Virginia to Utah: residential contractor license reciprocity
Utah has a specific endorsement rule for Virginia residential contractors.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Licensure by endorsement from Virginia
The board reviews your out-of-state credentials case by case. Some exam is usually still required, often only a law or code exam.
DOPL’s Endorsement to Utah: Contractor map shows Virginia in green, meaning the Division has determined that Virginia issues a contractor license equivalent to a Utah one. A qualifier who has held such a license for at least one year, whose scope of practice is similar to the R100 Residential and Small Commercial Contractor classification, and whose license is active and in good standing may be licensed by endorsement under Utah Code 58-1-302. Endorsement clears all three competency steps at once: the application states that an applicant who qualifies by endorsement needs no additional courses or examinations, so the 25-hour and five-hour pre-licensure courses, the two-year experience requirement and the Utah Contractor Business and Law examination all fall away. Everything else stands. The applicant files official verification of the out-of-state license showing ownership information, and at least 50 per cent of the ownership proposed for the Utah license must match the ownership of the license being used for endorsement, with no more than half the ownership having changed in the past year. General liability insurance, workers’ compensation cover or a Labor Commission waiver, Utah Division of Corporations registration, an EIN, the financial responsibility questionnaire, criminal background checks and the application fees all apply exactly as they would to any other applicant.
The map names no Virginia license type, and unlike DOPL’s plumber and electrician maps it names no origin license titles at all, so the Division matches the scope of practice on the license presented against the Utah classification requested. Confirm with DOPL on (801) 530-6628 which classification your license will support before paying the fees, and note that a business entity registration, a workers’ compensation filing or an insurance registration from the origin state is not treated as a license for this purpose. The map was last updated on 21 September 2020; DOPL says it reviews other jurisdictions routinely and asks to be told directly of any change in a jurisdiction’s licensing law. Utah Code 58-1-302(4) also lets the Division refuse endorsement where it has reasonable cause to believe the applicant is not qualified or where there is previous or pending discipline on the license.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Waived
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
- Agreement
- Active
What you must already have
- You must have held your Virginia license for at least 1 year.
- Your Virginia license must be active and in good standing.
- You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.Previous or pending disciplinary action on any professional license must be disclosed with full supporting information, and Utah Code 58-1-302(4)(b) lets the Division refuse endorsement on that basis.
- At least 50 per cent of the ownership proposed for the Utah license must be the same as the ownership of the Virginia license used for endorsement, and no more than 50 per cent of the company ownership may have changed within the last year.
What you'll do to get licensed in Utah
- 1Other. Official verification of the Virginia license, including ownership information. DOPL accepts an online verification if it is on the official state website, shows whether the license is active and in good standing, and discloses any past disciplinary action; otherwise the origin licensing authority must send the verification to DOPL at [email protected] or by post..
- 2Application fee. Pay the application fee ($175). Non-refundable DOPL application processing fee of $175 for each classification requested..
- 3Application fee. Pay the application fee ($50). Non-refundable DOPL application processing fee of $50 for each qualifier named on the application..
- 4Application fee. Pay the application fee ($1). Electronic Reference Library surcharge of $1, collected on every contractor application..
- 5Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($1,000,000). General liability insurance certificate naming DOPL as certificate holder, covering the whole scope of work and in force for the entire duration of active licensure, plus workers’ compensation cover or a Utah Labor Commission Workers’ Compensation Coverage Waiver. Utah Admin. Code R156-55a-302d and DOPL’s apply pages set the minimum at $1,000,000 for each incident and $2,000,000 in total, while the March 2026 application form prints a $3,000,000 aggregate, so confirm the figure with the Division before binding cover..
- 6Financial responsibility. Show financial responsibility. Satisfactory evidence of financial responsibility, shown by completing and signing the Division’s questionnaire or, where the Division is not satisfied, by posting a license bond. Endorsement does not waive it, and DOPL publishes no minimum net worth figure..
- 7Business license. Obtain a business license. Registration with the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code for any entity, including an out-of-state one, and a federal EIN..
- 8Background check. Complete a background check. Criminal background check under Utah Code 58-1-301.5 for the qualifier and every individual holding at least a 10 per cent voting interest..
Published fees on this path total $226, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.
What you'll need to buy or arrange
Liability insurance
Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.
- Insurance · $1,000,000
Business registration
If you plan to contract in your own name, budget for a business license or entity registration on top of the trade license.
- Business license
How Utah licenses residential contractors
Utah residential contractor · “R100 Residential and Small Commercial Contractor”
Statewide license
Issued by Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL)
Utah licenses contractors statewide through the Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) under the Utah Construction Trades Licensing Act, Utah Code 58-55, and Rule R156-55a, and the homes tier is the R100 Residential and Small Commercial Contractor classification. Utah Code 58-55-102(42) defines it as the construction of single-family residences, multifamily residences up to four units, and commercial construction of not more than three stories above ground and not more than 20,000 square feet, together with any component of that construction except plumbing, electrical, mechanical and manufactured housing work, for which an R100 must employ a contractor licensed in the specialty; on single-family and multifamily residences up to four units the R100 may perform the mechanical work and employ a licensed plumber or electrician. Anything larger needs B100 General Building Contractor, and fixed works needing specialized engineering knowledge need E100 General Engineering Contractor. Smaller jobs can instead be taken under the specialty classifications, which need no experience and no examination: R101 Residential and Small Commercial Non-Structural Remodel and Repair (which may not be combined with any other specialty), R200 Factory Built Housing, B200 Modular Unit Installation and the S-series such as S220 Carpentry and Flooring, S270 Drywall, Paint and Plastering and S280 Roofing. The license belongs to the business, not the person: the entity applies and names a qualifier, an owner of at least 20 per cent or a W-2 employee in a management position paid for at least 12 hours a week, and that qualifier is the one who satisfies the course, experience and examination requirements. There is no Utah trade examination for R100; the only DOPL examination is the Utah Contractor Business and Law exam. Licenses expire on 30 November of each odd-numbered year and renewal takes six hours of continuing education.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Utah residential contractor exam if I'm licensed in Virginia?
- No. The trade exam is waived on this path under the agreement with Virginia.
- How long do I need to have held my Virginia license?
- At least 1 year before applying.
- What does it cost to get a Utah residential contractor license from Virginia?
- Published fees on this path total $226, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Virginia work hours count in Utah?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Utah's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from Utah to Virginia?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Utah to Virginia, the mechanism is experience credit.
Sources
- Utah Code 58-1-302 - License by endorsement · Utah Code 58-1-302(2) · Utah State Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
- Utah Code 58-55-102 - Definitions (Utah Construction Trades Licensing Act) · Utah Code 58-55-102(20), (26), (42) · Utah State Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
- Utah Code 58-55-302 - Qualifications for licensure · Utah Code 58-55-302(1)(c)(ii), (1)(e)(ii), (1)(e)(iii), (1)(e)(iv), (1)(e)(vii), (2)(b) · Utah State Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
- Utah Contractor Application - All Classifications (with qualifier affidavit, checklist and fee table) · Utah Code 58-55-306; Utah Admin. Code R156-1-301, R156-55a-602 · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Form · verified September 17, 2026
- Endorsement to Utah: Contractor (state-by-state equivalency map) · Utah Code 58-55; 58-1-302 · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Other · verified September 17, 2026
- Utah DOPL - Contracting licensing home page · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
- Utah DOPL - Contracting Continuing Education · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
- Utah DOPL - Contracting Exam Information · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
- Contracting Frequently Asked Questions (DOPL) · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Faq · verified September 17, 2026
- Apply for a General Contractor License (DOPL) · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
- Apply for a Specialty Contractor License (DOPL) · Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
- Utah Admin. Code R156-55a - Utah Construction Trades Licensing Act Rule · Utah Admin. Code R156-55a-301c, -301h, -302a, -302b, -302d, -302f, -303a, -303b, -304, -306, -602 · Utah Office of Administrative Rules · Admin Rule · verified September 17, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.