- No contractor license is needed when the whole project is under $5,000 residential or under $25,000 commercial, counting all labor and materials on the project.
- The board's step-by-step guide does not list an experience requirement.
- Plan for a trade exam and a business and law exam.
- A wage bond status affidavit is filed with every contractor license application.
- A contractor license renews every 12 months.
Do you need a state license in West Virginia?
West Virginia licenses some handyman work at the state level and leaves the rest alone. Which side of that line a job falls on decides whether you need the state license.
No contractor license is needed when the whole project is under $5,000 residential or under $25,000 commercial, counting all labor and materials on the project.
The WV State Tax Department issues the business registration everyone doing business in the state needs.
West Virginia license types for handyman work
West Virginia splits the work into 3 licenses. Pick the one that matches the jobs you take, since working outside its scope is the same as working without one.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Remodeling and Repair | Tested classification for remodeling and repair work |
| Residential | Tested classification for residential construction |
| Specialty | Only for work that does not substantially fall in another classification |
Steps to get licensed in West Virginia
- Register your business with the WV State Tax Department.
- Keep each whole project under $5,000 residential or $25,000 commercial if you stay unlicensed.
- When you grow past that, email the board your scope of work to learn which exams you need.
- Pass the Contractor Licensing Act exam and your classification exam with ProV.
- Apply to the board with the wage bond affidavit and proof of coverage, and renew every 12 months.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. The board's step-by-step guide does not list an experience requirement.
The license to apply for. Business registration, or a contractor license above the thresholds.
West Virginia handyman exams
Trade exam. Above the thresholds, a classification exam through ProV, Inc., picked by the board from your scope of work.
Business and law exam. Above the thresholds, the WV Contractor Licensing Act exam.
What it costs in West Virginia
The board lists one fee for this license. These are the state's own numbers. Insurance, any bond, exam prep and your business registration come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Each exam (ProV) | $59.95 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. For a contractor license: workers' compensation and unemployment coverage for all employees working in West Virginia.
Bond. A wage bond status affidavit is filed with every contractor license application.
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. A contractor license renews every 12 months.
Reciprocity. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Good to know in West Virginia
- The board answers this directly in its FAQ: it does not issue handyman licenses.
- Painting and landscaping services are among the activities the law exempts from contractor licensing.
After you are licensed
The license lets you take the work. Getting the work is the next job.
- Register the business. If you work under a name other than your own, register it where your state asks (often the Secretary of State, sometimes the county), and keep the name the same on your license, your truck and your invoices.
- Claim your Google Business Profile. It is the listing people see when they search for a handyman near them. Fill in your service area, hours and real photos of your work.
- Put up a website that shows the license. Customers look for it before they call. Koira builds a contractor website for you and keeps it current.
- See where you stand. The free Koira report checks how your business shows up in search and on maps against shops near you.
Where this comes from
Every fact on this page comes from the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board and the official pages below, checked October 8, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.
More for your trade: how handyman businesses run on Koira.