PENNSYLVANIA HOME IMPROVEMENT CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT
Contractors must be registered by
July 1, 2009

In 2008, the Pennsylvania Legislature passed the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act.  The law requires that all contractors who perform at least $5,000 worth of home improvements per year must register with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.

Under the new law, a home improvement contractor is defined as:

  • Any person who owns and operates a home improvement business or who undertakes, offers to undertake or agrees to perform any home improvement.  The term includes a subcontractor or independent contractor who has contracted with a home improvement retailer, regardless of the retailer’s net worth, to provide home improvement services to the retailer’s customers. 

Anyone who owns or operates a home improvement business or who offers, performs, or agrees to perform home improvements in Pennsylvania must register with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General unless a business falls within two exceptions:  small contractors (less than $5,000 of work in a calendar year) and large retailers (net worth or more than $50 million).  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.

The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General is registering home improvement contractors right now.  Any contractor that is not registered by July 1, 2009 will be prohibited from offering or performing home improvements until becoming registered.

Registration numbers must be included in all contracts, estimates, proposals and advertisements used after July 1, 2009.  Home improvement contractor registrations are valid for two years, and must be renewed biennially.

How do I register?

Contractors can register by visiting http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/hic.aspx?id=4313 or by calling (717) 772-2425.  A non-refundable fee of $50.00 must accompany each application.  Contractors may mail completed application forms to:

Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
Bureau of Consumer Protection
15th Floor, Strawberry Square
Harrisburg, PA 17120
ATTN:  Home Improvement Contractor Registration

What information is required to register?

The law requires contractors to submit a completed application which includes:

  • Contact and identifying information for the applicant, including information on any prior home improvement businesses operated by the applicant
  • For corporations and business entities, information on partners, officers, managers and other parties with an interest in the business
  • Information on other contractor licenses and registrations held by the applicant
  • A description of the applicant’s business
  • Background disclosures, including information on prior bankruptcies and criminal pleas or convictions
  • Insurance policy information showing at least $50,000 of personal injury liability coverage and $50,000 of property damage coverag;
  • A signed and dated certification by the applicant and
  • A non-refundable application fee of $50.00

For more information, visit http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/hic.aspx?id=4313 or call (717) 772-2425.

 

Questions?  Contact Darren Reaman, CEDIA Director of Public Policy at (800) 669-5329 ext. 144 or dreaman@cedia.org.