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Pennsylvania general contractor license requirements
5 facts reviewed by our editor against the official page. Passages marked “not yet reviewed” are copied word-for-word from official state pages (fetched 2026-10-17) and are pending human review — read them in context on the linked source.
| Item | Detail (with quote from the official source) |
|---|---|
| State/provincial license required? | State-level rule Pennsylvania has no state licensure or certification for most construction contractors or their employees. “The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania currently has no licensure or certification requirements for most construction contractors (or their employees).” Official source · verified 2026-10-17 · Contractor Licensing | Department of Labor and Industry | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
| Fees | City-level rule (Philadelphia) Philadelphia Contractor License: $20 non-refundable application fee applied to the license fee. “A non-refundable application fee of $20 is applied to the license fee.” Official source · verified 2026-10-17 · Get a Contractor License | Services | City of Philadelphia |
| Renewal | City-level rule (Philadelphia) Philadelphia Contractor License must be renewed annually. “This license must be renewed annually.” Official source · verified 2026-10-17 · Get a Contractor License | Services | City of Philadelphia |
| Local (city/county) licensing | State-level rule Some of Pennsylvania’s 2,562 municipalities set local licensing for contractors and trades. “Some of Pennsylvania’s 2,562 municipalities have established local licensure or certification requirements for contractors or construction trades people.” Official source · verified 2026-10-17 · Contractor Licensing | Department of Labor and Industry | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
| Other notes | City-level rule (Philadelphia) Philadelphia: general liability insurance $500,000 per occurrence. “General liability: $500,000 per occurrence” Official source · verified 2026-10-17 · Get a Contractor License | Services | City of Philadelphia |
Check a license in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania does not publish a bulk license file we use; check with the licensing authority’s own search (see sources).
Questions to ask the board
- Which license level matches my experience, and do hours from another jurisdiction count?
- Is the exam open-book, and which code edition is used?
- Do I also need a city or county license where I will work?
- Is there a reciprocity or endorsement agreement with my current jurisdiction?
Sources checked: www.pa.gov · www.phila.gov