West Virginia 2026 Session Status: Enacted

SB 553 — Providing for transfer of license to contractor’s qualifying immediate family member

Last action — Chapter 233, Acts, Regular Session, 2026

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Senate
  4. ✓
    Passed House of Delegates
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 21, 2026. Enacted.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 72% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 2 sponsors

    1 primary, 1 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 3 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

In plain language

The bill allows contractors to transfer their licenses to immediate family members.

This bill provides a mechanism for contractors to transfer their professional licenses to qualifying immediate family members. This could help ensure continuity of business within families.

What this means for you
  • Families: Families of contractors can benefit by being able to inherit and operate the family business without losing the necessary licenses.
  • Small Business: This means small construction businesses may have an easier way to pass on their licenses to family members, ensuring business continuity.

Summary

Providing for transfer of license to contractor’s qualifying immediate family member

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

88 added · 1 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendment to Senate Bill 553 allows current contractor license holders to transfer their licenses to immediate family members, such as spouses, children, siblings, or parents. This change is significant as it provides a pathway for family members to take over a licensed contracting business after the original holder's death or incapacity, promoting continuity in family-run businesses. Additionally, this transfer can occur without requiring an exam for the family member if they have been involved in the business's operations, making it easier for families to keep their businesses running smoothly during transitions.

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SB553 HFA Phillips 3-10 #1Wilkinson 3909 Delegate Phillips moves to amend the bill as amended on page 1, section 30-42-7, line 13, by striking subsection (c) in its entirety and inserting in lieu thereof the following:“(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of §30-42-7(b) of this code, 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:
WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION Enrolled Senate Bill 553 BYSENATORSWOELFEL ARUCKER [Passed March 14, 2026;
in effect 90 days from passage (June 12, 2026)] Enr SB 553 AN ACT 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, 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) Notwithstanding the provisions of §30-42-7(b) of this code, 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:
Provided further, that the license may not be subsequently transferred again prior to the initial transferee successfully completing whatever examination the board may require, unless the transferee dies or becomes permanently incapacitated prior to examination, in which case the provisions of §30-42-7(d) of this code shall control;
Provided further, that the license may not be subsequently transferred again prior to the initial transferee successfully completing whatever examination the board may require, unless the transferee dies or becomes Enr SB 553 permanently incapacitated prior to examination, in which case the provisions of §30-42-7(d) of this code shall control;
(d)  In the event of a license holder’s death or permanent incapacity, an immediate family member of the license holder, within one year of the license holder’s death or incapacity, may apply to the board for transfer of the license, and shall be subject to the same restrictions and requirements placed upon an immediate family member transferee as set forth in §30-42-7(c) of this code.
(d) In the event of a license holder’s death or permanent incapacity, an immediate family member of the license holder, within one year of the license holder’s death or incapacity, may apply to the board for transfer of the license, and shall be subject to the same restrictions and requirements placed upon an immediate family member transferee as set forth in §30-42-7(c) of this code.
(e) The board may transfer a license to an immediate family member pursuant to application made under §30-42-7(c) or §30-42-7(d) of this code for a one-year period without requiring examination of the transferee if the immediate family member demonstrates to the satisfaction of the board that he or she:(1) 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;
(e) The board may transfer a license to an immediate family member pursuant to application made under §30-42-7(c) or §30-42-7(d) of this code for a one-year period without requiring examination of the transferee if the immediate family member demonstrates to the satisfaction of the board that he or she:
or(2) 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.(f) In the case of a person who is transferred a license by the board pursuant to §30-42-7(e) of this code and who holds the license on behalf of a business entity, the license shall remain valid for the business entity:
(1) 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 (2) 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.
(f) In the case of a person who is transferred a license by the board pursuant to §30-42- 7(e) of this code and who holds the license on behalf of a business entity, the license shall remain valid for the business entity:
and (ii) only so long as the transferee license holder remains the principal owner, partner, or corporate officer of the business entity.(g) For purposes of §§30-42-7(c), (d), (e) and (f) of this code, "immediate family member" means a spouse, child, sibling, or parent of a person issued a contractor’s license by the board.
and (ii) only so long as the transferee license holder remains the principal owner, partner, or corporate officer of the business entity.
   AdoptedRejected 
(g) For purposes of §§30-42-7(c), (d), (e) and (f) of this code, "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 Enr SB 553 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 subsections.
Any person who violates this section is subject to the penalties imposed in §30-42-14 of this code.
Enr SB 553 The Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates hereby certify that the foregoing bill is correctly enrolled.
...............................................................
Clerk of the Senate ...............................................................
Clerk of the House of Delegates Originated in the Senate.
In effect 90 days from passage.
...............................................................
President of the Senate ...............................................................
Speaker of the House of Delegates __________ The within is ................................................
this the...........................................
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Day of ..........................................................................................................., 2026.
.............................................................
Governor 5
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Action History

  1. Chapter 233, Acts, Regular Session, 2026

  2. Approved by Governor 3/25/2026

  3. To Governor 3/18/2026

  4. House Message received

  5. Senate concurred in House amendments and passed bill (Roll No. 657)

  6. Communicated to House

  7. Completed legislative action

  8. To Governor 3/18/2026 - Senate Journal

  9. Approved by Governor 3/25/2026 - Senate Journal

  10. Approved by Governor 3/25/2026 - House Journal

  11. Amendment withdrawn (Voice vote)

  12. On 3rd reading, Special Calendar

  13. Read 3rd time

  14. Passed House (Roll No. 535)

  15. Communicated to Senate

  16. On 2nd reading, Special Calendar

  17. Read 2nd time

  18. Amendment reported by the Clerk

  19. Amendment reported by the Clerk

  20. Amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  21. On 1st reading, Special Calendar

  22. Read 1st time

  23. With amendment, do pass

  24. House received Senate message

  25. Introduced in House

  26. To Government Organization

  27. To House Government Organization

  28. On 3rd reading

  29. Read 3rd time

  30. Passed Senate (Roll No. 164)

  31. Ordered to House

  32. On 2nd reading

  33. Read 2nd time

  34. On 1st reading

  35. Read 1st time

  36. Reported do pass

  37. Filed for introduction

  38. To Workforce

  39. Introduced in Senate

  40. To Workforce

Sponsors

  • Woelfel · Primary
  • Rucker · Cosponsor

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 150 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

  • Woelfel

Co-sponsors (1)

  • Rucker

Not signed on (150)

150 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 150 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Subjects

housing labor
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does SB 553 do?
Providing for transfer of license to contractor’s qualifying immediate family member
Who sponsors SB 553?
SB 553 is sponsored by Woelfel and Rucker.
What is the current status of SB 553?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 21, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 553?
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