State requirements
Pennsylvania contractors are licensed by Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General - Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, 73 P.S. 517.1 et seq. There is no statewide license for most construction contractors.. General liability is required to hold the license. Workers compensation is required for employers with any employees.
| Licensing authority | Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General - Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, 73 P.S. 517.1 et seq. There is no statewide license for most construction contractors. |
|---|---|
| General liability required for license | Yes |
| Statutory GL minimum | $50,000 personal injury coverage and $50,000 property damage coverage (commercial general liability) |
| Workers compensation | Required, any employees |
| Contractor license bond | None verified at state level |
Verified against https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dli/programs-services/labor-management-relations/bureau-of-occupational-and-industrial-safety/uniform-construction-code-home/contractor-licensing in the October 2026 research pass. Where a figure is not stated, no authoritative source published one, and we say so rather than estimating.
Licensed specialists we work with write contractors in all fifty states. Tell us your trade and we will route you to one who handles Pennsylvania.
Get a Pennsylvania quoteTell us your trade, payroll and the states you work in.
Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General - Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, 73 P.S. 517.1 et seq. There is no statewide license for most construction contractors.
Pennsylvania has no licensure or certification for most construction contractors; only home improvement contractors who offer or perform at least $5,000 of home improvements per year must register with the Attorney General and carry at least $50,000 personal injury and $50,000 property damage commercial general liability. Philadelphia adds its own license with higher limits (e.g. $1,000,000 for new construction, $2,000,000 for complete demolition). Workers' comp is mandatory for any employer with at least one employee.
The state sets a minimum of $50,000 personal injury coverage and $50,000 property damage coverage (commercial general liability). What you actually need is set by the contract in front of you. Most Pennsylvania general contractors require one million per occurrence and two million aggregate from their subcontractors, plus additional insured status and a waiver of subrogation.
Workers compensation is required for employers with any employees. Operating without it where it is required exposes the business to penalties and to direct liability for an injured worker's medical costs.
Any vehicle used for business needs commercial auto. A personal policy excludes business use in every state, and it will not cover the tools inside the truck.
General liability never covers your own tools. Inland marine covers them in transit and on site, including theft, which is the most common loss contractors actually file.
Workers compensation is required for employers with any employees.
Workers compensation covers medical costs and lost wages for a work-related injury or illness. It is separate from general liability, which covers injury to other people. If an employee is hurt on a job site in Pennsylvania, that is a workers compensation claim, and general liability will not respond to it.
This research did not verify a state-level contractor license bond for Pennsylvania. Where a state does not impose one, cities and counties frequently do, particularly for work above a dollar threshold or on public projects. Confirm with the authority that issues your permit before you bid.
Beyond the license bond, bid bonds and performance bonds come up on larger and public work. Bid bonds are typically priced as a percentage of the bid amount rather than a flat fee, so the cost scales with the project.
The state sets a minimum of $50,000 personal injury coverage and $50,000 property damage coverage (commercial general liability). That is a floor for licensing, not a recommendation, and contracts in Pennsylvania commonly require more.
Workers compensation is required for employers with any employees.
This research did not verify a state license bond for Pennsylvania. Some states have none at state level and impose requirements at the city or county level instead, so check with the local authority where you will be pulling permits.
Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General - Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, 73 P.S. 517.1 et seq. There is no statewide license for most construction contractors..
The consequences run from losing the contract to losing the license. A general contractor who finds your certificate is not what the subcontract required will typically stop work and withhold payment until it is corrected, and an uninsured loss becomes a personal liability rather than an insurance claim.
Yes. A single policy can list every state you operate in. Pricing is driven by the highest-exposure state on the schedule, so tell us all of them rather than only your home state.
Requirements differ enough by state that it is worth checking before you bid.
Tell us your trade, payroll and what Pennsylvania requires of you.
