- No registration needed if your home improvement work totaled less than $5,000 in the previous tax year. New home construction is not covered.
- Every two years.
Do you need a state license in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania licenses some general contractor work at the state level and leaves the rest alone. Which side of that line a job falls on decides whether you need the state license.
No registration needed if your home improvement work totaled less than $5,000 in the previous tax year. New home construction is not covered.
Since July 1, 2009 municipalities cannot separately license or register home improvement contractors, except for trades like electricians and plumbers whose local licensing needs testing or training. Philadelphia requires its own Contractor License for construction, demolition or repair work beyond existing one or two family homes: $126 a year, $500,000 per occurrence general liability, $300,000 auto liability, workers comp, and supervisors with OSHA 30 training.
The Pennsylvania license for this work
There is one license to aim for here.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Home Improvement Contractor registration | Repairs, remodeling and installs on homes, such as roofs, siding, driveways, flooring and pools |
Steps to get licensed in Pennsylvania
- Buy liability insurance with at least $50,000 personal injury and $50,000 property damage coverage.
- Register online at the Attorney General's HIC system and pay $100.
- Check local rules, especially Philadelphia, which has its own contractor license.
- Put your HIC number on contracts and ads and renew every two years.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. The board's pages do not list one.
The license to apply for. Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration.
Pennsylvania general contractor exams
Trade exam. No trade exam.
Business and law exam. No business and law exam.
What it costs in Pennsylvania
The board lists one fee for this license. These are the state's own numbers. Insurance, any bond, exam prep and your business registration come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Registration, new or renewal (every two years) | $100 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. General liability with at least $50,000 personal injury and $50,000 property damage coverage.
Bond. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Every two years.
Reciprocity. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Good to know in Pennsylvania
- Applications ask about past bankruptcies and criminal convictions.
- Asbestos and lead removal and manufactured housing installers have separate state certifications.
- Home improvement contracts must follow HICPA contract rules.
After you are licensed
The license lets you take the work. Getting the work is the next job.
- Register the business. If you work under a name other than your own, register it where your state asks (often the Secretary of State, sometimes the county), and keep the name the same on your license, your truck and your invoices.
- Claim your Google Business Profile. It is the listing people see when they search for a contractor near them. Fill in your service area, hours and real photos of your work.
- Put up a website that shows the license. Customers look for it before they call. Koira builds a contractor website for you and keeps it current.
- See where you stand. The free Koira report checks how your business shows up in search and on maps against shops near you.
Where this comes from
Every fact on this page comes from the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and the official pages below, checked October 8, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.