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HiringRadon Testing & Mitigation

Do radon mitigation contractors need to be certified in Virginia?

Yes. Virginia law bars anyone from conducting or offering radon screening, testing or mitigation unless they are listed by the National Radon Proficiency Program or the National Radon Safety Board, or meet another proficiency measure EPA or the Board of Health accepts. A mitigation contract over $1,000 also calls for a Virginia contractor licence from DPOR.

Free to ask. Local shops send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.

By Kasra Taheri, Founder, LoclisPublished

Researched and drafted with AI, then checked claim by claim against the sources listed below before it was published. Prices and rules change; the dates beside each source say when it was last checked.

Step by step

Read when to stop and call a pro, further down this page, before you start.

  1. Step 1: Search the certification lists

    Look up radon mitigators on the NRPP and NRSB websites, which can be searched by ZIP code.[3]

  2. Step 2: Ask for the certification card

    Ask to see the mitigator's certification ID card and check that its expiration date has not passed.[9]

  3. Step 3: Check the contractor licence

    Get the company's Virginia contractor licence number and confirm it with the Board for Contractors by phone or on the DPOR website.[8]

  4. Step 4: Ask which standard they follow

    Ask whether the system will meet ASTM E2121 or the ANSI/AARST mitigation standard that VDH recommends.[1][2]

  5. Step 5: Ask who does the wiring

    If the fan needs a new outlet or circuit, ask which licensed electrician will do it, since the radon specialty excludes electrical work.[7]

  6. Step 6: Get a written contract

    Make sure the contract lists the work, the total price, the post-installation test and any promise to reach a set radon level.[9][8]

  7. Step 7: Arrange an independent retest

    Have an independent tester check the system, or test yourself, within 30 days of installation.[9]

The short answer

Yes. Virginia regulates radon work by statute. Va. Code § 32.1-229.01 says: "No person shall conduct or offer to conduct any radon screening, testing, or mitigation in the Commonwealth unless he (i) is listed as a professional by either the National Radon Proficiency Program or the National Radon Safety Board or (ii) meets any other proficiency measures deemed acceptable by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the Board of Health for the purpose of offering such screening, testing, or mitigation."[1]

In practice that means current certification by either NRPP or NRSB, which VDH describes as required to legally conduct professional radon testing or mitigation in Virginia.[2] A radon mitigation job is also contracting work, so the company usually needs a Virginia contractor licence as well.

What the radon law requires

The law covers two things: who may do the work, and how. Anyone doing radon work in Virginia must follow the radon testing standards in EPA publication EPA 402-R-92-003, the radon mitigation standards in ASTM International Standard E-2121-13, or other standards EPA or the Board of Health accepts.[1] Going further than the Code, both VDH and EPA recommend that radon professionals follow the testing and mitigation standards written by ANSI and AARST.[2]

The credential is not a weekend sign-up. Certification involves an approved training course, a proctored exam on the course and an application to join one of the two programs, and both programs require renewal every two years.[2] The lists of currently certified professionals on both programs' websites can be searched by ZIP code.[3]

White radon vent pipe with an inline fan near the ground, running up the vinyl siding of a two-storey house to above the roof edge
Jameygelina, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The contractor licence

Radon certification shows the person knows radon. A contractor licence is what lets a business take on construction work for pay in Virginia. Va. Code § 54.1-1103 says: "No person shall engage in, or offer to engage in, contracting work in the Commonwealth unless he has been licensed under the provisions of this chapter."[5] The lowest licence class, Class C, starts with a single contract or project worth over $1,000.[6]

The Board for Contractors has a specialty written for this work. Radon mitigation contracting (RMC) is "the service that provides for additions, repairs, or improvements to buildings or structures, for the purpose of mitigating or preventing the effects of radon gas."[7] The same definition adds: "No electrical, plumbing, gas fitting, or HVAC functions are provided by this specialty."[7] So if the fan needs a new outlet or circuit, a licensed electrician should do that part.

Check the licence yourself. A license number in an advertisement or on a business card does not necessarily mean the license is valid;[8] call the Board for Contractors at (804) 367-8511 or check the DPOR website, which also has information on past complaints and disciplinary action.[8] If you hire someone without a licence, the Board for Contractors may not be able to help you resolve a complaint.[8]

New homes and builders

There is one carve-out for new construction. Builders may install passive radon piping in a new house without a certified mitigator, though EPA and VDH encourage using one.[4] If the finished house tests at 4.0 pCi/L or higher, a certified radon mitigator should be hired to convert the passive system to an active one by adding a fan.[4]

What about doing it yourself

EPA's advice is to hire a qualified contractor, because lowering high radon levels requires specific technical knowledge and special skills, and without them you could actually raise your radon level or create other hazards.[9] An exhaust pipe that ends near windows, doors or other openings could allow radon to reenter the home.[9] If you decide to do the work yourself, EPA suggests asking your state radon office about training courses.[9] In Virginia, that is the VDH Indoor Radon Program.

How to compare mitigators

Get more than one estimate and ask each company the same questions. Private certification programs usually give members a photo ID card showing their qualifications and the card's expiration date.[9] EPA's checklist asks whether each proposal includes proof of certification, proof of liability insurance and the licences local rules require, diagnostic testing before the system is designed, a warning device that tells you if the system stops working, and a test after installation.[9]

Put it all in writing. Under Virginia law, licensed contractors must give you a written contract for residential work.[8] For prices and what drives them, see what radon mitigation costs in Virginia.

Then check the result. A post-mitigation test should be done within 30 days of installation but no sooner than 24 hours after the system starts running,[9] and an independent tester, or a test you run yourself, removes any conflict of interest.[9] Our guide on how to test your home for radon walks through a do-it-yourself test.

Stop and call a pro if

  • Your follow-up test confirms 4 pCi/L or higher: hire an NRPP- or NRSB-certified mitigator.
  • A company cannot show a current radon credential, or its contractor licence does not check out with DPOR.
  • The quote includes new wiring and no licensed electrician is named.
  • You bought a new home with passive radon piping and it tests high.
  • You are buying or selling and need a test from someone with no stake in the deal.

Browse more inspection answers or radon testing and mitigation businesses.

Need a certified mitigator? Describe the job once and licensed businesses near you can quote.

Common questions

Does a radon tester also need to be certified in Virginia?
Yes. The same section of the Code of Virginia covers radon screening and testing as well as mitigation, so a professional tester must be listed by NRPP or NRSB or meet another accepted proficiency measure.
Is a home inspector allowed to run a radon test?
Only if the person doing the test holds a current radon credential from NRPP or NRSB or meets another accepted proficiency measure. Ask the inspector for their radon certification number, not just their home inspector licence.
Can my home builder install radon piping?
A builder may install passive radon piping in a new home without a certified mitigator. If the house tests at 4.0 pCi/L or higher after you move in, hire a certified mitigator to add the fan and make the system active.
How long does radon certification last?
Both NRPP and NRSB require certificates to be renewed every two years, so check the expiration date on the card or the program's online listing before you sign.
Who checks that the mitigation system was done right?
The main check is a radon test after installation. EPA suggests an independent tester, or a test you run yourself, within 30 days of installation and at least 24 hours after the fan starts.

Sources

  1. [1] Va. Code § 32.1-229.01. Companies listed as proficient to perform radon screening, testing, or mitigation; compliance, Code of Virginia, Legislative Information System. Checked October 27, 2026.
  2. [2] Radon Professionals, Virginia Department of Health. Checked October 27, 2026.
  3. [3] Radon Testing and Mitigation, Virginia Department of Health. Checked October 27, 2026.
  4. [4] Radon Resistant New Construction (RRNC), Virginia Department of Health. Checked October 27, 2026.
  5. [5] Va. Code § 54.1-1103. Necessity for license, Code of Virginia, Legislative Information System. Checked October 27, 2026.
  6. [6] Va. Code § 54.1-1100. Definitions (contractors), Code of Virginia, Legislative Information System. Checked October 27, 2026.
  7. [7] 18VAC50-22-30. Definitions of specialty services, Virginia Administrative Code, Legislative Information System. Checked October 27, 2026.
  8. [8] What You Should Know Before You Hire a Contractor, Virginia Board for Contractors, DPOR. Checked October 27, 2026.
  9. [9] Consumer's Guide to Radon Reduction (EPA 402/K-10/005), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Checked October 27, 2026.

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