# West Virginia SB 553: Providing for transfer of license to contractor’s qualifying immediate family member West Virginia SB 553, Providing for transfer of license to contractor’s qualifying immediate family member, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Mike Woelfel (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-06-25 (Chapter 233, Acts, Regular Session, 2026) (as of 2026-11-04). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB553-2026rs - As of: 2026-11-04 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: West Virginia SB 553 - State: West Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Providing for transfer of license to contractor’s qualifying immediate family member - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-21 - Last action: 2026-06-25, Chapter 233, Acts, Regular Session, 2026 - Sponsor: Mike Woelfel (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: §30-42-7, §30-42-9 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 3 (157 yes, 5 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Easier license transfers to family or new businesses: benefit, low. License holders can move a current license to a new business they own or run, without a new exam. A license can also be transferred to a spouse, child, sibling, or parent. The family member may use it for one year; to keep it longer, they must pass the board exam within that year. After a death or… - Contractor license fees capped at $150: cost, low. The law sets a fee up to $150 for a contractor license. Electrical contractors already licensed under §29-3B-4 pay no more than $20. You pay these fees when you apply or renew. - Time limits and penalties on transferred licenses: cost, low. When a license is transferred for a business, it is valid only one year unless the new holder passes the board exam. It also ends if the new holder stops being the principal owner, partner, or officer. Only the named licensee or a valid transferee may use a license. You may not assign or lend it; v… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Mike Woelfel (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Patricia Rucker (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-14 | Senate | Senate concurred in House amendments and passed bill (Roll No. 657) | pass | 34 | 0 | | | 2026-03-13 | House | Passed House (Roll No. 535) | pass | 91 | 5 | | | 2026-02-20 | Senate | Passed Senate (Roll No. 164) | pass | 32 | 0 | | ## Actions (40) - 2026-06-25: Chapter 233, Acts, Regular Session, 2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-25: Approved by Governor 3/25/2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-18: To Governor 3/18/2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-14: House Message received (Senate) - 2026-03-14: Senate concurred in House amendments and passed bill (Roll No. 657) (Senate) - 2026-03-14: Communicated to House (Senate) - 2026-03-14: Completed legislative action (Senate) - 2026-03-14: To Governor 3/18/2026 - Senate Journal (Senate) - 2026-03-14: Approved by Governor 3/25/2026 - Senate Journal (Senate) - 2026-03-14: Approved by Governor 3/25/2026 - House Journal (House) - 2026-03-13: Amendment withdrawn (Voice vote) (House) - 2026-03-13: On 3rd reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-03-13: Read 3rd time (House) - 2026-03-13: Passed House (Roll No. 535) (House) - 2026-03-13: Communicated to Senate (House) - 2026-03-12: On 2nd reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-03-12: Read 2nd time (House) - 2026-03-12: Amendment reported by the Clerk (House) - 2026-03-12: Amendment reported by the Clerk (House) - 2026-03-12: Amendment adopted (Voice vote) (House) - 2026-03-11: On 1st reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-03-11: Read 1st time (House) - 2026-03-10: With amendment, do pass (House) - 2026-02-23: House received Senate message (House) - 2026-02-23: Introduced in House (House) - 2026-02-23: To Government Organization (House) - 2026-02-23: To House Government Organization (House) - 2026-02-20: On 3rd reading (Senate) - 2026-02-20: Read 3rd time (Senate) - 2026-02-20: Passed Senate (Roll No. 164) (Senate) - 2026-02-20: Ordered to House (Senate) - 2026-02-19: On 2nd reading (Senate) - 2026-02-19: Read 2nd time (Senate) - 2026-02-18: On 1st reading (Senate) - 2026-02-18: Read 1st time (Senate) - 2026-02-17: Reported do pass (Senate) - 2026-01-21: Filed for introduction (Senate) - 2026-01-21: To Workforce (Senate) - 2026-01-21: Introduced in Senate (Senate) - 2026-01-21: To Workforce (Senate) ## Bill text - Enrolled: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb553 enr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb553 enr.pdf) - Introduced Version: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb553 intr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb553 intr.pdf) ## Related bills - HB 5694: Supplemental appropriation to Department of Education, fund 0313. (signed) - HB 5353: To bring virtual currency kiosks within the purview of money transmission licensure and create disclosure requirements and daily transaction limitations for ne… (signed) - HB 4452: To remove Mortmain restrictions on religious organizations (signed) - HB 4390: Relating to the temporary payment to a kinship parent of a subsidy equal to that of a foster parent (signed) - HB 4354: Relating to necessity allowance (signed) - HB 4191: Relating to providing child care generally (became law) ## Sources - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb553 enr.htm) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb553 enr.pdf) - [Introduced Version (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb553 intr.htm) - [Introduced Version (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb553 intr.pdf) ## Related - [HB 5694: Supplemental appropriation to Department of Education, fund 0313.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB5694-2026rs) - [HB 5353: To bring virtual currency kiosks within the purview of money transmission licen…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB5353-2026rs) - [HB 4452: To remove Mortmain restrictions on religious organizations](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4452-2026rs) - [HB 4390: Relating to the temporary payment to a kinship parent of a subsidy equal to tha…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4390-2026rs) - [HB 4354: Relating to necessity allowance](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4354-2026rs) - [HB 4191: Relating to providing child care generally](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4191-2026rs) - [West Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/west-virginia/bills) - [West Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/west-virginia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB553-2026rs (as of 2026-11-04).