · Source
Local note: DPOR says firms must also comply with local licensing requirements of cities, towns, and counties where they work; contact local Commissioner of the Revenue and Building Official.
Data notes
Class A and B designated employees must pass a separate contractor Business and Law exam. Class C firms are exempt from the Class A and B financial-verification bond requirement.
Verified: 2026-09-24
Document experience and complete the exams
The firm’s qualified individual needs one year of electrical specialty experience for Class C, three years for Class B, or five years for Class A. Separately, the master exam route in the record accepts a valid journeyman license held at least one year in the trade or nine years of practical electrical experience. Keep records for the particular route claimed; the firm-class experience and master eligibility answer different application questions.
A responsible management member or designated employee must complete an eight-hour board-approved business prelicense course for the new firm. For Class A or B, the designated employee also takes a contractor business and law exam. The official guidance does not confirm that exam’s PSI charge, so obtain it when scheduling rather than assuming the master exam fee covers it. The recorded master tradesman PSI exam charge is $125, paid separately from the $150 original license fee.
Budget financial verification and renewal
Class B financial verification calls for $15,000 in net worth or equity, and Class A calls for $45,000. The qualification rule offers a $50,000 bond as an alternative for either class. Class C does not carry that Class A/B requirement. No general statewide ELE insurance minimum was confirmed in this record; check employer and local obligations for the planned operation.
Both firm and master credentials have two-year periods. The firm renewal rule lists $220 for Class C, $260 for Class B, and $270 for Class A, plus a $30 Recovery Fund assessment. The tradesman rule lists a $160 renewal and three continuing education hours. Put separate dates for the company and its qualifier on the renewal calendar.
Confirm local requirements for each service area
DPOR says firms must also comply with licensing rules in the cities, towns, and counties where they work. Contact the local Commissioner of the Revenue and Building Official for each service area. Ask which local registration and permit steps apply before scheduling an installation. A statewide ELE license does not settle the procedure for a particular job address.
The record mentions a technology fee for certain transactions from July 2026 but does not identify every affected filing. Confirm the payable amount during submission. For the wider launch budget, use the electrician startup cost guide and calculator below. Compare the business model with the electrician hub, license guide, and Texas and North Carolina state pages.
Estimated startup cost: $8,100–$10,600 Estimated startup cost: $8,100–$10,600. Break-even at about 7 jobs per month. Monthly overhead: $1,500–$1,700 · Annual operating: $18,200–$20,100 · Break-even: 7 jobs/month Vehicle operating per month: $760 CALCULATED Phone and admin per month: $150 YOUR INPUT Startup total is the sum of available first-year cost lines. Monthly overhead includes insurance, software, marketing, vehicle operating, phone and admin, and payroll. Break-even jobs = monthly overhead ÷ (average ticket × gross margin).Startup Cost Calculator
Licensing & exam fees $565–$730 OFFICIALLicense details Business formation (state filing) $100 OFFICIAL Insurance (first year) $730–$940 MARKET ESTIMATEGeneral liability Vehicle acquisition $0 YOUR INPUTYour existing vehicle; acquisition cost $0 Vehicle price sources
Tools & equipment $30 MARKET ESTIMATE Starter kit items
Software (first year) $590–$2,250 MARKET ESTIMATEPublished monthly list price × 12 Software price sources
Launch marketing $1,500 YOUR INPUTYour input — default: 3 months × $500 Payroll reserve $0 CALCULATEDBLS median wage × 173 hours/month × employees × employer taxes and ECEC benefits × working-capital months Working capital $4,550–$5,050 CALCULATEDMonthly overhead excluding payroll (shown separately) × working-capital months Permits & compliance $0 YOUR INPUTYour input — default $0; local requirements may apply Show formula
Official sources
- law.lis.virginia.gov — Class C initial contractor license
- law.lis.virginia.gov — Class C contractor license renewal
- law.lis.virginia.gov — Original master tradesman license by examination
- www.dpor.virginia.gov — PSI Master Tradesman examination, paid directly to PSI
- law.lis.virginia.gov — Tradesman license renewal
- api.bls.gov — BLS OEWS Electricians
- www.scc.virginia.gov — Virginia LLC filing fee
Market sources
- www.fluke.com — Fluke 117 electrician's multimeter
- www.homedepot.com — Klein Tools 11055
- www.homedepot.com — Klein Tools 9415R 5-piece insulated tool set
- www.lowes.com — Werner PD6206 6-ft fiberglass platform ladder
- www.homedepot.com — 3M SecureFit SF400G-LV-4-PS safety glasses
- www.fluke.com — Fluke 117/323 multimeter + clamp meter kit
- www.fluke.com — Fluke 323 true-RMS clamp meter
- www.homedepot.com — Klein Tools ET450 circuit tracer kit
- www.insureon.com — Insureon
- www.nextinsurance.com — NEXT
- www.getjobber.com — Jobber
- www.housecallpro.com — Housecall Pro
- quickbooks.intuit.com — QuickBooks Online
- www.ramtrucks.com — 2026 Ram ProMaster cargo van (base)
- www.cars.com — 2026 Ford F-150 XL (base)
- www.cars.com — 2026 Ford Transit-150 cargo van (base, T-150 130in low roof RWD)
- www.coxautoinc.com — Used vehicle average listing price (all segments, not cargo-van specific)
Frequently asked questions
Does a Virginia Master Electrician license authorize a new company by itself?
No. The company needs a DPOR contractor license with ELE classification and a Master Electrician qualified individual.
Does annual job volume affect the Virginia electrical contractor class?
Yes. The record notes annual-volume thresholds as well as individual project thresholds.
Is a $50,000 bond required for every ELE firm?
No. It is an alternative to financial verification for Class A or B; the record does not apply that requirement to Class C.
What continuing education does the Master Electrician need?
The researched two-year tradesman renewal calls for three hours.
Which office answers local electrical licensing questions?
Contact the local Commissioner of the Revenue and Building Official where the firm will work.
Last updated: October 21, 2026