Thoughts on construction law from Christopher G. Hill, Virginia construction lawyer, LEED AP, mediator, and member of the Virginia Legal Elite in Construction Law

Tag Archives: contractor license

Licensing Reciprocity Comes to Virginia

General Assembly 2023Remember my admonishment to get your Virginia contractor’s license? Well, that will get easier for experienced construction professionals that hold a license from a state or territory outside of Virginia beginning on July 1, 2023.  In this past session of the General Assembly, the Youngkin administration pushed and the legislature passed a universal licensure statute that (with some exceptions for professional services as defined in Va. Code 2.2-4301) will allow those (including contractors) who are licensed in other states to use that license to obtain a Virginia license. Continue Reading

A Reminder to Get Your Contractor’s License in Virginia

A question I get often, particularly from construction contractors outside of Virginia is whether they need to get a Virginia contractor’s license.  The answer is almost invariably “yes.”  The next question is why?  The answer is almost always “Because state law says so.”  With some minor exceptions for material suppliers and the like, Virginia law

Yet ANOTHER Reason not to Contract without a License

Remember when I stated that you cannot lawfully perform construction work in Virginia without a contractor’s license? Remember when I said that you risk non-payment if you do so?  If you needed another reason, a relatively recent Virginia Court of Appeals decision upholding a criminal conviction for performing construction work without a license should be

PSA: Performing Construction Work in Virginia Requires a Contractor’s License

As a Virginia construction attorney, I often get calls for assistance in dealing with payment disputes.  Frequently, these calls come from out of state contractors and subcontractors that have performed work in Virginia. One of the first questions that I ask is whether these contractors and subcontractors hold a contractor license from the Commonwealth of

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About Construction Law Musings

I am a construction lawyer in Richmond, Virginia, a LEED AP, and have been nominated by my peers to Virginia's Legal Elite in Construction Law on multiple occasions. I provide advice and assistance with mechanic's liens, contract review and consulting, occupational safety issues (VOSH and OSHA), and risk management for construction professionals.

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