Pennsylvania Contractor License Requirements
No competency-based license or exam — home improvement contractors register under a consumer-protection law instead.
License Requirement
Licensing body: Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Consumer Protection — attorneygeneral.gov (Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act registration)
Pennsylvania does not require a competency-based contractor license or exam. Instead, the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (HICPA) requires registration — not licensure — for any home improvement contractor earning $5,000 or more per year from residential work. New home construction, commercial construction, and residential work under $5,000/year fall outside HICPA's scope. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh reportedly require separate city contractor licenses on top of HICPA registration, per secondary sources.
Exam
None. HICPA is a registration filing, not an exam-based license.
Bonding
No bonding requirement found as part of HICPA registration.
Continuing Education
None required — consistent with a registration-based (not licensure-based) model.
Experience Requirements
None required — there is no exam or experience verification under HICPA.
Reciprocity
Not applicable — HICPA is a registration system, not an exam-based license with reciprocity.
Licensing requirements change and vary by locality within a state. Always verify current requirements with your state's contractor licensing board before applying. This page is an independent informational reference — it is not legal advice, and ContractorLicense.org is not a government agency and is not affiliated with any state licensing board.
Research note: The core "registration, not licensure" model is confirmed via attorneygeneral.gov. Specific figures like the registration fee, renewal cycle, and insurance minimums are sourced from secondary guides and were not independently reconfirmed — verify current numbers with the PA Attorney General's office before relying on them.
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