How to Verify a Pool Removal Contractor in VA, MD and D.C.

October 9, 2026Installation ProcessSwimming Pool Professionals

Pool removal is demolition, excavation and fill work, and nearby states do not license it the same way. This guide shows how to check a contractor in Virginia, Maryland, D.C. and West Virginia.

Short answer: Look the contractor up with the state licensing agency before you sign. In Virginia, confirm an active license, a class that fits the job and a classification that covers pool removal, such as the POL specialty. Maryland and D.C. have their own lookups. Then check insurance, a written contract and who holds the permit.

How do I look up a Virginia pool removal contractor?

Virginia licenses the business, not only the person. The lookup tool is on the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) website at dpor.virginia.gov, under “License Lookup.”

Ask for the company’s legal name, address and license number. DPOR’s consumer guide warns that a number on an ad or business card does not prove the license is valid.
Search the lookup. Confirm the name and address match your contract and the status is active.
Read the class and the classification or specialty codes, covered below.
Review disciplinary history. Open cases appear only after an investigation finds probable cause, DPOR says. Closed-case orders since April 1, 2002 are in the lookup.

Questions go to the Board for Contractors at 804-367-8511.

What do license classes A, B and C mean?

A Virginia license has two parts. The class sets the value of contracts the firm may take. The classification or specialty sets the type of work. Class C covers the smallest contracts and Class A the largest, with limits set in Code of Virginia § 54.1-1100. Lacking the proper class for the value of the work is a Class 1 misdemeanor under § 54.1-1115.

Which Virginia classifications cover pool removal?

The Board for Contractors regulations (18VAC50-22-30) define swimming pool construction contracting, abbreviated POL, as construction, repair, improvement or removal of in-ground pools. The same text says the CBC, RBC and H/H classifications and the RFC specialty also provide for this function.

Code	Stands for	What the regulations say
POL	Swimming pool construction contracting (specialty)	Includes removal of in-ground pools. No trade plumbing, electrical, backflow or HVAC work.
RBC	Residential building contractors	Construction, repair, removal or demolition of dwellings, townhouses and their accessory structures. Includes swimming pool contracting for them.
CBC	Commercial building contractors	The same work on commercial, institutional and governmental buildings. It does not allow construction, repair or improvement of dwellings and townhouses.
H/H	Highway/heavy contractors	Work on items such as bridges, roads, foundations and tanks. Functions include demolition, excavating and grading.
RFC	Recreational facility contracting (specialty)	Construction, repair or improvement of recreational facilities. Excludes paving, buildings, plumbing, electrical and HVAC.

If a license shows only CBC, H/H or RFC, ask DPOR whether it fits a residential pool removal.

What must a Virginia contractor’s written contract include?

The regulations require a legible written contract for residential contracting, defined as construction, removal, repair or improvement of residential buildings and accessory-use structures. Both sides sign before work or payment begins. The minimum terms include:

Start date, estimated completion date and the project’s total amount.
Progress payment amounts and schedule, including the down payment.
The materials and work you specifically requested.
A plain-language clause on events beyond the contractor’s control.
An assurance of compliance with local permit, inspection and zoning requirements.
Cancellation rights and a notice of the Virginia Contractor Transaction Recovery Fund.
The contractor’s name, address, license number, class and classifications or specialties.
A rule that changes are written and signed by all parties.

You should receive a fully executed copy before work begins. For a quote checklist, see what affects pool removal quotes.

How do I check a contractor in Maryland?

The Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC), part of the Department of Labor, licenses home improvement contractors. Its site offers “Check the License Status of a Contractor or Salesperson,” and its phone numbers are 410-230-6231 and 1-888-218-5925. MHIC advises confirming the license is current and warns that “licensed and bonded” on an ad proves nothing.

Is pool removal covered by MHIC?

We could not confirm this from public pages, so ask MHIC about your job. Business Regulation § 8-101 counts construction, improvement or replacement of a swimming pool as home improvement. MHIC’s list of work that usually needs a license includes pools, excavating, grading and landscaping. But MHIC’s FAQ says a contractor hired for demolition and cleanup only does not need an MHIC license. A removal that adds grading, landscaping or a new pool may be different.

If MHIC rules apply, the contract must be written and signed by each party. It must show the contractor’s name, address and MHIC license number and approximate start and completion dates. A deposit cannot exceed one-third of the contract amount. Its Guaranty Fund covers only work by licensed contractors.

How are contractors licensed in Washington, D.C.?

The Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) says home improvement contractors must hold a Home Improvement Contractor license, along with a salesperson license or a designated salesperson. DLCP points homeowners to its SCOUT system to verify a contractor and to ask for the business license, corporate registration and proof of general liability insurance. Plumbers and electricians are licensed by their own boards.

D.C. law defines a home improvement business as repair, remodeling, alteration, conversion or modernization of, or addition to, residential property, further defined in regulations. We could not confirm whether pool removal is included. Ask DLCP at 202-671-4500.

What about West Virginia?

The WV Contractor Licensing Board licenses contractors under Chapter 30, Article 42 of the state code. Its website has a public license search and a complaint form. The Act covers anyone who undertakes to wreck or demolish a structure or excavation above a dollar threshold, and requires the license number in contracts and ads. The Board’s posted copy dates from July 2024, so confirm current terms with the Board.

What should I check beyond the license?

Insurance

MHIC and DLCP both tell homeowners to ask for proof of general liability insurance. MHIC adds workers’ compensation. Ask for the certificate, then call the insurer or agent to confirm the policy is active. That step is our suggestion, not a legal rule.

An itemized written contract

The contract should name what comes out, what stays, what fills the space, who drains the pool and who handles permits. DPOR’s guide advises tying payments to progress and never paying in full before the work and inspections are done. See partial vs full pool removal for the scope terms to compare.

The permit holder

Virginia law requires applicants for permits covering removal, grading or improvement work to show a license number or file a statement of exemption. Fairfax County strongly recommends a licensed contractor pull permits as the responsible party. Its Permit Authorization form states that when an owner signs, the permit is in the owner’s name and the owner is acting as contractor. Fairfax also says a sewer cap-off needs a plumbing permit, and POL excludes plumbing work. In D.C., the Department of Buildings needs the contractor’s license number and mailing address to issue a permit, or lists the owner as the contractor. Ask for the permit number.

References and complaint history

DPOR advises asking for local references and viewing finished jobs if possible. MHIC says not to hire anyone without talking to a reference. For complaint history, use the agency channels above. A clean lookup is not proof of a clean record, because open cases are not always public.

What are the red flags?

You cannot verify the name, address, phone number or license, or the license belongs to another business.
The class or specialty does not fit the work.
“Licensed and bonded” with no license number.
Pressure to sign today, or a special deal because your home will be a showcase.
A request that you pull the permit in your name. Fairfax suggests asking why the contractor cannot.
A demand for full payment in advance, or cash.
No written contract, blanks left in it, or a refusal to give references.

Questions to ask any contractor

Will the permit be in your name? May I have the permit number?
Who will do the plumbing cap-off and any electrical disconnect, and what are their license numbers?
Which employees or subcontractors will be on site, and can you send current insurance certificates?
Who makes the utility locate request before digging? In Virginia, the regulations treat failing to follow the utility notification law as a prohibited act.
Where will the pool water go? See draining a pool for Fairfax County and D.C. discharge rules.

Last reviewed October 2026 by Calm Water Pools.

Related guides

Thinking about removing or replacing an old pool in Maryland, D.C., Northern Virginia or West Virginia? See how Calm Water Pools coordinates removal and replacement or call 240-372-4440.