Virginia Tradesman Continuing Education
#1 Above (At Your Pace Online) is your trusted DPOR approved continuing education provider to obtain your electrician, plumber, HVAC technician and gas fitter training. Our DPOR Provider ID is 2730000291.
Complete your continuing education to renew your Virigina tradesman license today. All of our courses can be completed At Your Pace Online to help you meet the state's requirements to maintain your license. Once you finish your class, we'll give you an official certificate of completion to save for your records, and we will report your course completion to the state for you.
VA Electrician CE - 3 Hour 2017 NEC Chapters 1 and 3
This 3 hour course provides an update to Chapters 1 and 3 of the 2017 NEC, and meets the Virginia State requirements for the full 3 hours of continuing education needed every three years.
VA HVAC Update to 2018 IMC
This class fulfills 3 hours of continuing education required by the State of Virginia for Journeyman or Master HVAC licensees. It covers updates to the International Mechanical Code (IMC) for the 2015-2018 code cycle. This continuing education requirement must be completed before the license expires.
VA 2018 IPC Plumbing CE
This class fulfills 3 hours of continuing education required by the State of Virginia for journeyman or master plumbing licensees. It covers updates to the International Plumbing Code (IMC) for the 2015-2018 code cycle. It will cover a variety of important changes to the chapter introductions, the code itself, and updates to referenced standards.
VA 2018 IFGC Gas Fitter CE
This one-hour overview of the 2018 International Fuel Gas Code and survey of the significant changes to the 2018 IFGC fulfills Virginia's requirement that gas fitters complete 1 hour of CE on current code.
VA Electrician CE - 3 Hour 2017 NEC Chapter 4
This 3 hour course provides an update to Chapter 4 of the 2017 NEC, and meets the Virginia State requirements for the full 3 hours of continuing education needed every three years.
VA Electrician CE - 3 Hour 2017 NEC Introduction and Chapter 2
This 3 hour course provides an update to the Introduction and Chapter 2 of the 2017 NEC, and meet the Virginia State requirements for the full 3 hours of continuing education every three years.
CE Requirements to Renew a Virginia Tradesman License
It’s not enough to just get your Virginia tradesman license. Even after you accrue the required experience, submit your license application, and pass the exam, you still need to keep working with the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) to maintain your license.
Specifically, that means renewing your license on a regular basis. Electricians, gas fitters, HVAC tradesmen, and plumbers need to renew every three years. All other tradesmen need to renew every two years.
Luckily, renewing your tradesman license is pretty easy (check out our guide here). It basically just means submitting a form and paying the renewal fee. But there’s one key thing all Virginia tradesmen need to do before they can renew: take continuing education.
So, yes, Virginia tradesmen need continuing education if they have an active license. But the number of hours you need depends entirely on the license type you have. And the DPOR website isn’t overly forthcoming about the number of hours you need.
That means you can either read the state code — or read this guide. Find out how many continuing education hours you need based on your license type here.
Continuing education requirements for plumbers, HVAC workers, and electricians
State code mandates that during each renewal cycle, you need three hours of continuing education. Count yourself lucky. Some states require 30 hours or more for renewal, so a few hours isn’t so bad.
To make your life easy, you can take your continuing education online. Here are links to DPOR-approved courses that meet the three-hour requirement and focus on your specific trade:
Continuing education requirements for gas fitters
Whether you’re a liquefied petroleum gas fitter or a natural gas fitter, you’ve got it the easiest of anyone. You need just one hour of continuing education during each renewal cycle, and you can take it online.
Continuing education requirements for other tradesmen
If you have a tradesman license but you’re not in any of the above categories, it’s fairly safe to assume that you need eight hours of continuing education (although you can certainly read the relevant code to confirm). That means the following license types need a full workday’s worth of continuing education:
- Elevator mechanics
- Accessibility mechanics
- Water well systems providers
- Automatic fire sprinkler inspectors
General continuing education requirements
The required hours we outlined above are true whether you have a master or journeyman license.
Tradesmen can’t just pop into any classroom for the hours they need. The DPOR requires you to take your continuing education with a provider they approve.
What’s more, your hours need to relate to the applicable building code. Here’s a quick list of the code your hours should hit based on your license type:
- Electricians: National Electrical Code
- Plumbers: International Plumbing Code
- HVAC workers: International Mechanical Code
- Gas fitters: International Fuel Gas Code
- Elevator mechanics and accessibility mechanics: Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code
- Water well systems providers: Unspecified
- Automatic fire sprinkler inspectors: Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code
Assuming you choose a provider who has the DPOR’s green light and you take hours that are relevant to your trade, you shouldn’t have any trouble meeting the Virginia tradesman continuing education requirements.
Continuing Education State Approval Letters
COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA
Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation
! " #1 ABOVE
1383 2nd Ave
GOLD HILL, OR 97525
Re: Provider License Number: 2730000291
Dear ! " #1 VA CONTRACTOR TRAINING :
Your Education Provider Number is 2730000291. Your course approval information is as follows:
Course Title |
Credit Hours |
Course Approval Number |
Method of Instruction |
GFC CE |
1 |
2731001960 |
Online |
HVAC CE |
3 |
2731001909 |
Online |
PLB CE |
3 |
2731001907 |
Online |
VA 3 HOUR 2017 NEC CHAPTER 4 |
3 |
2731003354 |
Online |
VA 3 HOUR 2017 NEC CHAPTERS 1 & 3 |
3 |
2731003355 |
Online |
VA 3 HOUR 2015 IPC PLUMBER CE UPDATE
VIRGINIA BUSINESS LICENSE CLASS A/B/C VA 3 HOUR 2017 NEC INTRO & CHAPTER 2
VA 2015 IMC HVAC CE (3 HOURS ONLINE) VA 3 HOUR 2015 IPC PLUMBER CE UPDATE
VA 2014 ELECTRICIAN CE
CONTRACTOR PRE-LICENSE COURSE |
3
8 3 3 3 3
8 |
2731003420
2731003329 2731003353 2731003511 2731003420 2731002143
2731001867 |
Online Online Online Online Online Online Online
Online |
The Board's regulations require the electronic transmittal of course completion data to the Board office within seven days of the completion of each individual course. The reporting form and instructions for use will be transmitted via email within the next few days.
Please note that a course that has been approved by the Board may not be substantially altered. If a change occurs that would modify the content or time allocations stated in the course outline or change any of the stated course topics, you must submit an application for approval of the new/revised course. Additionally, you are required to notify the Board of any changes in administrative information (i.e., name, location, instructor, fees, course material, etc.) and transmit your course schedule to the Board as classes are scheduled.
If you need further assistance, please visit our website at www.dpor.virginia.gov or contact the Board Education office by email at contractor@dpor.virginia.gov or telephone at 804-367-2224.
Sincerely,
Wendy R Duncan
Board for Contractors
COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA
Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation
! " #1 ABOVE
1383 2nd Ave
GOLD HILL, OR 97525
Re: Provider License Number: 2730000291
Dear ! " #1 VA CONTRACTOR TRAINING :
Your Education Provider Number is 2730000291. Your course approval information is as follows:
Course Title |
Credit Hours |
Course Approval Number |
Method of Instruction |
GFC CE |
1 |
2731001960 |
Online |
HVAC CE |
3 |
2731001909 |
Online |
ELE CE |
3 |
2731001908 |
Online |
PLB CE |
3 |
2731001907 |
Online |
VA 2014 ELECTRICIAN CE |
3 |
2731002143 |
Online |
CONTRACTOR PRE-LICENSE COURSE
VA 3 HOUR 2017 NEC INTRO & CHAPTER 2 VA 3 HOUR 2017 NEC CHAPTERS 1 & 3 VA 3 HOUR 2017 NEC CHAPTER 4 VA 3 HOUR 2015 IPC PLUMBER CE UPDATE VIRGINIA BUSINESS LICENSE CLASS A/B/C |
8 3 3 3 3 8 |
2731001867 2731003553 2731003355 2731003354 2731003420 2731003329 |
Online Online Online Online Online Online |
The Board's regulations require electronic transmittal of course completion data to the Board office within seven days of the completion of each individual course. The reporting form and instructions for use will be transmitted via email within the next few days.
Please note that a course that has been approved by the Board may not be substantially altered. If a change occurs that would modify the content or time allocations stated in the course outline or change any of the stated course topics, you must submit an application for approval of the new/revised course. Additionally, you are required to notify the Board of any changes in administrative information (i.e., name, location, instructor, fees, course material, etc.) and transmit your course schedule to the Board as classes are scheduled.
If you need further assistance, please visit our website at www.dpor.virginia.gov or contact the Board Education office by email at contractor@dpor.virginia.gov or telephone at 804-367-2224 .
Sincerely,
Wendy R Duncan
Board for Contractors