Virginia HVAC contractor license: what your Class A, B or C license lets you do, and your first 30 days

Published November 3, 2026 · Law checked November 3, 2026

• Free to read. The 30-day checklist is also a free printable (Google Docs, Word or PDF). The files come by email.
• Deepsel is our product: free estimate, invoice and scheduling software for contractors (scheduling, quotes, invoicing, card payments). The section before the FAQ says where it fits and where it doesn't.
• Not legal advice. Every rule here links to the statute, regulation or official page it comes from. Ask DPOR, your building department or a Virginia attorney before you bet a job on my reading.

A Virginia HVAC contractor license lets your business contract for heating, cooling, ventilation, boiler and refrigeration jobs over $1,000, up to the dollar limit of its class. Class C covers single jobs over $1,000 and under $30,000 (and under $250,000 of work in any 12 months), Class B goes up to $150,000 a job, and Class A has no ceiling.¹ The HVA letters on the license don't cover gas piping, which is its own specialty (GFC).³ And the whole license rests on one person: a master HVAC tradesman who is one of the firm's owners or officers, or works there full-time on a W-2.^3,7

Four things catch new Virginia HVAC shops before the next job. A gas furnace swap always needs a permit, even like for like, plus a vent check in a house, and nothing in the rules says whether the gas connection on that swap is yours to make without GFC.^3,10 Fairfax County asks for a permit on HVAC replacements the state code exempts, plus a load-calculation form and an A2L certification.⁸ Class C firms working on houses in Fairfax and Prince William counties need a county license on top of the state one, with a $10,000 bond.^8,9 And the numbers online are stale: Google's AI answer for "virginia hvac license" on November 3, 2026 still gave Class C a $10,000 job limit, which ended in July 2025.^25,2

One owner put it well: "Nobody warns you about how much paperwork, money and time it really takes just to get started" (r/HVAC, since removed). This is the Virginia part of that paperwork, each item with the rule behind it. Contracts are in Virginia home improvement contract requirements, the $1,000 line and general contracting in Virginia handyman license rules, the condenser circuit from the electrician's side in the electrical contractor license guide, and gas fitting from the plumber's side in the plumbing contractor license guide.

The 30-day checklist is also a printable: make your own copy in Google Docs (lands in your Drive), download the Word version (.docx), or download the PDF. Pick a format, enter your email and I'll send the links. It's the same list as on this page, with tick boxes and blanks for your license numbers, bond and policy numbers, EPA 608 card numbers, permit logins and renewal dates.

Virginia HVAC license basics: the master's license and the firm's license

Virginia licenses HVAC twice, and the two licenses don't merge. The person holds a tradesman license from DPOR's Board for Contractors, as a residential HVAC tradesman, journeyman or master, with gas fitting as an extra designation on the same card.^5,6,7 The business holds a contractor license with two parts: the class, which sets how big a job it can sign, and the classification or specialty, which sets what kind of work it can do.⁷ Fairfax County's guide for new contractors says it in one line: "Tradesman and journeyman licenses are separate and cannot be combined with a contractor's licenses (class A, B or C) to expand the scope or dollar limits of work allowed."⁸

Sources for the table: tradesman definitions, renewal and CE,^5,6 EPA certification,¹⁵ contractor renewal and fees.³ DPOR also says that since July 1, 2026 "certain fees include a separate Technology Fee of $7.25 per year," so check the amount on your renewal notice.⁶

Who has to be named on the firm's license

• The qualified individual. For HVA this person must hold a "Master HVAC tradesman license issued by the Board for Contractors," and for GFC a "Master gas fitter license." They must be "a full-time employee of the firm or ... a member of the responsible management of the firm." Full-time means at least 30 hours a week on the firm's work, paid on a W-2, and DPOR's application adds "not a 1099 employee." The experience bar is 1 year for Class C, 3 for B and 5 for A.^3,7
• The designated employee, on Class B and A only: a full-time employee or member of management who passed the Board's business exam on the firm's behalf. Class C has none.^1,7
• Responsible management: the owners, partners, officers or LLC members. One of them completes the Board's basic business course.³

A solo master who owns the company fills every role.

One master, one company? And being someone else's master

Several states let a master stand behind only one company. I found no such sentence in Virginia's statute or the Board's rules. What limits it here is the qualifier test: the master is a full-time W-2 employee working at least 30 hours a week on that firm's work, or one of its owners or officers.³ An employee can't pass that at two firms. Nothing I read stops an owner of two companies from qualifying both. If your master leaves, you report a new qualified individual within 60 days (the change form costs $125), and a new designated employee within 120.³

If a company asks to put your master card on its license, the same test decides it: you join its payroll full-time or its management. A name on paper doesn't count. The Board lists "Allowing a firm's license to be used by another" as a prohibited act for the firm and "allowing one's license or certification to be used by an unlicensed or uncertified individual" as one for you, and whoever borrows a license commits a misdemeanor.^4,6,22 Plenty of owners started on the other side of that deal. A Florida owner who later got his own license wrote "Was already doing sub work before I quit my day job “under someone else’s license”" (r/HVAC). In Virginia it only works if the license holder really is your full-time employee or co-owner. What it pays and what it can cost the master is a separate article.

Small jobs on the tradesman license alone

The contractor license starts at contracts over $1,000.¹ Below that, a licensed HVAC tradesman can work on their own license: DPOR's tradesman application says "Any applicant performing work over $1,000 must contact the Board for Contractors to obtain a Virginia Contractors License," and Fairfax County says journeymen and masters "can do work under $1,000 per contract without a state contractor's license." In Fairfax that work still needs the county's home improvement license, with a $5,000 bond.^7,8

Virginia contractor license classes: your dollar ceiling

These limits are new. Before July 1, 2025, Class C stopped at $10,000 a job and $150,000 a year, and Class B at $120,000 and $750,000.² DPOR's own step-by-step guide, Prince William County's ordinance and Google's AI answer (which also says Class C needs two years of experience; the rule says one) still print the old numbers.^7,9,25 Under the new limits, a $20,000 system replacement that needed Class B in 2024 fits Class C. A light commercial job at $30,000 or more needs Class B before you sign, because working "without the proper class of license" is the same misdemeanor as working with none.²²

Residential and commercial

The residential HVAC tradesman license DPOR added on April 1, 2025 covers dwellings and townhouses, with "no commercial work permitted," and it can't qualify a firm.^3,6 Your master license and HVA cover a house and an office building alike. For techs on a residential license, watch the building type: Fairfax County treats apartment buildings and condos as commercial.⁸

What the HVA classification covers

HVA covers "the installation, alteration, repair, or maintenance of heating systems, ventilating systems, cooling systems, steam and hot water heaters, heating systems, boilers, process piping, and mechanical refrigeration systems, including tanks incidental to the system."³ On the jobs that raise questions:

• Furnaces, heat pumps, air conditioners, air handlers and mini-splits: all HVA. The gas line to a furnace isn't (next section).³
• Ductwork and sheet metal. Ducts are the ventilating system, and Virginia has no separate sheet metal license. The insulation specialty "does not include the insulation of mechanical equipment and ancillary lines and piping," so duct and line set insulation stays with you.³
• Boilers and hydronic heat. HVA and PLB both list boilers and steam and hot water heating.³
• Oil heat. I found no oil burner license or oil specialty in the Board's rules. An oil furnace is a heating system, and HVA includes "tanks incidental to the system."³
• Refrigeration. HVA includes "mechanical refrigeration systems," and the narrower REF specialty for "coolers, refrigerated casework, ice-making machines" says "The HVA classification also provides for this function."³
• Backflow devices and lead paint, "incidental to work" in HVAC.³
• Condensate. The house code treats it as part of the cooling system: "conveyed from the drain pan outlet to an approved place of disposal," with a secondary drain or auxiliary pan where an overflow would damage the building, and attic or crawl space condensate pumps wired to shut the equipment off if they fail.¹⁴
• Thermostats. Wiring that "operates at less than 50 volts" needs no permit, outside plenums and fire-rated walls.¹⁰
• Geothermal. The heat pump is HVA. The loop wells aren't: water well contracting covers "geothermal wells," and Virginia Beach wants a Health Department well permit for water-to-air heat pumps.^3,13

Gas, wiring and water: where your license stops

Gas piping and the furnace connection

HVA "does not provide for ... gas piping." Gas piping is the GFC specialty ("gas piping and appliances annexed to real property"), qualified by a master gas fitter.³ For the person, gas fitting is a separate journeyman or master designation on the same tradesman license, with its own hour of fuel gas code CE.⁶ The narrower propane (LPG) and natural gas provider (NGF) licenses don't help on a furnace: LPG "excludes ... central heating systems that require an HVA or PLB license," and NGF excludes "new installation of gas piping for ... central heating systems."³

The gray zone is the gas furnace or boiler swap. HVA covers the heating system. The tradesman rules define a gas fitter's work to include gas "equipment, and appliances," which reads on a furnace too, and the tradesman law lets a licensee do work "incidental" to their own trade, meaning "necessary for that particular repair or installation."^5,6 I found no rule or DPOR page that says whether reconnecting the gas to a replacement furnace is incidental HVAC work or gas fitting. A new gas line, a longer run or bigger pipe for a higher-input unit is gas piping, with no gray about it.

Many Virginia HVAC firms settle it by holding both: of the 4,275 contractor firms with HVA on DPOR's license lists on November 3, 2026, 1,624 (38%) also hold a gas specialty.⁷ If gas heat will be regular work for you, get the master gas fitter designation for your qualifier and add GFC to the firm's license ($125).³ Until then, get DPOR's answer in writing or have a GFC contractor make the connection. Prince William County's own license pairs the trades: its gas fitting category needs a master gas fitter plus a master plumber or master mechanical.⁹

The circuit, the disconnect and the thermostat

A new circuit is electrical work: ELE covers "all work covered by the electrical provisions of the USBC."³ The tradesman law's "incidental" rule covers the person, but the firm rules give HVA incidental allowances only for backflow devices and lead abatement, and practicing in a classification "for which the contractor is not licensed" is a prohibited act.^3,4,5 So my reading: a new circuit for a mini-split or heat pump, a new disconnect, or a bigger breaker and wire needs ELE on your license or an electrician as your sub, with an electrical permit. Of Virginia's HVA firms, 1,145 (27%) hold ELE too.⁷ Reconnecting the existing whip at the existing disconnect on a like-for-like swap is the kind of work the incidental rule describes, but no rule lists it. Thermostat and control wiring under 50 volts needs no permit, and the Board's rules don't put it in either trade.¹⁰

Water and drains

A boiler fill line or humidifier feed taps the house's water distribution system, and a condensate or humidifier drain tied into the house drain touches sanitary drainage. Both are PLB systems, and HVA may install backflow devices incidental to its own work.³ I found no rule that draws the line on a new water tap. My reading: the backflow device and the boiler's own piping are yours, a new branch off the domestic water line is plumbing, and condensate goes where the inspector approves.

Building work, wells, sprinklers and digging

• Building work. HVA covers the systems, not the building. Framing a chase, a remodel around new ductwork or a structural change is RBC, HIC or CBC work, and a structural change needs its own building permit.^3,10
• Water wells, geothermal loop wells included, are the WWP specialty. Fire sprinklers and suppression are outside HVA.³
• Digging. A trench for a line set, gas line or ground loop is "excavation." Submit a Miss Utility locate request and wait until every utility has marked or answered. Willfully skipping it makes you liable for three times the repair cost of whatever you hit, the State Corporation Commission can fine up to $10,000 per violation, and it's a prohibited act for your license.^18,4

Federal rules every Virginia HVAC business meets

EPA Section 608: the card on every tech and at the supply house

EPA's rule says "technicians who maintain, service, repair, or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants into the atmosphere must be certified." The certifications go by equipment type (Type I small appliances, Type II high-pressure, Type III low-pressure, or Universal), and they "do not expire."¹⁵ The card also controls buying: the seller must verify the buyer "is a certified technician" or "employs a certified technician," and an office manager can buy on the company account with "a copy of the certification card and a list of those authorized to buy refrigerant or accept delivery."¹⁵ Keep a copy of every tech's card, and give your supply house the list.

A2L refrigerants (R-454B, R-32) and what Virginia's code says

EPA now limits new residential and light commercial AC and heat pump systems, mini-splits included, to refrigerants under 700 global warming potential. A 2026 rule "allows the inventory of residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pump equipment that was manufactured in the United States or imported into the United States before January 1, 2025, to continue to be installed," and "Components used to repair existing systems are not subject to these restrictions."¹⁶ Variable refrigerant flow systems have their own date: January 1, 2027.¹⁶ R-454B and R-32, the refrigerants new owners now ask about installing, are both listed as A2L in Virginia's code table, and A2L is the group Virginia's extra rules are written for.¹⁰

Virginia wrote A2L rules into its residential code with the 2021 edition, in force since January 18, 2024. In a house, an A2L system must be "listed and labeled to UL 60335-2-40" and installed to the maker's instructions, with the manuals "attached to the indoor unit or left with the homeowner." Accessories in its ductwork "shall not contain electric heating elements, open flames, or devices switching electrical loads greater than 2.5 kVA." The charge can't exceed 34.5 pounds per system, the piping is tested to the maker's instructions, and the unit carries a label with "Contact information of the responsible company that installed the refrigeration system" and "The system refrigerant charge and the refrigerant number."¹⁰ That label is your company's name on the unit. Switching an existing system to a different refrigerant needs the owner told first, plus the maker's instructions, an engineer's evaluation or the code official's approval.¹⁰ Fairfax County adds an "A2L Refrigeration System Certification" for every A2L heating or cooling install in a one- or two-family home (its online form said "The form is unavailable" when I tried it, so ask Land Development Services).⁸ If it's your first A2L install as an owner, you're in company: "Will be my first time installing these. I was always a service tech but now I have a company and have to up my install game" (r/HVAC, on R-454B).

EPA's lead rule in pre-1978 homes

Virginia doesn't run its own lead renovation program, so EPA's rule applies directly, to "all firms, even sole proprietorships." Disturb painted surfaces for pay in a home built before 1978 and your firm needs EPA certification, with an EPA-certified renovator directing the work, unless it's minor repair. EPA's minor repair definition names "minor heating, ventilation or air conditioning work" and stops at "6 square feet or less of painted surface per room for interior activities or 20 square feet or less" outside, counting jobs in the same room within 30 days as one. New duct runs through plaster pass that fast. The federal civil penalty is up to $49,772 per violation.¹⁷

Supervision: who can work alone

A licensed residential HVAC tradesman (houses only), journeyman or master can work alone. Anyone without a tradesman license, apprentices and helpers included, works only "under the supervision of a tradesman who is licensed in the specialty for which work is being performed," so an HVAC tech without the gas fitting designation can't supervise a helper running gas.⁵ Supervision means a licensed tradesman who is "accessible to the helper or laborer" and periodically observes and evaluates the work, and making sure every helper gets it is the firm's job.^3,4 I found no apprentice-to-journeyman ratio in the Board's statutes or rules, and no registration for helpers; registered apprenticeship programs set their own standards, which I didn't research. Refrigerant is separate: EPA's rule follows the person doing the work, so get helpers who connect gauges certified.¹⁵

Virginia HVAC permits and inspections

Virginia has one building code, the Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC), and it overrides city and county building codes.¹¹ The current edition uses the 2021 model codes, so the Virginia mechanical code is the 2021 International Mechanical Code as amended, gas follows the 2021 International Fuel Gas Code, and houses and townhouses follow the Virginia Residential Code (the 2021 International Residential Code as amended). A 2024 edition is in the works, with no effective date on DHCD's page yet.¹⁰ The state licenses you; the local building department issues the permit and sends the inspector.¹¹

When you need one

A permit is required before work on "mechanical systems, or fuel supply systems," "electric wiring," or "any equipment regulated by the USBC." The exemptions that matter to an HVAC shop:¹⁰

• "Replacement of mechanical appliances provided such equipment is not fueled by gas or oil," in houses, townhouses and single apartment units.
• Wiring and equipment that "operates at less than 50 volts," outside plenums and fire-rated construction.
• Emergencies. You can replace failed equipment first and apply "by the end of the first working day that follows the day such work commences."

If the owner asks for a permit on exempt work, the building official has to issue one.¹⁰

Change-outs: electric, gas and oil

• Gas or oil: always a permit. The appliance exemption excludes anything "fueled by gas or oil." Fairfax County's Household Appliance permit page names water heaters, furnaces and boilers and says replacing a gas appliance "requires a permit, even if it is a like-for-like replacement." In a house, replacing any fuel-burning appliance also triggers a vent and chimney check: the vent must be sized to the code and clean, and where the building department doesn't inspect it, the installer certifies it. Fairfax's Vent/Chimney Certification asks for your Virginia contractor's license number.^8,10
• Electric heat pump or AC, like for like: the state code exempts it in houses. Fairfax still wants a permit: its residential mechanical permit page lists "New, Replacement, Repair or Conversion of HVAC Systems" and "Duct Installation (new or replacement)," and every A2L install needs its certification. (One line on Fairfax's "Does My Project Require a Permit?" page says like-for-like mechanical replacement doesn't; the permit pages are more specific.)⁸ Virginia Beach's mechanical permit form has "Replacement" boxes for condensers, air handlers, heat pumps and mini-splits.¹³ Ask each building department once and write the answer down.
• Sizing. Virginia's house code sizes equipment to "ACCA Manual S" on loads from "ACCA Manual J," and Fairfax's Residential HVAC Certification Form, with your Manual J, S and D certification and a duct layout, "is required to be onsite for all mechanical inspections."^10,8 The HVAC installation checklist has a commissioning sheet to go with it.

Skipping a required permit also puts your license at risk. The Board lists "Failure to obtain a building permit or applicable inspection, where required" as a prohibited act for your firm and for your techs.^4,6

Who pulls the permit

The owner, the lessee, or "the RDP, contractor, or subcontractor associated with the work" can apply, and nobody can make you apply in person.¹⁰ Before the permit issues, you furnish your license number (the firm's, on a job over $1,000) and proof your local business license taxes are paid.¹² Homeowners can pull permits for their own house: the contractor law exempts one primary residence the owner lives in, and Fairfax lets owners pull mechanical permits but "strongly" recommends a licensed contractor do it.^12,8 If a customer offers to pull it to save you the fee, remember that exemption covers the owner's own work. You're still working for pay, so the Board's permit rule still applies to you.⁴

Inspections and the gas meter

The local building department inspects. Mechanical work is inspected "prior to concealment," so new ductwork in a wall waits for the inspector before the drywall goes up, and the department may waive an inspection under $2,500 of construction cost.^10,11 On a conversion or new gas service, the utility sets the meter after the locality signs off. Washington Gas says "The interior gas piping must pass a county/city inspection (1st and/or 2nd if applicable) and the inspection tag must be located on-site," takes contractors' requests at its Contractor Services Desk (contractorservices@washgas.com), and warns "it may take up to seven days to set the meter."²³ Build that week into a conversion quote. I didn't research who may light appliances after the meter is set; ask the utility.

Fairfax, Prince William, Virginia Beach and the rest

• Fairfax County. Permits go through the PLUS portal. A Household Appliance permit covers a fuel-fired appliance replacement with one inspection, as long as no new gas piping goes in; a mechanical permit covers new, replaced or converted HVAC systems, ducts, geothermal and gas piping for equipment. Jobs in the towns of Clifton or Vienna need the town's approval too.⁸ Class C contractors also need a county Home Improvement Contractor license: two business references, your DPOR and Fairfax BPOL numbers, "Your standard contract template," a financial statement, and a surety bond of $10,000 for contracts over $1,000 ($5,000 under). It lasts one to two years, depending on the bond.⁸
• Prince William County. Its home improvement license has a "Heating or air conditioning" category that "requires master mechanical certification," with a $10,000 surety bond; Class A and B firms are exempt, and Class C firms need it "if the work being performed is residential."⁹ The ordinance copy online dates from 2012 and the license web page returned an error when I checked, so call the license line (703-792-6924) to confirm.
• Virginia Beach. The mechanical permit application asks for your state registration number and the contract value, and gas work has its own application.¹³
• Everywhere else. State law lets any locality require its own home improvement license from contractors other than Class A, and I checked only Fairfax and Prince William.¹² Ask the building department in each new city or county.

Local business licenses (BPOL) in the big localities

Every Virginia city and county can charge the BPOL tax (Business, Professional and Occupational License). You license where your office is, and another locality can require its own license once you do more than $25,000 of work there in a year. State law caps the contracting rate at 16 cents per $100 of gross receipts and, in localities over 50,000 people, bars the percentage tax under $100,000 of receipts (a flat fee is still allowed).²¹ To get the license, you show your DPOR license number and certify in writing that you carry workers' comp where you're required to; a locality can't license a contractor who doesn't.^12,19

Sources: each locality's own page, read November 3, 2026.²¹ Richmond's page shows two different thresholds for its rate, and its $0.19 is above the statutory 16 cents, so ask the city before you budget. Fairfax County BPOL for your first two years runs on your own estimate of gross receipts, trued up later.²¹

Can I take this job? A table for Virginia HVAC contractors

The verdicts assume your firm holds Class C or higher with HVA, the contract fits your class, a licensed HVAC tradesman does or supervises the work, and anyone touching refrigerant holds an EPA 608 card.

Sources for the table: classes and classifications,^1,3 incidental work,^5,6 permits, A2L and inspections,¹⁰ local rules,^8,9,13 written contracts,⁴ EPA,^15,16,17 BPOL,²¹ wrong class.²²

Your first 30 days: a checklist for a new Virginia HVAC contractor

This is the same list as the printable. Week 1 keeps you legal on the next job; the rest keeps a change-out from stalling on a permit, a gas connection or a supply house counter. Order matters. One owner found: "To get insurnace i need registered LLC in my state. So basically, they're looking for an established entity" (r/HVAC). Entity first, then the insurance quote.

Week 1: licenses and paperwork

1. Look up your firm and your master on DPOR's License Lookup. Write down the firm's class, its letters (HVA, plus GFC, ELE, PLB or REF if you have them), both license numbers and both expiration dates.⁷
2. Check your master meets the qualifier rule: a full-time W-2 employee working at least 30 hours a week, or an owner or officer.³
3. Decide on gas. Either your qualifier gets the master gas fitter designation and you add GFC ($125), or you line up a GFC contractor for every gas connection. If you rely on making furnace connections under HVA, get DPOR's answer in writing.³
4. Decide on electrical. Either you add ELE (it needs a master electrician as qualifier) or you line up an electrician for every new circuit and disconnect.³
5. Register the business with the State Corporation Commission if it's an LLC or corporation. If you trade under any name other than your own legal name, file an assumed name certificate with the SCC clerk.^8,20
6. Get the BPOL business license where your office is: within 75 days in Fairfax, 30 days in Prince William, Loudoun, Chesterfield and Richmond, before you start in Virginia Beach. Bring your DPOR number and your workers' comp certification.^21,19
7. If you're Class C and work on houses in Fairfax or Prince William County, apply for the county home improvement license and buy the $10,000 surety bond.^8,9
8. Put your license number, class and "HVA" into your quote terms, contracts and invoices. A residential contract must show your "name, address, license number, class of license, and classifications or specialty services," plus the other items in the contract article. The rule leaves out "routine maintenance or service contracts," which the Board doesn't define, so give every replacement and install the full contract.⁴
9. Check your trucks, website and ads. No statewide rule requires the license number on them, but ads can't be "false, deceptive, or misleading," and a business name can't suggest work outside your license.^4,7 No "gas lines" or "electrical" until those letters are on your license.

Week 2: insurance, people and refrigerant

10. General liability: Virginia doesn't require it for an HVA license (only residential building energy analyst firms must carry it).³ Price it anyway, and ask the agent in writing whether the policy covers gas connections and work outside your class or classification.
11. Workers' comp: required once you have three or more employees "regularly in service"; owners can elect to cover themselves. Going without when required costs up to $250 a day, capped at $50,000.¹⁹
12. Subcontractors: you can owe a sub's workers' comp as the "statutory employer," and you carry the penalty for hiring someone without a required credential. Get a certificate from every sub and look each one up on License Lookup.^19,22
13. Helpers: anyone without a tradesman license works under a licensed HVAC tradesman who stays reachable and checks the work, and under a licensed gas fitter for gas.^3,5
14. EPA 608: a copy of every tech's card in the office, and a list of who may buy refrigerant on your account at each supply house.¹⁵

Weeks 3 and 4: permits, A2L, gas and digging

15. Open a permit account with each building department you'll work in (Fairfax uses PLUS). Ask each one whether an electric heat pump or AC change-out needs a permit, and write the answer down.^8,10
16. For A2L installs, add the code's items to your install steps: a UL 60335-2-40 listed system, the label with your company's contact information and the charge, piping tested to the maker's instructions, manuals left at the indoor unit, and Fairfax's A2L certification where it applies.^10,8
17. For gas and oil swaps in houses, add the vent and chimney check to your job steps, with the certification form if your county doesn't inspect it.^10,8
18. For installs in Fairfax, keep a Manual J load calculation and the Residential HVAC Certification Form for the inspection.⁸
19. For conversions and new gas service, find the gas utility's meter set process before you quote (Washington Gas: Contractor Services Desk, up to seven days after inspection).²³
20. Before any trench (line set, gas line, ground loop), submit a Miss Utility locate request and wait for every utility to mark or answer.¹⁸
21. If you'll cut into painted walls or ceilings in pre-1978 homes, get the firm EPA-certified and take the certified renovator course.¹⁷

On the calendar

22. Firm license: expires two years from the last day of the month it was issued. Renewal is $220, $260 or $270 by class, plus $30 for the Recovery Fund, and the license isn't valid during the 30-day grace period.³
23. Master's, journeyman's and residential HVAC licenses: every 3 years, $160, with 3 hours of board-approved International Mechanical Code CE finished before the expiration date, and 1 more hour on the fuel gas code if the license carries gas fitting.⁶
24. If your qualifier leaves, report the new one within 60 days; a new designated employee within 120.³
25. BPOL renewals: by March 1 in Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun, Virginia Beach, Chesterfield and Richmond. Renewal forms go out in January.²¹
26. County home improvement license and bond (Fairfax, Prince William), general liability and workers' comp: put each renewal date in the calendar.⁸
27. January 1, 2027: a new Virginia law bars any contractor from paying, waiving or rebating "all or part of an insurance deductible" on repairs to an owner-occupied home covered by insurance (think a lightning-struck condenser).²⁴ The same day, EPA's 700 GWP limit starts for new VRF installs.¹⁶

What happens if you cross the line

No contractor license on a job over $1,000, or the wrong class

• It's a crime. Contracting without a license, or "without the proper class of license," is a Class 1 misdemeanor: up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine, plus up to $500 for each day of the violation. A third conviction for unlicensed practice within 36 months is a Class 6 felony, and DPOR can also sue for $200 to $5,000 per violation, up to $25,000 a year.²²
• You may not get paid. A contract made without a valid license "shall not be enforceable by the unlicensed contractor" unless the work was done in good faith and the contractor "did not have actual knowledge that a license or certificate was required," and a lapsed license creates "a rebuttable presumption of actual knowledge." For the wrong class the statute doesn't say, and I didn't research how courts read it.²²
• No mechanic's lien, with no license or the wrong class. And the customer can sue under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act: actual damages or $500, whichever is more, up to three times damages or $1,000 if willful, plus attorney's fees.²²

No tradesman license on the person doing the work

Practicing as an HVAC tradesman without a license is a Class 1 misdemeanor for that person, and building officials have to report unlicensed tradesmen to the Board.⁵ The firm is "solely responsible" for any penalty that comes from employing someone who lacks a required credential, and failing to supervise helpers is a prohibited act.^22,4

Gas or wiring outside your letters, no permit, or a lent license

• Working outside your class or classification (a gas line on an HVA-only license, a new circuit without ELE) is a prohibited act. So is "Failure to obtain a building permit or applicable inspection, where required." The Board can fine up to $2,500 per violation, and its discipline also covers remedial education, probation, suspension and revocation.^4,7
• Lending the license is a prohibited act for the firm and for the master, and "Presenting or attempting to use the license or certificate of another" is a misdemeanor for whoever borrows it.^4,6,22

No business license, no workers' comp

Without proof that local license taxes are paid, the building official can't issue your permit.¹² Late BPOL filings carry penalties (10% in Fairfax and Richmond), and Loudoun says contractors without DPOR proof and workers' comp proof "remain responsible for BPOL taxes but will not receive a business license."²¹ Missing workers' comp when you need it costs up to $250 a day, capped at $50,000.¹⁹

Insurance

I found no Virginia rule on what unlicensed or out-of-scope work does to your coverage. That's in your policy. Ask your agent in writing and keep the reply.

More for new HVAC contractors

• HVAC pricing guide: what to charge for a service call, your labor rate and the first jobs, with a free rate sheet.
• HVAC tune-up checklist: the visit in order, the target readings and what to charge, with a free report card.
• Opening a supply house account: what to bring, cash or credit, and how dealer programs work, with a free checklist.
• Quoting your first system replacement: the price, the scope and what the quote must include, with a free proposal template.
• Starting an HVAC business while still employed: side work, your boss's customers, non-competes and when to go.
• Register every install: maker deadlines, your labor warranty and what a callback costs, with a free close-out sheet.
• Your first slow season: the customer list and the one reminder that fills a calendar, with a free log.

Where Deepsel fits

Deepsel is the field service software I build, and it doesn't know Virginia licensing. It won't warn you when a quote passes $30,000, pull a permit, file Fairfax's A2L certification, or track your licenses, bond or EPA cards. Three parts of it help with what's above. The shop-wide terms text you set once is copied onto every new quote and shows under "Terms" on the customer's quote page, and the invoice footer is copied onto every invoice, so your license number, class and HVA go on every document without retyping. A checklist template you build once (permit number, A2L label applied, charge, vent check, inspection passed) can be added to the quote for each change-out; your office and techs tick items off, each answer is stamped with who did it and when, and the customer never sees it. Equipment records hold each unit's brand, model, serial, year, filter size, refrigerant (R-410A, R-454B, R-32 and the rest) and a nameplate photo; the charge goes in the unit's note. Free covers 30 estimates and 30 invoices a month for your whole team; Pro is $29 a month with unlimited estimates and invoices (pricing).

Frequently asked questions

Can I own an HVAC company without a license in Virginia?

Yes, the owner doesn't have to be licensed. The company does: any HVAC job over $1,000 needs a Class A, B or C contractor license with the HVA classification, and that license has to name a master HVAC tradesman as its qualified individual. The master must be one of the owners or officers, or a full-time W-2 employee working at least 30 hours a week for the company (not a 1099). Everyone doing the work needs a tradesman license or has to work under the supervision of a licensed HVAC tradesman.

How do I look up a Virginia HVAC license?

Use DPOR's License Lookup at dpor.virginia.gov/LicenseLookup. Search the person for a residential HVAC, journeyman or master license, or the business for its contractor license. The firm's record shows its class and its letters: HVA for HVAC, GFC for gas fitting, ELE for electrical, PLB for plumbing, REF for refrigeration.

What's the difference between a journeyman and a master HVAC license in Virginia?

Both are individual tradesman licenses from DPOR's Board for Contractors. A journeyman can install, repair and maintain HVAC systems to code. A master can also plan, lay out and supervise the work, and only a master can qualify a firm for HVA. The master exam opens after one year as a journeyman, three years on the residential HVAC license, or nine years of experience. Both renew every three years for $160 with three hours of International Mechanical Code continuing education.

Can a master HVAC tradesman work without a contractor license in Virginia?

On small jobs, yes. The contractor license starts at contracts over $1,000. DPOR's tradesman application tells anyone performing work over $1,000 to get a contractor license, and Fairfax County's guide says journeymen and masters can do work under $1,000 per contract without one. In Fairfax that small-job work still needs the county's home improvement license with a $5,000 bond.

What can a Class C HVAC contractor do in Virginia?

Any work the HVA classification covers, on contracts over $1,000 and under $30,000, as long as all your work in any 12 months totals less than $250,000. Those limits took effect July 1, 2025. Google's AI answer on November 3, 2026 still gave the old $10,000 and $150,000 limits, and so does DPOR's own step-by-step guide. In Fairfax and Prince William counties, Class C firms working on houses also need a county license with a $10,000 surety bond.

Does a Virginia HVAC contractor need insurance or a bond?

Not for the state license. The Board's rules require general liability insurance only from residential building energy analyst firms, and a $50,000 surety bond only as a Class B or A firm's alternative to showing $15,000 or $45,000 of net worth. Workers' comp is mandatory once you regularly have three or more employees, and localities won't issue a contractor a business license without your workers' comp certification. Fairfax and Prince William require a $10,000 bond with their county licenses for Class C firms.

Do I need a gas fitting license to install a gas furnace in Virginia?

For any new gas piping, yes: the HVA classification does not cover gas piping, so the firm needs the GFC specialty (qualified by a master gas fitter) or a GFC sub, and the installer needs the gas fitting designation or a licensed gas fitter supervising. For reconnecting gas to a replacement furnace, I found no DPOR rule that says whether it's incidental HVAC work or gas fitting. 38% of Virginia HVA firms carry a gas specialty. Add GFC or get DPOR's answer in writing.

Which mechanical code does Virginia use?

The Uniform Statewide Building Code, 2021 edition, effective January 18, 2024. Commercial work follows the 2021 International Mechanical Code and Fuel Gas Code as amended by Virginia, and houses and townhouses follow the Virginia Residential Code, the 2021 International Residential Code as amended. Virginia's amendments add A2L refrigerant rules: UL 60335-2-40 listing, an installer label with your company's contact information and the charge, and a 34.5-pound charge limit per system in houses.

Do I need a BPOL business license for an HVAC business in Virginia?

Yes, from the city or county where your office is, plus another locality's once you do more than $25,000 of work there in a year. Fairfax County wants you registered within 75 days and charges contractors $0.11 per $100 once gross receipts pass $100,000; Prince William, Loudoun, Chesterfield and Richmond want you within 30 days, and Virginia Beach before you start. Renewals are due by March 1.

Sources

1. Code of Virginia § 54.1-1100, definitions of Class A, B and C contractors (single contract or project over $1,000 and under $30,000 for Class C, $30,000 to under $150,000 for B, $150,000 or more for A; 12-month totals under $250,000, under $1 million, and $1 million or more; "The Board shall require a master tradesmen license as a condition of licensure for electrical, plumbing, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contractors") and "Designated employee." law.lis.virginia.gov, read November 3, 2026.
2. Department of Planning and Budget, State Fiscal Impact Statement for SB 1059 (2025), published 1/29/2025: the bill would "raise the maximum allowable revenue for a Class C contractor from $10,000 per project or $150,000 per year to $30,000 per project or $250,000 per year," and Class B from "$120,000 per project or $750,000 per year." lis.blob.core.windows.net, read November 3, 2026.
3. 18VAC50-22, Board for Contractors Regulations, full chapter: 18VAC50-22-10 ("Full-time employee," 30 hours a week and a W-2; "Helper"; "Supervision"; "Responsible management"), -20 (HVA: heating, ventilating, cooling, boilers, process piping, "mechanical refrigeration systems, including tanks incidental to the system," not "gas piping," backflow devices "incidental"; PLB; ELE; RBC and CBC), -30 (GFC, LPG, NGF, REF, ESC, INS, LAC, WWP, IBC, MHC, MSC), -40, -50 and -60 (qualified individual, designated employee, basic business course; $15,000 and $45,000 net worth or a $50,000 bond), -61 (HVA qualifier must hold a "Master HVAC tradesman license"; GFC a "Master gas fitter license"; ELE a master electrician license), -62 (general liability insurance required of residential building energy analyst firms only), -100 (initial fees; $125 to change a qualified individual or add a specialty), -110 and -130 (two-year term; not valid during the 30-day grace period), -140 (renewal fees $220, $260, $270 and the $30 Recovery Fund assessment) and -220 (new qualified individual reported within 60 days, designated employee within 120). law.lis.virginia.gov, current through Virginia Register Vol. 41 (eff. September 1, 2025), read November 3, 2026.
4. 18VAC50-22-260 B, prohibited acts: 4 (false, deceptive or misleading advertising), 8 (written residential contract, excluding "routine maintenance or service contracts"), 9 i (license number, class and specialties on residential contracts), 19 (allowing a firm's license to be used by another), 20 (ostensible licensee for undisclosed persons), 26 (Miss Utility notification), 27 (practicing outside your class or classification), 29 (unlicensed or improperly licensed subs), 32 (supervision of helpers), 33 (no permit or inspection where required). law.lis.virginia.gov. Board penalty up to $2,500 per violation: Code of Virginia § 54.1-202, law.lis.virginia.gov. Both read November 3, 2026.
5. Code of Virginia §§ 54.1-1128 ("Tradesman"), 54.1-1129 A (license required; supervision "by a tradesman who is licensed in the specialty"; work "incidental" to another specialty license), 54.1-1131 C (no tradesman license for work under $250 on a single-family residence by someone who doesn't hold himself out as a tradesman), 54.1-1132 (three-year license), 54.1-1134 (building officials report unlicensed tradesmen) and 54.1-1135 A (Class 1 misdemeanor for unlicensed practice). law.lis.virginia.gov, read November 3, 2026.
6. 18VAC50-30, Individual License and Certification Regulations: 18VAC50-30-10 ("HVAC tradesman," "HVAC work," "Residential HVAC tradesman," "Gas fitter" including gas "chimneys and vents, direct vents, equipment, and appliances," "Incidental," "Journeyman," "Master," "Electrical work"), -39 (master exam after three years on a residential license, one year as a journeyman, or nine years of experience), -120 (HVAC tradesmen and gas fitters expire after three years; three hours of CE per trade designation and one hour for gas fitters; $160 tradesman renewal), -150 (several designations on one license), -190 (prohibited acts, including letting one's license be used, practicing outside the classification and skipping permits) and -1010 (HVAC CE covers the International Mechanical Code). law.lis.virginia.gov. DPOR, Tradesmen Program page (residential HVAC licenses since April 1, 2025, "no commercial work permitted"; certification "mandatory, not optional"; Technology Fee of $7.25 per year from July 1, 2026; CE FAQ: "HVAC workers--3 hours," gas fitters 1 hour), dpor.virginia.gov. Both read November 3, 2026.
7. DPOR documents: Board for Contractors License Application, A501-27LIC-v18, 08/01/2026 (the QI is "a bona fide full-time employee (minimum 30 hours per week and not a 1099 employee) OR one of the members of Responsible Management"; trade specialties need a master tradesman license; designated employee for Class A and B; net worth or a two-year bond), dpor.virginia.gov; Tradesman Exam and License Application, A501-2710EXLIC-v8, 07/01/2026 (journeyman and master HVA and GFC designations; "Any applicant performing work over $1,000 must contact the Board for Contractors to obtain a Virginia Contractors License"), dpor.virginia.gov; "Contractor Licensing Information," A501-27INTRO-v8 (a license has two parts, the class and the classification or specialty), dpor.virginia.gov; "A Step By Step Guide to Obtaining Your Contractor License" (a business name "must not indicate that you do work that is not allowed by your license"; still prints the pre-2025 limits), dpor.virginia.gov; "Statement of Consumer Protections," revised 4/29/2025 (Board discipline), dpor.virginia.gov; License Lookup; DPOR regulant lists for Class A, B and C contractors (files 2705a, 2705b, 2705c, downloaded and counted November 3, 2026: 4,275 firms with HVA, of which 1,624 also hold GFC, LPG or NGF and 1,145 also hold ELE), dpor.virginia.gov. All read November 3, 2026.
8. Fairfax County: "How to Become a Contractor in Fairfax County" (tradesman and contractor licenses "cannot be combined"; journeymen and masters under $1,000; SCC registration; Class C contractors need a county HIC license), fairfaxcounty.gov; "Home Improvement Contractor License (HIC)" (Class C contractors and those under the Class C threshold; requirements; "$5,000 surety bond" under $1,000, "$10,000 surety bond" over; valid one to two years), fairfaxcounty.gov; "Mechanical (MECHR) - Residential" (permit for "New, Replacement, Repair or Conversion of HVAC Systems," geothermal, "Duct Installation (new or replacement)," "Gas Piping for Equipment"; trade permits after the building permit; Residential HVAC Certification; owners may pull permits; License Exemption Affidavit; Clifton and Vienna; condos and apartments are commercial), fairfaxcounty.gov; "Household Appliance (HAPL) - Residential" (one inspection; gas appliance replacement "requires a permit, even if it is a like-for-like replacement"; Chimney Vent Certification; an "A2L Refrigeration System Certification" required for every A2L heating or cooling install in one- and two-family dwellings; the linked online form showed "The form is unavailable" on November 3, 2026), fairfaxcounty.gov; "Does My Project Require a Permit?" (direct replacement of household appliances, HVAC included, needs a permit; one line exempts like-for-like mechanical replacement), fairfaxcounty.gov; Residential HVAC Certification Form ("required to be onsite for all mechanical inspections"; Manual J, S and D), fairfaxcounty.gov; Vent/Chimney Certification, 01/26/2022 (contractor's license number; vent sized to the VRC and clean), fairfaxcounty.gov. All read November 3, 2026.
9. Prince William County Code, Chapter 5, Article III, Home Improvement Contractor License (county copy "Version 2013-01-25," codified through 2012): § 5-51 (state Class A and B licensees exempt), § 5-52 ("Heating or air conditioning: requires master mechanical certification"; gas fitting "can only be performed in conjunction with the plumbing, heating or air conditioning category" and "requires master gas fitter certification and master plumber or master mechanical certification"; "Surety bond requirement for home improvement license in all categories is $10,000.00"), pwcva.gov; "Contractor Licensing Information," Version 2015-05-19 (Class C contractors need the county license "if the work being performed is residential"; home improvement license line 703-792-6924), pwcva.gov. Read November 3, 2026. The county documents use the pre-2025 state class limits.
10. Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, 13VAC5-63: Section 101 (2021 edition; 2021 International Mechanical Code), Section 108 (permit before work on electric wiring, mechanical systems, fuel supply systems and regulated equipment; emergency applications "by the end of the first working day"; exemptions for wiring under 50 volts and for replacing mechanical appliances "not fueled by gas or oil"; a permit must be issued if the owner asks; who may apply; license proof and local taxes), Section 113 (inspection "prior to concealment"; 113.3.1 vent and chimney check on fuel-burning appliance replacement, with installer certification where not inspected), 13VAC5-63-210 Virginia Residential Code amendments (M1401.3 sizing to ACCA Manual S and J; M1411.1.1 to M1411.1.6 A2L listing to UL 60335-2-40, installation and manuals, ductwork accessories, installer label with contact information and charge, 34.5 lb charge limit, piping test) and 13VAC5-63-310 International Mechanical Code amendments (Table 1101.2; 1101.2.1 A2L high-probability equipment; 1101.7 changing refrigerant; Table 1103.1 listing R-32 and R-454B as A2L), history through Vol. 40 Iss. 9 (eff. January 18, 2024). law.lis.virginia.gov. DHCD, "2024 Code Development Cycle" (no effective date shown), dhcd.virginia.gov. Both read November 3, 2026.
11. Code of Virginia § 36-105 A and B (local building department enforces the code; inspection may be waived where construction cost is less than $2,500) and § 36-98 (the USBC supersedes local building codes). 36-105, 36-98, read November 3, 2026.
12. Code of Virginia § 54.1-1111 (license number or exemption statement, and proof local license taxes are paid, before a building permit; license proof before a local business license), § 54.1-1117 (localities may license the business of home improvement, except Class A contractors), § 54.1-1101 A 7 (exemption for one primary residence owned and used by the person). 54.1-1111, 54.1-1117, 54.1-1101, read November 3, 2026.
13. City of Virginia Beach, Application for Mechanical Permit (dated January 2026: state registration number; contract value; new, replacement or conversion; residential lines for air conditioning, air handler, heat pumps, condenser, duct work, gas furnace, mini-split, oil furnace; "Water-to-Air Heat Pump" requires a Health Dept. well permit), virginiabeach.gov document, and Trades Permits page (separate gas and mechanical applications), planning.virginiabeach.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
14. International Code Council, 2021 International Residential Code, Chapter 14, Sections M1411.3 (condensate "conveyed from the drain pan outlet to an approved place of disposal"; secondary drain or auxiliary pan; 3/4-inch minimum) and M1411.4 (condensate pumps in uninhabitable spaces interlocked with the equipment), adopted in Virginia without amendment to those sections. codes.iccsafe.org, read November 3, 2026.
15. EPA, "Section 608 Technician Certification Requirements" (technicians "must be certified"; Types I, II, III and Universal; credentials "do not expire"), epa.gov; EPA, "Questions and Answers about the Refrigerant Sales Restriction" ("Any person servicing, installing or disposing of stationary appliances ... must be a section 608 certified technician"; the seller verifies the buyer "is a certified technician" or "employs a certified technician"; buying on a company account with a card copy and a list of authorized buyers), epa.gov. Both read November 3, 2026.
16. EPA, "Technology Transitions HFC Restrictions by Sector" (residential and light commercial AC and heat pump systems, mini-splits included: 700 GWP limit, with no installation compliance date where all components were made or imported before January 1, 2025; variable refrigerant flow systems: January 1, 2027; "Components used to repair existing systems are not subject to these restrictions"; informational, see 40 CFR Part 84, Subpart B), epa.gov; Federal Register 2026-10387, 91 FR 31284 (final rule "allows the inventory of residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pump equipment that was manufactured in the United States or imported into the United States before January 1, 2025, to continue to be installed"), federalregister.gov. Both read November 3, 2026.
17. EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting rule, 40 CFR 745.81, 745.82, 745.83 (minor repair, "minor heating, ventilation or air conditioning work" included: 6 square feet per room inside, 20 outside; same room within 30 days is one job) and 745.89 (firm certification), law.cornell.edu; EPA, "Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program" (Virginia is not an authorized state; "all firms, even sole proprietorships"), epa.gov; 40 CFR 19.4, Table 1 (TSCA civil penalty $49,772 for penalties assessed on or after January 8, 2025), law.cornell.edu. All read November 3, 2026.
18. Underground Utility Damage Prevention Act: Code of Virginia § 56-265.15 ("excavation" includes trenching, digging and driving), § 56-265.17 A and B (locate request before any excavation; wait for positive response; treble damages for willful failure) and § 56-265.32 A (civil penalty up to $10,000 per violation of 56-265.17 A). 56-265.15, 56-265.17, 56-265.32, read November 3, 2026.
19. Virginia Workers' Compensation Act: Code of Virginia § 65.2-101 ("Employee" excludes employees of an employer that "has regularly in service less than three employees"; sole proprietors and single-member LLC members may elect coverage), § 65.2-800 A (duty to insure), § 65.2-805 A (civil penalty "not more than $250 per day for each day of noncompliance, subject to a maximum penalty of $50,000") and § 65.2-302 (statutory employer); § 58.1-3714 B (no business license issued or reissued to a contractor who is required to carry workers' compensation and doesn't; written certification with each application; false certificate a Class 3 misdemeanor). 65.2-101, 65.2-800, 65.2-805, 65.2-302, 58.1-3714, read November 3, 2026.
20. Code of Virginia § 59.1-69 B: no business under an assumed or fictitious name unless a certificate is filed "in the office of the clerk of the Commission" (the State Corporation Commission). law.lis.virginia.gov, read November 3, 2026.
21. BPOL: Code of Virginia § 58.1-3703, § 58.1-3706 A (no tax under $100,000 of gross receipts in localities over 50,000; contracting rate capped at "sixteen cents per $100 of gross receipts") and § 58.1-3715 A (license where the principal office is; another locality may require a license above $25,000 of business there in a year), 58.1-3703, 58.1-3706, 58.1-3715. Fairfax County, "Understanding Business, Professional & Occupational License Tax" (75 days; flat fees to $100,000; first-year estimates; March 1; 10% penalty), fairfaxcounty.gov, and "BPOL Rate Schedule" ("Contractors $0.11"), fairfaxcounty.gov; Prince William County, "Business License" (30 days; $500,000 threshold; building trade contractors must file; workers' comp), pwcva.gov, and 2026 Business License Application FORM100-25 (contractors $0.13 per $100; DPOR license copy), pwcva.gov; Loudoun County, "Business License Tax" (30 days; $30 to $200,000; contractor requirements) and "Business Tax Rates" (contractors $0.13), loudoun.gov, loudoun.gov; City of Virginia Beach Commissioner of the Revenue, "How to Start a Business" (revised 12.29.2022; contracting fees and $0.16 rate; March 1), virginiabeach.gov document; Chesterfield County, "Business License" (30 days; contractors' workers' comp and DPOR documents; March 1), chesterfield.gov; City of Richmond, "BPOL Tax" (30 days; fee table; "Contractor $0.19 per $100"; March 1; non-city contractors over $25,000), rva.gov. All read November 3, 2026.
22. Penalties: Code of Virginia § 54.1-1115 (Class 1 misdemeanor for contracting without a license "or without the proper class of license," or using another's license; up to $500 a day; contract unenforceable by the unlicensed contractor; lapse creates "a rebuttable presumption of actual knowledge") and § 54.1-1115.01 (contractor "solely responsible" for penalties from hiring someone without a required credential), 54.1-1115, 54.1-1115.01; § 18.2-11 (Class 1 misdemeanor: up to twelve months and $2,500), 18.2-11; § 54.1-111 (civil penalty $200 to $5,000 per violation, $25,000 a year; third conviction in 36 months a Class 6 felony), 54.1-111; Virginia Consumer Protection Act § 59.1-200 A 46 and § 59.1-204, 59.1-200, 59.1-204; § 43-3 D (no mechanic's lien without a license or the proper class), 43-3. All read November 3, 2026.
23. Washington Gas, "Natural Gas Meter Set Process" (contractors email the Meter Set Process Form to contractorservices@washgas.com; "it may take up to seven days to set the meter"; interior piping must pass a county or city inspection with the tag on site), washingtongas.com, read November 3, 2026.
24. Code of Virginia § 59.1-618 A, effective January 1, 2027 ("No contractor shall knowingly or willfully pay, waive, or rebate all or part of an insurance deductible applicable to payment to the contractor for repairs to a residential property covered by a policy or contract written to insure an owner-occupied property"), with "Contractor" defined in § 59.1-617 by reference to § 54.1-1100. 59.1-618, 59.1-617, read November 3, 2026.
25. Google search results for "virginia hvac license" and "virginia hvac contractor license" (US), AI overview giving Class C as "$10,000 per project / $150,000 annually" and Class B as "$120,000 per project / $750,000 annually," pulled through DataForSEO on November 3, 2026.