Roofing license
Roofing license requirements in Pennsylvania
No — Pennsylvania does not license or certify roofing contractors at the state level. But if you do at least $5,000 of home-improvement work per year (roofing is explicitly included) on private residences, you must register — not license — as a Home Improvement Contractor with the PA Attorney General's Office, and some individual municipalities layer on their own local contractor licensing.
The short answer
No — Pennsylvania does not license or certify roofing contractors at the state level. But if you do at least $5,000 of home-improvement work per year (roofing is explicitly included) on private residences, you must register — not license — as a Home Improvement Contractor with the PA Attorney General's Office, and some individual municipalities layer on their own local contractor licensing.
Do you need a license to roof in Pennsylvania?
No state roofing or general-contractor license exists. Contractors doing $5,000+/year of residential home-improvement work (including roofing) must complete Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration with the PA Attorney General's Office — a consumer-protection registration, not a skills-tested license. Some municipalities separately require their own local contractor license.
Who issues it: Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General — Bureau of Consumer Protection (Home Improvement Contractor Registration Program); the PA Dept. of Labor & Industry confirms there is no statewide contractor licensure requirement..
Last verified: 2026-07-19
Pennsylvania roofing license at a glance
Every figure here is a plain-English starting point read from the official state board — always confirm the current requirements at the source before you rely on them.
License type / class
No state roofing or general-contractor license exists. Contractors doing $5,000+/year of residential home-improvement work (including roofing) must complete Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration with the PA Attorney General's Office — a consumer-protection registration, not a skills-tested license. Some municipalities separately require their own local contractor license.
Issuing board
Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General — Bureau of Consumer Protection (Home Improvement Contractor Registration Program); the PA Dept. of Labor & Industry confirms there is no statewide contractor licensure requirement. — attorneygeneral.gov/resources/home-improvement-contractor-registration
Exam required
No
Experience / qualification
None required for HIC registration — it's a consumer-protection registration, not a skills-tested license. Individual municipalities that license contractors locally may set their own experience rules; check with your city.
Bond
No state bond is required for HIC registration. Check whether your municipality requires one for a local contractor license.
Insurance minimum
Commercial general liability insurance with at least $50,000 in personal injury coverage and at least $50,000 in property damage coverage is required to register.
Application fee
$100 for a 2-year HIC registration (new or renewal); the fee is non-refundable.
Renewal
HIC registration must be renewed every 2 years.
Reciprocity
Not applicable — there's no state roofing license to reciprocate. Out-of-state contractors doing $5,000+ of PA home-improvement work must still register directly with the PA Attorney General's Office.
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| License type / class | No state roofing or general-contractor license exists. Contractors doing $5,000+/year of residential home-improvement work (including roofing) must complete Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration with the PA Attorney General's Office — a consumer-protection registration, not a skills-tested license. Some municipalities separately require their own local contractor license. |
| Issuing board | Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General — Bureau of Consumer Protection (Home Improvement Contractor Registration Program); the PA Dept. of Labor & Industry confirms there is no statewide contractor licensure requirement. — attorneygeneral.gov/resources/home-improvement-contractor-registration |
| Exam required | No |
| Experience / qualification | None required for HIC registration — it's a consumer-protection registration, not a skills-tested license. Individual municipalities that license contractors locally may set their own experience rules; check with your city. |
| Bond | No state bond is required for HIC registration. Check whether your municipality requires one for a local contractor license. |
| Insurance minimum | Commercial general liability insurance with at least $50,000 in personal injury coverage and at least $50,000 in property damage coverage is required to register. |
| Application fee | $100 for a 2-year HIC registration (new or renewal); the fee is non-refundable. |
| Renewal | HIC registration must be renewed every 2 years. |
| Reciprocity | Not applicable — there's no state roofing license to reciprocate. Out-of-state contractors doing $5,000+ of PA home-improvement work must still register directly with the PA Attorney General's Office. |
How to get a roofing license in Pennsylvania
- Confirm you're covered: registration is required once you perform $5,000+ of home-improvement work (roofing included) on Pennsylvania private residences in a year.
- Get commercial general liability insurance with at least $50,000/$50,000 personal injury and property damage coverage.
- Register online through the PA-HICRS system on the Attorney General's website (a paper application is also available).
- Pay the $100 registration fee, which covers a 2-year period.
- Check with the city or municipality where you'll work — Pennsylvania has roughly 2,500 municipalities and some maintain their own separate local contractor licensing that the state doesn't track.
- Renew your HIC registration every 2 years.
Working without a license in Pennsylvania
Performing home-improvement work (including roofing) without HIC registration can bring civil penalties of $1,000 or more per violation plus injunctive action by the Attorney General, and knowing violations of the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act can be prosecuted as home improvement fraud.
Last verified: 2026-07-19
Roofing license rules change and often vary by city and county. This page is a plain-English starting point, not legal advice — always confirm the current requirements with the state board linked below before you rely on them.
Verify at the source: attorneygeneral.gov/resources/home-improvement-contractor-registration
More official sources: PA HIC Registration — Contractor FAQ · PA Dept. of Labor & Industry — Contractor Licensing (state vs. local) · PA HIC Registration search/verification tool
Licensed and ready? Now get the site that books the work.
Once you're licensed, the next job comes from being found online — free to build and preview, $49/mo only when you publish.