- Contractors with less than $5,000 of home improvement work in a year do not have to register.
- Every two years.
Do you need a state license in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania licenses some painting 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.
Contractors with less than $5,000 of home improvement work in a year do not have to register.
Steps to get licensed in Pennsylvania
- Get liability insurance of at least $50,000 personal injury and $50,000 property damage.
- Register online with the Attorney General and pay $100.
- Put your registration number on ads, contracts and estimates, and use written contracts.
- Renew every two years.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
The license to apply for. Home Improvement Contractor registration.
Pennsylvania painting contractor exams
Trade exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Business and law exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
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, every two years | $100 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. At least $50,000 of personal injury liability and $50,000 of 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
- Painting is on the law's list of home improvements.
- Subcontractors must register too.
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 painter 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, Home Improvement Contractor Registration and the official pages below, checked October 9, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.
More for your trade: how painting companies run on Koira.