Massachusetts to West Virginia: residential 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 or universal-licensing route..
2. 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam (if applicable). Residential Contractor examination: 60 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 include plan reading, sitework, concrete, masonry, carpentry and interior finish. It is required unless the Board accepts an out-of-state or national examination score in its place, or the applicant is licensed under the Universal Licensing Act. Only the reference books listed in the Board's candidate bulletin may be used..
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. Mark the relevant boxes "No Employees" if you have none..
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, and no wage bond is required of a contractor doing only single-family dwelling residential work. Every applicant files the notarized Wage Bond Status Affidavit whether or not a bond is posted..
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, 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. 10Other. Informational list of basic universal design features, which a licensed contractor of proposed residential housing must give the buyer. It covers a nonstep entrance, 36-inch doors on the entry-level floor, an accessible bathroom with maneuvering space, and kitchen, living space and a convertible room on the entry-level floor. If a buyer asks about a feature, the builder says whether it is standard, limited, optional or unavailable and, if available, what it costs. The Board publishes the standard form (W. Va. Code § 30-42-11)..

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