Virginia subcontractor insurance & compliance requirements
If you're a general contractor hiring subcontractors in Virginia, here are the certificates and documents you should collect and keep current, and how TradeGuard tracks them automatically.
Checked against official sources on October 11, 2026. See the sources
Documents to collect from subcontractors in Virginia
The core compliance documents a GC should require and keep current for each sub.
The smallest class, C, starts at jobs over $1,000. Check the class against the contract value, and the specialty against the trade, at dpor.virginia.gov.
Certificate of Insurance for General Liability coverage.
Virginia requires it once an employer regularly has three or more employees (Code of Virginia § 65.2-101). Ask smaller subs too: a contractor can be liable for compensation to a sub's injured workers (§ 65.2-302).
Used to report what you pay the sub on Form 1099-NEC. For payments made in 2026 or later the IRS reporting threshold is $2,000 (it was $600).
Some owners and contracts require it, and some states require it on public projects.
Some owners and contracts require it for site supervisors.
Verify sub is not debarred from federal contracting.
Public owners require one on larger public contracts; the threshold depends on the owner and the state.
Public owners usually require it alongside the performance bond.
Often required with a bid on public work; it backs the bidder's promise to sign the contract at the bid price.
DPOR licenses contractors in three classes by job size. Class C covers a single job over $1,000 and under $30,000 (or under $250,000 in 12 months), Class B $30,000 to under $150,000 (or $250,000 to under $1 million), and Class A $150,000 or more (or $1 million or more).
Virginia operates an approved state OSHA plan. VOSH runs Virginia's state plan, covering private employers and state and local government.
No statewide contractor bond requirement, though projects or public work may still require bonds.
- DPOR: Virginia Dept of Professional and Occupational Regulation
- VOSH: Virginia Occupational Safety and Health
- VWC: Virginia Workers Compensation Commission
Summary for Virginia
VOSH, Virginia's own OSHA program, covers private employers. Contractors need a DPOR license in the class that matches the job size; the smallest class, C, starts at jobs over $1,000. Workers' comp is required once an employer has three or more employees, and a contractor can be liable for compensation to the workers of a sub who has none.
Track all of this automatically in Virginia
TradeGuard asks each sub for these documents through an upload link and shows what's missing for Virginia, with alerts before anything expires.
No credit card required · Cancel anytime · See how COI tracking works
Virginia compliance FAQ
Do subcontractors need a contractor license in Virginia?+
DPOR licenses contractors in three classes by job size. Class C covers a single job over $1,000 and under $30,000 (or under $250,000 in 12 months), Class B $30,000 to under $150,000 (or $250,000 to under $1 million), and Class A $150,000 or more (or $1 million or more).
Does Virginia follow federal OSHA or a state OSHA plan?+
Virginia runs its own OSHA-approved state plan. VOSH runs Virginia's state plan, covering private employers and state and local government.
Is a surety bond required for contractors in Virginia?+
Virginia does not impose a statewide contractor bond requirement, though individual projects, owners, or public work may still require performance and payment bonds.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Requirements change; confirm current rules with the relevant Virginia agencies before relying on them.
Sources
Checked against these on October 11, 2026.