What does Virginia law tell a homeowner before a home job?

Virginia earns a B in the 2026 Home Job Readiness Grade, with 6 of 8 possible points on 4 scored measures. The grade covers what state law and official state pages tell a homeowner about deposits, written contracts, cancelling and an online contractor record.

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Reviewed 24 October 2026. Researched by the InstaBids editorial team.

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Virginia Home Job Readiness Grade 2026: B (6 of 8 points)

This grade is a compilation of statute text and official state pages, reviewed 24 October 2026. It is not legal advice.

How did each measure score?

Statutory deposit limit: 0 of 2 points

No statutory deposit limit was found in the official sources reviewed 22 October 2026. Not found means not found in the sources checked; it is not an official statement that the state has no cap.

Official sources reviewed: source 1, source 2

Written-contract rule for home-improvement work: 2 of 2 points

A state statute or regulation requires a written contract for home-improvement or residential work within its scope, and lists what it must contain. The scope, including any dollar threshold or licence condition, is in the quoted words below.

8. Failure of all those who engage in residential contracting, excluding subcontractors to the contracting parties and those who engage in routine maintenance or service contracts, to make use of a legible written contract clearly specifying the terms and conditions of the work to be performed.

Source: 18 VAC 50-22-260 B 8, read 14 October 2026

9. Failure of those engaged in residential contracting as defined in this chapter to comply with the terms of a written contract that contains the following minimum requirements: a. When work is to begin and the estimated completion date;

Source: 18 VAC 50-22-260 B 9 (intro), 9 a, read 14 October 2026

c. The amounts and schedule for progress payments, including a specific statement on the amount of the down payment;

Source: 18 VAC 50-22-260 B 9 c, read 14 October 2026

g. Disclosure of the cancellation rights of the parties;

Source: 18 VAC 50-22-260 B 9 g, read 14 October 2026

Statutory right to cancel: 2 of 2 points

A state statute gives a right to cancel that reaches home-improvement contracts or sales made at the home within the scope and dollar limits in the quoted words below.

(1) Except as provided in subsection (5), in addition to any right otherwise to revoke an offer, the buyer has the right to cancel a home solicitation sale until midnight of the third business day after the day on which the buyer signs an agreement or offer to purchase which complies with § 59.1-21.4.

Source: Va. Code § 59.1-21.3(1), read 14 October 2026

Online public record of the state's home-contractor credential: 2 of 2 points

The state publishes an online public record of its statewide home-contractor credential. A lookup is an optional public-record step.

License Lookup | Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation

Source: dpor.virginia.gov, read 22 October 2026

Is there a federal rule too?

Federal rule, not scored here: 16 CFR 429.1(a), the FTC door-to-door sales rule, covers a sale the seller personally solicits that is agreed at a place other than the seller's place of business, for $25 or more at the buyer's home or $130 or more elsewhere, with exceptions in 16 CFR 429.0. For those sales it requires this statement in the buyer's contract or receipt:

You, the buyer, may cancel this transaction at any time prior to midnight of the third business day after the date of this transaction.

Source: 16 CFR 429.1(a), eCFR, read 22 October 2026

What can a homeowner check in Virginia before hiring?

The state agency page that leads to the public licence or registration lookup: dpor.virginia.gov, read 22 October 2026. A lookup is an optional public-record step.
Ask for the job scope, the deposit and the cancel terms in writing before you sign, and keep a copy.

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Virginia Home Job Readiness Grade 2026: B, points by measure

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<figure><img src="https://instabids.ai/fl/data/home-job-readiness-grade/virginia.svg" alt="Virginia Home Job Readiness Grade 2026: B, points by measure" width="640"><figcaption><a href="https://instabids.ai/us/home-job-readiness-grade/virginia">InstaBids</a></figcaption></figure>

All 50 states and the District of Columbia, and how the grade works