Pennsylvania has strict criminal laws that apply to contractors who negotiate contracts and perform home improvement jobs. A conviction for home improvement fraud can impact your freedom and privilege to work as a contractor in the future.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania currently has no licensure or certification requirements for most construction contractors (or their employees). Please note the following regarding state and local requirements pertaining to certain contractors (and their employees).
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania currently has no licensure or certification requirements for most construction contractors (or their employees).
By checking for formal complaints with a consumer agency you might spot a history of poor service. Search for complaints with the Better Business Bureau at BBB.
To report unlicensed contractors or unpermitted work, use 311's online form or call 311. If you're outside Philadelphia, call (215) 686-8686 instead. After you've filed a report with 311, you can submit more information to addinfoli@phila.
All contractors, including self-employed contractors and sole proprietorships, subcontractors and independent contractors, and corporations, partnerships and all other types of business entities must be registered, unless they fall into the two exemptions above.
The statute of limitations for construction defects in Pennsylvania is generally four years from the date the defect was discovered or should have been discovered with reasonable diligence.
The law exempts from the registration requirements contractors who perform less than $5,000 worth of home improvements in a calendar year.
There are no statewide Pennsylvania general contractor license or certification requirements. However, any contractor who performs at least $5,000 worth of home improvements per year must register with the Attorney General's office.
RMO License One of the most common, and often easiest ways that people without any prior experience can gain access to a contractor license is by utilizing either an “RMO” or “RME.”