Senate 553

WEST virginia legislature

2026 regular session

Introduced

Senate Bill 553

By Senator Woelfel

[Introduced January 21, 2026; referred
to the Committee on the Workforce]

A BILL to amend and reenact §30-42-7 and §30-42-9 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to transfer of contractor licenses; and providing for the transfer of a license to a contractor’s qualifying immediate family member.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

Article 42. West Virginia Contractor Licensing Act.

§30-42-7. Application for and, issuance, and transfer of license.

(a) A person desiring to be licensed as a contractor under this article shall submit to the board a written application requesting licensure, providing the applicant’s social security number and such other information as the board may require on forms supplied by the board. The applicant shall pay a license fee not to exceed $150: Provided, That electrical contractors already licensed under §29-3B-4 of this code shall pay no more than $20.

(b) No license may be issued without examination pursuant to this subsection: Provided, That any person issued a contractor’s license by the board pursuant to this subsection may apply to the board for transfer of the license to a new business entity in which the license holder is the principal owner, partner, or corporate officer: Provided, however, That a license holder may hold a license on behalf of only one business entity during a given time period. The board may transfer the license issued pursuant to this subsection to the new business entity without requiring examination of the license holder.

(c)(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, any person issued a contractor’s license by the board may apply to the board for transfer of the license to an immediate family member. In the event of a license holder’s death or permanent incapacity, an immediate family member of the license holder may, within one year of the license holder’s death or incapacity, apply to the board for transfer of the license.

(2) The board may transfer a license to an immediate family member pursuant to this subsection without requiring examination of the transferee if the immediate family member demonstrates to the satisfaction of the board that he or she:

(A) Has been actively involved in the management or operation of a business entity in which the original license holder is or was the principal owner, partner, or corporate officer; or

(B) Employs or retains a person who meets the minimum qualifications for applicants for examination and license in the relevant class of contractor set by the board pursuant to §30-42-5(a)(1) of this code.

(3) In the case of a person who is transferred a license under this subsection and who holds the license on behalf of a business entity, the license shall remain valid only so long as transferee license holder remains the principal owner, partner, or corporate officer of the business entity.

(4) For purposes of this subsection, "immediate family member" means a spouse, child, sibling, or parent of a person issued a contractor’s license by the board.

§30-42-9. Unlawful use, assignment, transfer of license; revocation.

No license may be used for any purpose by any person other than the person to whom the license is issued or validly transferred. No license may be assigned, transferred, or otherwise disposed of so as to permit the unauthorized use thereof. No license issued pursuant to the provisions of §30-42-7(b) or (c) of this code may be assigned, transferred, or otherwise disposed of except as provided in said subsection. Any person who violates this section is subject to the penalties imposed in §30-42-14 of this code.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to authorize certain transfers of a contractor’s license to a license holder’s immediate family member.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.