Michigan to West Virginia: general contractor license reciprocity

1. 1Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. West Virginia Contractor Licensing Act examination, the Board's business and law examination: 90 questions, 3 hours, 70% to pass, administered by Prov, Inc. It covers W. Va. Code Chapter 30 Article 42, the Board's legislative rule at 28 CSR 2, the procedural rule on written contracts at 28 CSR 4, and the construction-defect notice law at W. Va. Code Chapter 21 Article 11A. Every applicant takes it, and it is not waived by any agreement, score review, NASCLA transcript or universal-licensing route..
2. 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam (if applicable). General Building Contractor examination: 80 questions, 3 hours, 70% to pass, open book, administered by Prov, Inc. at its Charleston, Martinsburg, Morgantown and Wheeling centers, at any Prov center in the country, or at home through Examroom. Subject areas are plan reading and estimating, sitework, concrete, masonry, structural steel, carpentry, roofing, doors and windows and stairs, interior finish, exterior finish and OSHA safety. It is required unless the Board accepts a NASCLA or other out-of-state or national examination score in its place, or the applicant is licensed under the Universal Licensing Act..
3. 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($59.95). $59.95 for each examination, first attempt or retake, paid directly to Prov, Inc. by the individual taking it. Scheduling is at provexam.com or on (866) 720-7768. Rescheduling is free if Prov is told at least three business days ahead; missing the appointment forfeits the fee..
4. 4License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($90). $90 annual license fee, paid with the application/affidavit by check, certified check, cashier's check or money order payable to the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board, or by credit card at the Charleston office. A license expires twelve months from the date it is issued; renewal notices go out about 45 days ahead and a renewal more than fifteen days late costs a further $25. A duplicate license costs $10. Adding another classification later costs nothing beyond the examination fee..
5. 5Business license. Obtain a business license. West Virginia Business Registration Tax number from the State Tax Department, which the application will not be processed without, and a Certificate of Authority from the West Virginia Secretary of State for a corporation, LLC, LLP, LP or PLLC. Registration is at business4wv.com or through the One Stop Business Center in Charleston, with hubs in Clarksburg and Martinsburg. The Board checks that you are in good standing with the Tax Department and the Secretary of State before it issues or renews a license..
6. 6Insurance. Carry the required insurance. Proof of workers' compensation and unemployment compensation coverage for employees working in West Virginia, filed with the application: a copy of the workers' compensation certificate and the most recent quarterly unemployment report. An out-of-state business with no West Virginia-resident employees supplies its own state's certificate of insurance and its latest quarterly unemployment contribution page instead. The Board's application guide also lists general liability insurance among the items to have in place..
7. 7Surety bond. Post a surety bond (if applicable). Wage bond, required of a contractor with employees that has not been actively engaged in construction work in West Virginia for at least one year before the application. It equals four weeks of gross payroll at full capacity plus fifteen percent for benefits, and may be a surety bond, a cash bond, a certificate of deposit or a letter of credit. An employer is exempt if it has been in business in another state for at least five years, holds at least $100,000 in assets, or is a subsidiary of a parent in business for at least five years. Commercial contractors with employees should check their status with the Division of Labor Wage & Hour Section, and every applicant files the notarized Wage Bond Status Affidavit either way..
8. 8Other. Qualifier paperwork: a notarized Qualifier Exam Score Acknowledgement allowing the entity to use the qualifier's examination scores, and payroll records proving full-time employment if the qualifier is not an owner, partner, member or corporate officer. A new entity with no payroll history supplies hiring or employment documents. If a qualifier leaves, the entity has 45 days to name a replacement..
9. 9Other. Disclosure and compliance items on the notarized application/affidavit: every jurisdiction where the business has ever been licensed, any suspension or revocation anywhere, and any court judgment for damages arising out of contracting work in West Virginia or elsewhere. Once licensed, the license number must appear in all advertising and in every executed contract and on every bid, a copy of the license must be posted at every job site, and work of $10,000 or more in aggregate value needs a written contract on the Board's standard form..
10. 10Contractor license. Hold or obtain a contractor license (if applicable). Separate classifications or subcontractors for work outside the General Building scope. Except on a residential structure, the classification does not cover electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilating and cooling, piping or general engineering work; each of those is its own examination and classification, and electrical work additionally requires licensing through the State Fire Marshal's Office while plumbing and HVAC workers are licensed by the Division of Labor..

Published fees on this path total $149.95, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.