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State files updated Oct 27, 2026
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Pennsylvania contractor licenses

PA license lookup

Pennsylvania contractor licenses are checked on the board's own site.

What should you check before hiring?

What to ask before you hire

  1. Get the license number in writing. The name on the license should match the name on your contract and invoice.
  2. Check the class covers the job. A license for one trade doesn't cover another. Pennsylvania license classes
  3. Ask for a certificate of insurance sent to you by the insurance agent, not handed over by the contractor. How to read a COI
  4. Ask who will be on site. If a crew works on your property, ask for proof of workers' comp. An exemption means the contractor told the PA it has no employees.
  5. Put it in a written contract: license number, price, start date and payment schedule. Check the license again on the day you sign.

If the license is lapsed

  1. Don't sign or pay a deposit until the PA shows the license active again.
  2. Ask the contractor why. For a bond or insurance lapse, ask for proof that the new bond or policy was filed with the PA, then check again.
  3. If work has started, hold further payments, keep the contract, receipts and photos, and file a complaint with PA Office of Attorney General - Home Improvement Contractor Registration.
  4. Check another contractor. Pennsylvania license lookup

Sources

  1. PA Office of Attorney General - Home Improvement Contractor Registration (attorneygeneral.gov)