Contractor licensing by state
How to Get a Contractor License in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania requires a state license for foundation repair, general contracting, roofing, concrete flatwork, and demolition. It has no state license for plumbing, electrical work, HVAC work, landscape irrigation, and drainage and detention work, so cities and counties set any rules for that work. The main contractor license is the Home Improvement Contractor, which costs $100 to start. Of the 8 trades we could rate, drainage and detention work is the easiest to get licensed for and roofing the hardest.
The Pennsylvania contractor license
| License | Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration, PA Office of Attorney General |
|---|---|
| Covers | Foundation repair, general contracting, roofing, plumbing, electrical work, HVAC work, landscape irrigation, concrete flatwork, drainage and detention work, and demolition |
| Fee | $100 every two years (new or renewal) |
| Insurance | At least $50,000 personal injury and $50,000 property damage liability coverage, or a self-insurance certificate. Source |
| Renewal | Every two years, $100. |
How to apply
- Get liability coverage of at least $50,000 personal injury and $50,000 property damage.
- Register online with the Attorney General and pay $100.
- Put the registration number on contracts and ads.
- Renew every two years and update changes within 30 days.
Required for contractors who perform at least $5,000 of home improvements a year. This is a consumer protection registration, not a competency license. The state Department of Labor and Industry says Pennsylvania has no licensure for most construction contractors; some of its 2,562 municipalities license home improvement contractors, electricians or plumbers, and the state keeps no list of them.
State license requirements for each trade in Pennsylvania
| Foundation repair | Home Improvement Contractor registration | $100 | None listed | None listed | Easy · 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General contracting | Home Improvement Contractor registration | $100 | None listed | None listed | Easy · 7 |
| Roofing | Home Improvement Contractor registration | $100 | None listed | None listed | Easy · 7 |
| Plumbing | No state license | Easy · 0 | |||
| Electrical | No state license | Easy · 0 | |||
| HVAC | No state license | Easy · 0 | |||
| Irrigation | No state license | Not rated | |||
| Concrete flatwork | Home Improvement Contractor registration | $100 | None listed | None listed | Easy · 7 |
| Drainage and detention | No state license | Easy · 0 | |||
| Demolition | Home Improvement Contractor registration for residential work | $100 | None listed | None listed | Not rated |
Tap a column to sort. Difficulty covers the state license only. Checked October 18, 2026.
Trades ranked from easiest to hardest in Pennsylvania
- Drainage and detention, easy (0)
- Electrical, easy (0)
- HVAC, easy (0)
- Plumbing, easy (0)
- Concrete flatwork, easy (7)
- Foundation repair, easy (7)
- General contracting, easy (7)
- Roofing, easy (7)
Landscape irrigation and demolition are not rated because their rules are not fully published.
Details for each trade
Foundation repair
| License | Home Improvement Contractor registration (if you do $5,000 or more of home improvements a year) |
|---|---|
| Board | PA Office of Attorney General |
No state foundation or structural license. Some municipalities require their own license. Permits come from the municipality under the Uniform Construction Code.
The municipality's building code official issues the permit and decides whether engineered drawings are needed.
- Register as a Home Improvement Contractor.
- Ask the municipality about local licenses and permits.
Difficulty 7, easy (fees 2, insurance 5).
Checked October 18, 2026 against PA OAG, HIC registration; PA DLI, contractor licensing.
General contracting (residential remodels, additions and home improvement)
| License | Home Improvement Contractor registration (residential work over $5,000 a year) |
|---|---|
| Board | PA Office of Attorney General |
No state general contractor license. Local licenses vary by municipality.
Permits come from the municipality.
- Register as a Home Improvement Contractor.
- Check local licensing.
Difficulty 7, easy (fees 2, insurance 5).
Checked October 18, 2026 against PA DLI, contractor licensing.
Roofing
| License | Home Improvement Contractor registration |
|---|---|
| Board | PA Office of Attorney General |
No state roofing license.
Reroof permit rules are set by the municipality.
- Register as a Home Improvement Contractor.
- Check local rules.
Difficulty 7, easy (fees 2, insurance 5).
Checked October 18, 2026 against PA OAG, HIC registration.
Plumbing
No state plumbing license. Some municipalities license plumbers; ask the municipality where the work is. Residential plumbing contractors still register with the Attorney General if they do $5,000 or more of home improvements a year.
Plumbing permits come from the municipality.
- Get the local plumbing license where one exists.
- Register as a Home Improvement Contractor for residential work.
Difficulty 0, easy (nothing in the rubric applies).
Checked October 18, 2026 against PA DLI, contractor licensing.
Electrical
No state electrical license. Some municipalities license electricians; ask the municipality.
Electrical permits and inspections come through the municipality.
- Get the local electrical license where one exists.
- Register as a Home Improvement Contractor for residential work.
Difficulty 0, easy (nothing in the rubric applies).
Checked October 18, 2026 against PA DLI, contractor licensing.
HVAC
No state HVAC license. Some municipalities have their own contractor licenses; ask the municipality.
Mechanical permits come from the municipality.
- Check local licensing.
- Register as a Home Improvement Contractor for residential work.
Difficulty 0, easy (nothing in the rubric applies).
Checked October 18, 2026 against PA DLI, contractor licensing.
Irrigation
No state irrigation license was found. Residential irrigation installers who do $5,000 or more of home improvements a year register with the Attorney General.
Ask the municipality and water supplier about irrigation permits and backflow testing.
- Register as a Home Improvement Contractor.
- Ask the water supplier about backflow rules.
Checked October 18, 2026 against PA DLI, contractor licensing.
Concrete flatwork (driveways, sidewalks and work in the public right-of-way)
| License | Home Improvement Contractor registration (residential driveways, walks and patios) |
|---|---|
| Board | PA Office of Attorney General |
No state concrete license. Ask the municipality about permits for work at the street.
Ask the municipality which permit applies to work at the street.
- Register as a Home Improvement Contractor.
- Ask the road owner about a right of way permit.
Difficulty 7, easy (fees 2, insurance 5).
Checked October 18, 2026 against PA OAG, HIC registration.
Drainage and detention (grading, drainage, stormwater and detention ponds)
No contractor license for grading, but Chapter 102 requires a written erosion and sediment control plan for earth disturbance of 5,000 square feet or more, and NPDES permit coverage for 1 acre or more. Conservation districts review plans in many counties.
Disturbing 5,000 square feet needs a written E&S plan; 1 acre or more needs NPDES coverage before work starts.
- Measure the disturbed area.
- Prepare the E&S plan at 5,000 square feet.
- Get NPDES coverage at 1 acre.
- Get local grading and stormwater approval.
Difficulty 0, easy (nothing in the rubric applies).
Checked October 18, 2026 against 25 Pa. Code Chapter 102.
Demolition
| License | Home Improvement Contractor registration for residential work; DLI asbestos certification for asbestos work |
|---|---|
| Board | PA Office of Attorney General; PA Department of Labor and Industry (asbestos certification) |
No state demolition license. DLI certifies asbestos workers and contractors. Asbestos notice rules for demolition are not covered here.
Demolition permits come from the municipality.
- Register as a Home Improvement Contractor for residential work.
- Use DLI certified asbestos workers if asbestos is present.
- Get the municipal demolition permit.
Checked October 18, 2026 against PA DLI, contractor licensing.
Official sources
- PA Office of Attorney General, Home Improvement Contractor Registration
- PA Department of Labor and Industry, contractor licensing
- Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act
- PA DEP, 25 Pa. Code Chapter 102 erosion and sediment control
Licensing pages for nearby states cover Maryland, New Jersey, and Ohio.
Rules and fees change, and this is not legal advice. Confirm with the licensing board before you apply or bid.