How do I check a painter's license in Virginia?
Search the painter's license number, business name, or personal name at Virginia DPOR — Board for Contractors (www.dpor.virginia.gov). Status must be Active. Look for the PTC — Painting and Wallcovering Specialty (Class A/B/C) class. A free public-records check on Groundcheck (earthmove.io/trust) cross-references this with court records, OSHA, and BBB.
To verify a painter in Virginia, search the Virginia DPOR — Board for Contractors database. The lookup tool is at https://www.dpor.virginia.gov/Boards/Contractors/. Virginia requires this license class a: unlimited; class b: up to $120,000 per project; class c: up to $10,000 per project.
What to enter: the contractor's license number is the fastest path. Most state boards also let you search by business name or personal name. Confirm the license shows the PTC — Painting and Wallcovering Specialty (Class A/B/C) class — that's the specific classification authorizing performs interior and exterior painting, surface preparation, drywall repair, and protective coating work on residential and commercial buildings.
What to look for: status must be "Active." Status of "Inactive," "Suspended," "Expired," or "Revoked" is a hard stop. Check the bond amount (most boards require contractor bonds), expiration date (renewals lapse if a contractor falls behind on continuing education), and any open complaints or disciplinary actions in the public record.
What the lookup does NOT show: liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage are typically separate from the state license database. Ask the painter for current Certificates of Insurance and verify directly with the insurer.
What Groundcheck adds: a painter can be currently licensed and still have unresolved court judgments, OSHA citations, or BBB complaints. Groundcheck (earthmove.io/trust) cross-references the Virginia DPOR — Board for Contractors record with Secretary of State filings, public court records, federal OSHA inspection history, and BBB complaint history into one sourced report. The contractor is never notified.
For the full Virginia painter licensing rules including thresholds and license classes, see earthmove.io/trust/license/painter/virginia.
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Free Groundcheck cross-references Virginia DPOR — Board for Contractors licensing with court records, OSHA history, and BBB complaints. Under 90 seconds. The contractor is never notified.