Does a mold remediation company need a license in Virginia?

Virginia law sets two kinds of requirement for a company that removes mold from a home, and a good company meets both. First, the Code of Virginia's list of prohibited practices covers selling services as a professional mold remediator on a residential dwelling without holding a mold remediation certification from a nationally or internationally recognized certifying body and following a recognized remediation standard.^[2] Second, the Board for Contractors requires a contractor licence for work valued at $1,000 or more.^[4]

The certification and standards rule

The prohibited practice in the Virginia Consumer Protection Act reads, in summary, as selling or offering for sale services as a professional mold remediator to be performed upon any residential dwelling without holding a mold remediation certification from a nationally or internationally recognized certifying body for mold remediation, and failing to comply with a recognized standard.^[2] The standards the law names are:

• the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's publication on Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings, as revised
• the ANSI/IICRC S520 Standard for Professional Mold Remediation, as revised
• any other equivalent ANSI-accredited mold remediation standard^[2]

In practice, ask the company which certification its crew holds, who issued it, and which of those standards its work plan follows. Ask for the certificate, not just the logo. A company that cannot name a standard is a poor sign. See what professional mold remediation involves for what following EPA's guidance looks like on site, such as containment, negative pressure and HEPA cleaning.

Contractor licensing

Separately, DPOR says that if the work you are considering is valued at $1,000 or more, a valid Virginia contractor's licence is required for the license category in which the contractor is to work.^[4] Virginia's definition of a contractor includes work that is a "remediation, cleanup, or containment of premises to remove contaminants" among its improvements,^[3] and the licence class depends on the size of the contract.^[3] Class C covers a single contract over $1,000 but less than $30,000, and Class B covers $30,000 or more but less than $150,000.^[3] Which specialty a particular mold job falls under is a question for the Board for Contractors, so confirm with them or ask the company to show you what its licence covers.

Hiring a licensed contractor matters for a practical reason. DPOR says that if you contract with someone who does not hold a licence, the Board for Contractors may not be able to help you resolve a complaint.^[4] It also says that hiring a licensed contractor makes you eligible to receive monetary compensation from the Contractor Transaction Recovery Fund in case of improper or dishonest conduct.^[4] Look up the licence before you pay a deposit.

What to ask before you hire

• Which mold remediation certification does the crew hold, and from whom
• Which standard the written plan follows: EPA's guidance, ANSI/IICRC S520 or an equivalent
• The contractor licence number and class, and whether it covers this work
• References from recent mold jobs, since EPA advises that you make sure a contractor has experience cleaning up mold and check references^[1]
• A written scope and price, so you can compare bids; see how much mold remediation costs in Virginia

When to call a licensed pro

EPA says a homeowner can often handle mold covering less than about 10 square feet; for more than that, or after a lot of water damage, it points to its professional remediation guidance, and for sewage or other contaminated water it says to call in an experienced professional.^[1] Be wary of a company that offers to skip the certification or the licence to lower the price, since DPOR says an unlicensed contractor may leave the Board unable to help with a complaint.^[4]

Browse restoration services or read more restoration answers. To reach businesses that list their licence details, describe the job once.