Construction / Specialty Contractor License / West Virginia
- West Virginia
- Specialty Contractor
- Multifamily
- Updated Oct 2026
How to Get Your West Virginia Specialty Contractor License
This guide covers West Virginia’s Multifamily Contractor classification: what it lets you build, the two exams you’ll sit, and the paperwork the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board wants before it issues your license.
Last updated October 27, 2026 from West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board requirements
Application fee
$90
License fee paid with the application; plus $59.95 per exam
Exam time
6 hrs
Multifamily (3 hrs) + Contractor Licensing Act (3 hrs)
Time to get license
Varies
No set experience period in our source
Continuing ed
Not required
No CE before renewal
Overview
Do you need a West Virginia specialty contractor license?
Yes, if you build, repair or improve multifamily housing in West Virginia. A multifamily residential structure is any building with two or more residential units, and the Multifamily Contractor license covers that work plus anything incidental to it.
License required when
- You build a structure with two or more residential units
- You repair or improve an existing multifamily residential structure
- You do work incidental to the construction, maintenance or repair of multifamily housing
Common exceptions
- Our source doesn’t list project exemptions, so check with the Board before you rely on one
- Workers’ comp, unemployment and wage bond requirements depend on your business and any exemptions that apply
- The license fee can be waived in some cases
Penalties for unlicensed work
Our source doesn’t list specific penalties. The West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board can refuse, discipline and act against contracting without the license your work requires, so get licensed before you bid.
Your fast-track West Virginia specialty contractor license checklist
The West Virginia application, one page
- West Virginia Business Registration Certificate
- Secretary of State registration (LLCs and corporations)
- Qualifier’s passing scores for both exams
- Qualifier affidavit and proof of their role in the business
- Workers’ comp and unemployment coverage, or an exemption
- Wage bond or documented exemption
Types
West Virginia specialty contractor license types and classifications
A general contractor in West Virginia can choose to specialize in multifamily work. This page covers that Multifamily classification.
MF
Specialty
Multifamily Contractor
Construction, repair or improvement of residential structures with two or more units, plus incidental work.
Exam
Licensing Act + Multifamily
Limit
Not stated
Requirements
West Virginia specialty contractor license requirements, class by class
Your license hangs on a qualifying individual who passes the exams, plus a registered business that meets the state’s insurance and bond rules.
| Requirement | Multifamily Contractor |
|---|---|
| Exams | Contractor Licensing Act + trade exam (waiver possible) |
| Qualifying individual | Responsible management or full-time employee |
| Business registration | State Tax Department certificate; Secretary of State for LLCs and corporations |
| Workers’ comp & unemployment | Required unless exempt |
| Wage bond | Required or documented exemption |
| Experience | Not stated |
| Minimum age | Not stated |
Steps
How to get your West Virginia specialty contractor license, step by step
- Pick your qualifying individualBefore you start
Your qualifier must be part of the business’s responsible management or a full-time employee. They sit the exams and sign the qualifier affidavit. - Register your businessBefore you apply
Get a West Virginia Business Registration Certificate from the State Tax Department. LLCs, corporations and other entities also register with the Secretary of State. - Get approved to testPre-approval
The state approves you before you can sit the exams, then contacts you with your exam details. - Pass both exams with ProvExam day
Schedule at provexam.com/register or 866-720-7768. Both the Multifamily and Contractor Licensing Act exams are open book. - Line up insurance and your wage bondBefore you apply
Meet workers’ comp and unemployment registration rules, and provide a wage bond or document your exemption. - Submit your license application$90 license fee
Send the completed application, affidavits, the qualifier’s exam results and proof of their relationship to the business, plus the license fee unless a waiver applies.
Exam
What to expect on the West Virginia specialty contractor exam
You need two passing scores: the Multifamily trade exam and the Contractor Licensing Act exam on West Virginia business law. Both are open book, and you can tab and highlight your approved references.
Format
Open book
Questions
75 + 50
Passing score
70% / 35 of 50
Exam vendor
Prov
Scoring & content
- Multifamily: 75 questions, 3 hours, 70% to pass
- Topics: plan reading, sitework, concrete, masonry, structural steel, carpentry, roofing, siding, insulation, interior and exterior finishes, OSHA safety
- Contractor Licensing Act: 50 questions, 180 minutes, 35 correct to pass
- Topics: business organization, contracts, estimating, finance, labor law, licensing, lien law, project and risk management, tax law
- Permitted references are listed in the Candidate Information Bulletin
Retake policy
- No waiting period between attempts
- Retake fees: $59.95 per exam, the same as the first attempt
- Check the Candidate Information Bulletin before you book
- Schedule retakes through Prov at 866-720-7768
Exam references · Open book
The West Virginia Multifamily Contractor and Contractor Licensing Act exams are both open book, and you can tab and highlight the permitted references you bring in. The full permitted list is in the West Virginia Candidate Information Bulletin.
| Book | Edition | Use |
|---|---|---|
| International Building Code (IBC) — Multifamily Contractor exam | 2018 or 2021 (source lists both) | Allowed in exam |
| Contractor’s Guide to Quality Concrete Construction — Multifamily Contractor exam | 4th edition | Allowed in exam |
| Modern Masonry — Multifamily Contractor exam | Not stated | Allowed in exam |
| Carpentry and Building Construction — Multifamily Contractor exam | 2016 | Allowed in exam |
| Study Guide for Commercial Carpentry — Multifamily Contractor exam | 2015 | Allowed in exam |
| Study Guide for Structural Steel — Multifamily Contractor exam | 2012 | Allowed in exam |
| NASCLA Contractor’s Guide to Business, Law and Project Management (West Virginia) — Contractor Licensing Act exam | 1st edition | Allowed in exam |
| West Virginia Contractors Licensing Act Study Guide — Contractor Licensing Act exam | Not stated | Allowed in exam |
An older Study Guide for Commercial Carpentry is still approved for use but isn’t the preferred edition.
Prep
Best West Virginia specialty contractor exam prep, compared
We haven’t compared prep courses for this exam yet.
Costs
How much does a West Virginia specialty contractor license cost?
| Item | Type | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| License fee (paid with application) | Fixed | $90 |
| Contractor Licensing Act exam (Prov) | Fixed | $59.95 |
| Multifamily exam (Prov) | Fixed | $59.95 |
| Approved reference books | Variable | Varies |
| Wage bond | Variable | Varies |
| Workers’ comp insurance | Variable | Varies |
| State fees and exams | Excludes wage bond, insurance and reference books | $209.90 |
Fees from the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board application/affidavit and FAQ and the Prov Candidate Information Bulletin, checked October 2026. A license fee waiver may apply.
Reciprocity
Does West Virginia accept out-of-state specialty contractor licenses?
West Virginia handles reciprocity on an individual basis, not through blanket agreements.
Other states — case-by-case review
The Board reviews reciprocity requests individually. It can also approve a trade exam waiver, but you still pass the Contractor Licensing Act exam.
Local
Do West Virginia cities and counties have their own specialty contractor licensing rules?
Your state license covers the classification. Cities and counties still run permits and inspections where you build.
State handles
- Contractor licenses and classifications
- Exams, through Prov
- Business registration (State Tax Department and Secretary of State)
- Workers’ comp, unemployment and wage bond rules
City & county handle
- Building permits
- Inspections
- Any local business licensing
Governance
Who regulates multifamily contractors in West Virginia
Licensing authority
West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board
304-558-7890
Oversight responsibilities
- Issues and renews contractor licenses
- Approves applicants to sit for the exams
- Grants trade exam waivers and reviews reciprocity requests
- Publishes the Candidate Information Bulletin and approved references
Maintenance
How to renew your West Virginia specialty contractor license and keep it active
West Virginia doesn’t require continuing education before renewal. A contractor license expires twelve months from the date it’s issued, and renewing more than 15 days after expiration adds a $25 late fee. The Board’s FAQ doesn’t state the renewal fee amount, so confirm it on your renewal notice.
Renewal cycle
12 months
CE hours
Not required
Renewal fee
Not stated
Late penalty
$25
FAQ
West Virginia specialty contractor license FAQs
What counts as a multifamily structure in West Virginia?
Any building with two or more residential units. The Multifamily license covers building, repairing or improving those structures, plus incidental work.
How many exams do I need to pass?
Two: the Multifamily trade exam (75 questions, 70% to pass) and the Contractor Licensing Act exam (50 questions, 35 correct to pass). The Board can waive the trade exam in some cases.
Are the West Virginia contractor exams open book?
Yes. Both are open book, and you can tab and highlight the references listed in the Candidate Information Bulletin.
Who gives the exams?
Prov. Schedule online at provexam.com/register or call 866-720-7768 once the state approves you to test.
Does West Virginia require continuing education?
No. You don’t need CE hours before you renew.
Does West Virginia have contractor reciprocity?
Only on an individual basis. The Board reviews each request, and you still take the Contractor Licensing Act exam.
Who can be the qualifying individual?
Someone in the business’s responsible management or a full-time employee. You’ll submit their exam results, proof of their relationship to the business and a qualifier affidavit.
Sources
Official sources for the West Virginia specialty contractor license
- West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board, Contractor License
- West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board, Candidate Information Bulletin
- Prov, Exam registration
- West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board, Contractor License Application/Affidavit
- West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board, Frequently Asked Questions
- West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board, Packet Instructions
- West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board, Candidate Information Bulletin (Prov)
Last updated October 27, 2026. Spot something out of date? Tell us.
Exam Insiders is an independent guide and is not affiliated with the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board.