STATE LICENSE
ConditionalWest Virginia Contractor Licensing Board …
Framing has no classification of its own in 28CSR2 § 6.2. A framing contractor whose project totals $5,000 or more residential or $25,000 or more commercial must be licensed by the Contractor Licensing Board (W. Va. Code §§ 30-42-3(d), 30-42-6(a)), and the threshold is measured against the entire undertaking, not just the framing subcontract (28CSR2 § 3.37). Depending on scope, framers license as residential contractors, general building contractors, remodeling and repair contractors, or specialty contractors; specialty requires only the WV Business & Law exam, while the others require a classification exam too.
The license costs $90 a year (28CSR2 § 5.5), expires one year from issue, and requires sworn compliance with tax, workers' compensation, unemployment, and wage bond laws (§ 30-42-5(e)). Structural steel erection is its own classification with a separate exam. Below the threshold no state contractor license applies, and cities may not add their own contractor license (§ 30-42-20).
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
W. Va. Code § 30-42-20 bars any municipality, county, or local government from requiring an additional occupational license or other evidence of competence from a holder of a valid state contractor license. Permit offices are the enforcement point: under § 30-42-10(a) and 28CSR2 § 4.4 an applicant for a building permit must show a valid contractor license or file a written affidavit that it is not subject to licensure, and the permit authority may not issue a permit to an unlicensed person when a license is required. Local permit fees and inspections still apply.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every West Virginia county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of October 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
The threshold is measured against the entire undertaking, all labor and materials (28CSR2 § 3.37) — not just your portion — so splitting a job does not change which side of the line it falls on.
Because the threshold uses the entire undertaking (28CSR2 § 3.37), a framing subcontractor on a $5,000+ residential project may need a license even if its share is smaller.
The Contractor Licensing Act is now W. Va. Code § 30-42; the old § 21-11 sections are repealed. Older guides citing § 21-11 or a $2,500 threshold are out of date.
A practical sequence for a new framing contractor in West Virginia. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
The Board must order an unlicensed contractor to cease all operations in the state and, after a hearing opportunity, may impose a penalty.
Continuing to contract without a license after the order is served is a misdemeanor.
Undertaking work without a required license on a project whose construction contract totals $25,000 or more.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
| County · City | Permit office | Portal |
|---|---|---|
| Kanawha County Charleston | City of Charleston Building Department (Building Commission) — Permit Office ↗ Unincorporated: Kanawha County Commission — Planning & Development Department ↗ | — |
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: Exam fees charged by ProV, Inc. for the WV Business & Law exam and trade classification exams — 28CSR2 § 6.4 says applicants pay the testing agent directly, but no fee amount is published on the Board's site · The session law and effective date that moved the Contractor Licensing Act from W. Va. Code ch. 21 art. 11 (now all '[Repealed.]') to ch. 30 art. 42, and the date the $5,000 residential / $25,000 commercial threshold took effect (the Board's 2022 rule already cites § 30-42) · Whether the Board requires a minimum general liability limit — the Board's licensing guide lists 'General Liability Insurance' among application steps, but neither § 30-42 nor 28CSR2 states an amount · Which classification the Board assigns framing-only subcontractors (confirmed case by case by email) · Reading of 'cost of the undertaking' for subcontractors — 28CSR2 § 3.37 defines the undertaking as the entire project, and the Division of Labor's plumbing and HVAC FAQs apply the total contract amount, but no Board guidance specific to framing subs was located
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.