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VIRGINIA ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SYSTEM (AES) CONTRACTING FINAL
EXAM QUESTIONS WITH DETAILED- VERIFIED ANSWERS- ALREADY
GRADED A+ || NEWEST EXAM 2025-2026
Virginia Contractor Licensing (DPOR – Board for Contractors) –
Alternative Energy Specialty.
This document covers the Virginia Alternative Energy System (AES)
Contracting exam: regulatory framework (DPOR, Board for Contractors,
license classes, qualifying individuals, registered employees); scope of
practice (solar PV, wind, geothermal, battery storage, hydroelectric,
definition of work “from the meter,” exclusions requiring
electrical/plumbing/HVAC licenses); technical knowledge (NEC Article
690, rapid shutdown, grounding, overcurrent protection, 120% rule,
string vs. microinverters, battery safety); codes and standards (Virginia
USBC, IRC, IFC, IGSHPA, VDH well regulations, fire code pathways);
business and law (contracts, mechanic’s liens, down payment limits,
worker’s comp, insurance, arbitration, Virginia Consumer Protection
Act); safety (OSHA, ladder safety, fall protection, heat stress); and
Virginia‑specific requirements (historic districts, HOAs, net metering,
Chesapeake Bay Act, agricultural exemptions)
Domain 1 – Regulatory Framework & Licensing (Questions 1–40)
Question 1
A contractor in Virginia has been installing solar photovoltaic systems for
three years and now wants to be legally recognized as a contractor who
can offer installation, repair, and improvement of alternative energy
generation systems in the Commonwealth. The contractor already holds
a valid Virginia contractor license (Class B) and wishes to add a specialty
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designation that covers solar, wind, and geothermal work from the
customer’s meter. Under Virginia regulations, what is the correct name
of the specialty that the contractor must declare to the Board for
Contractors, and is this specialty considered a separate license or a
classification added to an existing contractor license?
A) The contractor must obtain a separate “Solar Energy Specialist
License” from the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy; this is a
stand‑alone license that does not require a base contractor license.
B) The contractor should declare the “Alternative Energy System
Contracting (AES) Specialty,” which is not a separate license but a
specialty classification that may be added to a valid Class A, B, or C
contractor license.
C) The contractor needs a “Renewable Energy Installer Certification”
from the Virginia Board for Contractors, which replaces the need for a
standard contractor license.
D) The contractor may only install solar equipment as a subcontractor
under a licensed electrical contractor; no specialty declaration is
available for alternative energy systems in Virginia.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: In Virginia, licensed contractors (Class A, B, or C) may
declare a specialty called “Alternative Energy System Contracting (AES)”
as defined by the Board for Contractors. The AES is not a separate
license; it is a specialty classification that must be added to an existing
contractor license. Work from the customer’s meter for solar, wind,
geothermal, and other renewable systems falls under the AES specialty.
Question 2
A licensed contractor in Virginia holds a Class A general contractor
license and has been operating for seven years. The contractor now
wants to add the Alternative Energy System Contracting (AES) specialty
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to the license. Under Virginia regulations, what is the minimum
experience required of the qualifying individual for the AES specialty
when the business is a Class A contractor?
A) There is no additional experience requirement for the AES specialty
because the Class A general contractor license already covers all
construction work.
B) The qualifying individual must have at least one year of documented
experience in the installation or repair of alternative energy systems,
regardless of the class of license.
C) The qualifying individual must have at least five years of experience in
the appropriate classification or specialty designation.
D) The qualifying individual must have at least three years of experience
specifically in the AES specialty.
CORRECT ANSWER: C
RATIONALE: For a Class A business, the qualifying individual must have
at least five years of experience in the appropriate classification or
specialty designation. The AES specialty is not automatically covered by
a general contractor license; the qualifying individual must meet the
experience requirement for that specialty.
Question 3
A contractor who holds a valid Virginia contractor license with the AES
specialty is preparing to add an employee who will help with solar panel
installations. The new employee has no prior contractor license or
registration. Under Virginia law, what is the employee’s status and what
action must the contractor take before the employee begins any
alternative energy system installation work?
A) The employee may work as an unregistered helper as long as the
contractor supervises every task on site.
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B) The employee must obtain a separate contractor license in the AES
classification because every person performing AES work must be
individually licensed.
C) The employee must be registered as a “registered employee” with the
Virginia Board for Contractors before performing any work for a licensed
contractor.
D) The employee may work for up to 90 days without any registration as a
trial period.
CORRECT ANSWER: C
RATIONALE: Virginia requires that any person employed by a licensee
who performs the services of a contractor (including installation of
alternative energy systems) must be registered as a registered employee
with the Board for Contractors. There is no exemption for helpers or trial
periods.
Question 4
An experienced solar installer in Virginia is applying for a contractor
license with the AES specialty. The applicant does not hold any other
contractor license and has not previously been licensed in Virginia.
Under the Virginia Contractors’ Licensing Act, which of the following is
true regarding the licensee’s responsibility for the conduct of all persons
employed by the licensee?
A) The licensee is responsible for the good conduct of every person
employed by the licensee in connection with the business, and the
licensee is accountable for any violation of the law by any such
employee.
B) The licensee is responsible only for violations committed personally;
employees are solely responsible for their own conduct.
VIRGINIA ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SYSTEM (AES) CONTRACTING FINAL
EXAM QUESTIONS WITH DETAILED- VERIFIED ANSWERS- ALREADY
GRADED A+ || NEWEST EXAM 2025-2026
Virginia Contractor Licensing (DPOR – Board for Contractors) –
Alternative Energy Specialty.
This document covers the Virginia Alternative Energy System (AES)
Contracting exam: regulatory framework (DPOR, Board for Contractors,
license classes, qualifying individuals, registered employees); scope of
practice (solar PV, wind, geothermal, battery storage, hydroelectric,
definition of work “from the meter,” exclusions requiring
electrical/plumbing/HVAC licenses); technical knowledge (NEC Article
690, rapid shutdown, grounding, overcurrent protection, 120% rule,
string vs. microinverters, battery safety); codes and standards (Virginia
USBC, IRC, IFC, IGSHPA, VDH well regulations, fire code pathways);
business and law (contracts, mechanic’s liens, down payment limits,
worker’s comp, insurance, arbitration, Virginia Consumer Protection
Act); safety (OSHA, ladder safety, fall protection, heat stress); and
Virginia‑specific requirements (historic districts, HOAs, net metering,
Chesapeake Bay Act, agricultural exemptions)
Domain 1 – Regulatory Framework & Licensing (Questions 1–40)
Question 1
A contractor in Virginia has been installing solar photovoltaic systems for
three years and now wants to be legally recognized as a contractor who
can offer installation, repair, and improvement of alternative energy
generation systems in the Commonwealth. The contractor already holds
a valid Virginia contractor license (Class B) and wishes to add a specialty
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designation that covers solar, wind, and geothermal work from the
customer’s meter. Under Virginia regulations, what is the correct name
of the specialty that the contractor must declare to the Board for
Contractors, and is this specialty considered a separate license or a
classification added to an existing contractor license?
A) The contractor must obtain a separate “Solar Energy Specialist
License” from the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy; this is a
stand‑alone license that does not require a base contractor license.
B) The contractor should declare the “Alternative Energy System
Contracting (AES) Specialty,” which is not a separate license but a
specialty classification that may be added to a valid Class A, B, or C
contractor license.
C) The contractor needs a “Renewable Energy Installer Certification”
from the Virginia Board for Contractors, which replaces the need for a
standard contractor license.
D) The contractor may only install solar equipment as a subcontractor
under a licensed electrical contractor; no specialty declaration is
available for alternative energy systems in Virginia.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: In Virginia, licensed contractors (Class A, B, or C) may
declare a specialty called “Alternative Energy System Contracting (AES)”
as defined by the Board for Contractors. The AES is not a separate
license; it is a specialty classification that must be added to an existing
contractor license. Work from the customer’s meter for solar, wind,
geothermal, and other renewable systems falls under the AES specialty.
Question 2
A licensed contractor in Virginia holds a Class A general contractor
license and has been operating for seven years. The contractor now
wants to add the Alternative Energy System Contracting (AES) specialty
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to the license. Under Virginia regulations, what is the minimum
experience required of the qualifying individual for the AES specialty
when the business is a Class A contractor?
A) There is no additional experience requirement for the AES specialty
because the Class A general contractor license already covers all
construction work.
B) The qualifying individual must have at least one year of documented
experience in the installation or repair of alternative energy systems,
regardless of the class of license.
C) The qualifying individual must have at least five years of experience in
the appropriate classification or specialty designation.
D) The qualifying individual must have at least three years of experience
specifically in the AES specialty.
CORRECT ANSWER: C
RATIONALE: For a Class A business, the qualifying individual must have
at least five years of experience in the appropriate classification or
specialty designation. The AES specialty is not automatically covered by
a general contractor license; the qualifying individual must meet the
experience requirement for that specialty.
Question 3
A contractor who holds a valid Virginia contractor license with the AES
specialty is preparing to add an employee who will help with solar panel
installations. The new employee has no prior contractor license or
registration. Under Virginia law, what is the employee’s status and what
action must the contractor take before the employee begins any
alternative energy system installation work?
A) The employee may work as an unregistered helper as long as the
contractor supervises every task on site.
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B) The employee must obtain a separate contractor license in the AES
classification because every person performing AES work must be
individually licensed.
C) The employee must be registered as a “registered employee” with the
Virginia Board for Contractors before performing any work for a licensed
contractor.
D) The employee may work for up to 90 days without any registration as a
trial period.
CORRECT ANSWER: C
RATIONALE: Virginia requires that any person employed by a licensee
who performs the services of a contractor (including installation of
alternative energy systems) must be registered as a registered employee
with the Board for Contractors. There is no exemption for helpers or trial
periods.
Question 4
An experienced solar installer in Virginia is applying for a contractor
license with the AES specialty. The applicant does not hold any other
contractor license and has not previously been licensed in Virginia.
Under the Virginia Contractors’ Licensing Act, which of the following is
true regarding the licensee’s responsibility for the conduct of all persons
employed by the licensee?
A) The licensee is responsible for the good conduct of every person
employed by the licensee in connection with the business, and the
licensee is accountable for any violation of the law by any such
employee.
B) The licensee is responsible only for violations committed personally;
employees are solely responsible for their own conduct.
