Pennsylvania plumbing license requirements and insurance
To work for yourself as a plumber in Pennsylvania, you need the Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration, statewide license. Pennsylvania has 4 plumbing license types, and which one you need depends on the work you take on. The state's minimum liability insurance is $50,000 for injury and $50,000 for property damage, and workers' comp is required as soon as you have one employee, full time or part time. The state does not ask for a bond.
Who it applies to
1Who needs a plumbing license in Pennsylvania? What is this?
Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration, statewide: anyone who does or offers home improvement work on private homes, once that work came to $5,000 or more in the previous tax year. Plumbing repair, replacement and installation on a home count as home improvement
| License | Who needs it | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration, statewide | Anyone who does or offers home improvement work on private homes, once that work came to $5,000 or more in the previous tax year. Plumbing repair, replacement and installation on a home count as home improvement | Not a trade license. It is a registration that lets you contract with homeowners anywhere in Pennsylvania. It does not replace a city plumbing license |
| Master Plumber's License (City of Philadelphia) | The person who runs a plumbing business in Philadelphia. All plumbing work in the city must be done by or under a licensed master plumber | Build, alter and repair drainage systems, cesspools, traps, waste vents, water piping, and fixtures attached to the plumbing, inside Philadelphia. Gas and electric heaters are excluded |
| Journeyman Plumber License (City of Philadelphia) | A plumber who works under a licensed master plumber in Philadelphia. It does not let you run a business | The same plumbing work as a master plumber, but only under a master plumber's supervision |
| Plumber Apprentice License (City of Philadelphia) | Anyone learning the trade under a Philadelphia master plumber. Four years as a registered apprentice is the path to the journeyman license | Plumbing work under supervision only |
| Other cities and counties | A plumber working outside Philadelphia. Pittsburgh, Allentown, Harrisburg, Erie and many townships license plumbers through their own building or health office | Each city sets who needs a license, the experience, the exam and the fee. Ask the building department of the city or township before you quote a job there |
Who runs it
2Who issues plumber licenses in Pennsylvania? What is this?
Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Consumer Protection (home improvement contractor registration only) issues plumbing licenses in Pennsylvania.
See how this compares in every state: How to check a contractor's license, state by state
| Name | Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Consumer Protection (home improvement contractor registration only) |
|---|---|
| Website | attorneygeneral.gov |
| Look up a license | hicsearch.attorneygeneral.gov |
| The law | Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, Act 132 of 2008 (73 P.S. 517.1 and following) |
| The rulebook | None at state level. Pennsylvania has no plumbing license law and no state plumbing board. Your city or township sets the plumbing license rules |
The state does not license plumbers. Philadelphia licenses them through its Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I). Other cities and counties have their own offices
Taken from the linked page, not separately checked
·4 official pages
- hicsearch.attorneygeneral.gov/
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-73-ps-trade-and-commerce/pa-st-sect-73-517-3/
- attorneygeneral.gov/businesses-and-organizations/home-improvement-contractor-registration/register-as-a-contractor/
- phila.gov/departments/department-of-licenses-and-inspections/licenses/trade-licenses/
Getting licensed
3How to become a plumber in Pennsylvania What is this?
Pennsylvania has 5 licenses that matter to a plumber: Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration, statewide, Master Plumber's License (City of Philadelphia), Journeyman Plumber License (City of Philadelphia), Plumber Apprentice License (City of Philadelphia), Other cities and counties. Each is below, with what you need before you apply.
| License | Experience required | Training required | Exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration, statewide | None | None | No |
| Master Plumber's License (City of Philadelphia) | At least one year registered as a Philadelphia journeyman plumber, or an equal license from another place that L&I accepts | None | Yes, the Philadelphia Master Plumber Examination, run by the International Code Council (ICC). Apply within 12 months of passing |
| Journeyman Plumber License (City of Philadelphia) | At least four years registered as an apprentice plumber in Philadelphia, or an equal license from another place that L&I accepts | None | Yes, the Journeyman Plumber Examination, run by the International Code Council (ICC). Apply within 12 months of passing |
| Plumber Apprentice License (City of Philadelphia) | — | — | — |
| Other cities and counties | — | — | — |
What it costs
4How much does a plumbing license cost in Pennsylvania? What is this?
The government fees on this page add up to about $100 in Pennsylvania. Add insurance, tools, and a vehicle to get the real number.
| License | Application | First license | Renewal | Late renewal, per month late | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration, statewide | $100 | — | $100 | — | The $100 covers two years and is the same whether you are registering for the first time or renewing. It is not refundable. Changing details on a registration you already hold costs nothing. The fee went up from $50 in 2026 under a change to the state Fiscal Code at 72 P.S. 1603-U. |
| Master Plumber's License (City of Philadelphia) | $50 | $303 | $253 | $1.5 | — |
| Journeyman Plumber License (City of Philadelphia) | — | $303 | $253 | $1.5 | — |
| Plumber Apprentice License (City of Philadelphia) | $20 | $25 | $25 | — | — |
Added up
| Government fees, added up | $100 |
|---|---|
| City license fees, added up | $353 |
Does not include the ICC exam fee, insurance premiums, tools, a vehicle, or city permits. Outside Philadelphia add your own city's license fee
Insurance
5How much plumbing insurance do you need in Pennsylvania? What is this?
The least liability insurance Pennsylvania lets a plumber work with is $50,000 for injury and $50,000 for property damage. Most customers ask for more. Workers' comp is required as soon as you have one employee, full time or part time.
| Minimum liability insurance (injury) | $50,000 |
|---|---|
| Minimum liability insurance (property damage) | $50,000 |
| Type of policy | Liability insurance for injury and for property damage caused by your work |
| Who this applies to |
|
| Who must be named on the certificate | The statute does not name one. You give proof of insurance with your registration |
| City rules | Philadelphia master plumbers must carry general liability of $500,000 per claim, auto liability of $300,000, and workers' comp with a $500,000 policy limit |
| Workers' comp required? | Yes, as soon as you have one employee, full time or part time |
| Who can opt out |
|
| Workers' comp: if you skip it | Working without cover is a crime. The state can prosecute, and fines add up for each day without cover. The state does not publish the amounts |
Checked by a person against the official page
·4 official pages
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-73-ps-trade-and-commerce/pa-st-sect-73-517-4/
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-73-ps-trade-and-commerce/pa-st-sect-73-517-7/
- phila.gov/services/permits-violations-licenses/get-a-license/trade-licenses/get-a-master-plumbers-license/
- pa.gov/agencies/dli/resources/for-employers-and-educators/workers--compensation-for-employers/workers--compensation-compliance.html
Money checks
6Does Pennsylvania check your credit for a plumber license? What is this?
Pennsylvania does not check your credit for this license.
| Credit score you need | None. Pennsylvania does not check your credit to register |
|---|---|
| If your score is lower | Not needed. The registration asks for your business details and proof of insurance, not a credit report |
Bonds
7Does a plumber need a bond in Pennsylvania? What is this?
Pennsylvania does not require a state bond for this license. Some cities ask for one before they issue permits.
| Does the state require a bond? | No |
|---|---|
| Amount | Not listed yet |
The state does not ask for one. Philadelphia's plumber pages do not mention one either. Some townships ask for a bond before they issue a permit, so ask the local building department
Checked by software against the official page
Showing your number
8Where must a Pennsylvania plumber show the license number? What is this?
In Pennsylvania: your home improvement registration number must be on every written home improvement contract.
| The rule | Your home improvement registration number must be on every written home improvement contract |
|---|---|
| On ads | Your registration number must appear in every advertisement, and the law counts an estimate or proposal the same way |
| On quotes, contracts, and invoices | On every contract, estimate and proposal. PA plus your number is enough, such as PA372 |
| On your vehicles | Only when the van carries an advert for the business. Then that advert must show the number. A plain van needs nothing |
| City rules | Philadelphia sets its own rule for plumbers in the Philadelphia Code. Ask L&I where the number must appear |
| If you forget | A contract without the number does not meet the law, and the customer can void it. Failing to register is a prohibited act under the state consumer protection law |
Checked by a person against the official page
Tax
9Does a plumber charge sales tax on labor in Pennsylvania? What is this?
In Pennsylvania, no sales tax. Installing or replacing piping, sinks, toilets, water heaters, pumps and septic tanks makes them part of the building, so the job is a construction contract and the customer pays no tax. The rest of the rules are below.
See how this compares in every state: Can you charge sales tax on labor? The rule in 25 states
| What this tax is | Pennsylvania sales and use tax. For plumbing work you are treated as the final buyer of the materials, so the tax is paid when you buy, not when you bill |
|---|---|
| Who pays tax on materials |
|
| Labor on buildings | No sales tax. Installing or replacing piping, sinks, toilets, water heaters, pumps and septic tanks makes them part of the building, so the job is a construction contract and the customer pays no tax |
| Repairs | No sales tax. Opening a drain or repairing a water leak is a repair to the building, which the state says is not a taxable service |
| Service contracts |
|
| Things that are not part of the building | If you sell and install something that does not become part of the building, such as a portable or free-standing unit, you are a retailer. You charge the customer tax on the item, the labor and the delivery |
| Tax-exempt customers | Working for a school, charity or government can let you buy some materials tax-free. The state's building machinery and equipment rule covers plumbing items, but not pipes, fittings or pipe supports, and you still pay tax on those |
| Do you register to collect tax? | Not needed if all you do is construction work and repairs. You need a sales tax license if you sell items at retail or want to pay use tax directly |
| Tax rate | 6 percent state. 7 percent in Allegheny County. 8 percent in Philadelphia |
Checked by a person against the official page
·7 official pages
- pa.gov/agencies/revenue/resources/tax-types-and-information/sales-use-and-hotel-occupancy-tax/building-machinery-and-equipment
- pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/061/chapter31/s31.11.html&d=reduce
- pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/061/chapter31/s31.12.html&d=reduce
- pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/061/chapter31/s31.13.html&d=reduce
- pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/061/chapter60/s60.1.html&d=reduce
- pa.gov/agencies/revenue/resources/tax-types-and-information/sales-use-and-hotel-occupancy-tax.html
- pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/revenue/documents/taxtypes/sut/documents/construction_contractors.pdf
Getting paid
10Getting paid: lien and notice deadlines for a Pennsylvania plumber What is this?
If you are not paid in Pennsylvania, a lien on the property is your backstop, but only if your notice goes out on time: a formal written notice to the owner at least 30 days before you file the lien, saying you intend to file (to file on December 1, the notice goes by November 1). Send it by first class, registered or certified mail.
- Day 0Your first day on the job
The clock starts here.
- Day 30Send your notice
A formal written notice to the owner at least 30 days before you file the lien, saying you intend to file (to file on December 1, the notice goes by November 1). Send it by first class, registered or certified mail
Each day count is counted from the day the rule beside it names, which is not always the same day. Read the sentence under each one.
| Who has to send a notice | A subcontractor, meaning anyone hired by the contractor rather than by the owner. A contractor hired by the owner sends no notice before filing |
|---|---|
| Send your notice by | A formal written notice to the owner at least 30 days before you file the lien, saying you intend to file (to file on December 1, the notice goes by November 1). Send it by first class, registered or certified mail |
| File your lien by | File the lien with the county prothonotary (the civil court clerk) within six months after you finish your work (last day on the job June 1 means file by December 1). Then serve the owner with notice of the filing within one month after filing |
| Homes the owner lives in | If the owner or tenant lives in a house of one or two units, or a townhouse, and has paid the contractor in full, a subcontractor has no lien. Your claim is against the contractor only |
| Large projects |
|
A lien needs a claim over $500. The lien is a legal claim on the property for money you are owed
Checked by software against the official page
·7 official pages
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-49-ps-mechanics-liens/pa-st-sect-49-1501/
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-49-ps-mechanics-liens/pa-st-sect-49-1502/
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-49-ps-mechanics-liens/pa-st-sect-49-1301/
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-49-ps-mechanics-liens/pa-st-sect-49-1201/
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-49-ps-mechanics-liens/pa-st-sect-49-1501-2/
- scnd.pa.gov/
- palegis.us/statutes/unconsolidated/law-information/view-statute?act=497&chpt=5&iFrame=true&sessInd=0&smthLwInd=0&txtType=HTM&yr=1963
Keeping it
11How do you renew a plumbing license in Pennsylvania? What is this?
The Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration, statewide renews every two years. No training hours are required.
| License | Renewal | Training hours each year |
|---|---|---|
| Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration, statewide | Every two years | — |
| Master Plumber's License (City of Philadelphia) | Annual | — |
| Journeyman Plumber License (City of Philadelphia) | Annual | — |
Renewal fees are in what the license costs. The official page for each license is linked under how you get it.
Watch out
12What catches people out in Pennsylvania What is this?
The things people get wrong or do not expect about Pennsylvania, in a few sentences.
- Pennsylvania has no state plumbing license. The state only registers you as a home improvement contractor. The trade license itself comes from your city or township, and each one has its own rules.
- You must register with the Attorney General before doing any home improvement work once your home jobs top $5,000 in a year. Under $5,000 a year you are exempt.
- The state insurance minimum is low. $50,000 for injury and $50,000 for property damage. Philadelphia asks a master plumber for ten times that, $500,000 per claim.
- A home improvement contract over $500 must be in writing, carry your registration number, and give the customer three business days to cancel. Miss the rules and the customer can void it.
- You pay sales tax at the supply house and charge the customer no tax on plumbing work. Opening a drain or fixing a leak is a repair, and repairs to buildings are not taxed.
- If a builder hired you on a house of one or two units and the owner paid the builder in full, you have no lien on that house. Your claim is against the builder only.
Still being checked
·6 official pages
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-73-ps-trade-and-commerce/pa-st-sect-73-517-2/
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-73-ps-trade-and-commerce/pa-st-sect-73-517-4/
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-73-ps-trade-and-commerce/pa-st-sect-73-517-7/
- phila.gov/services/permits-violations-licenses/get-a-license/trade-licenses/get-a-master-plumbers-license/
- pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/061/chapter60/s60.1.html&d=reduce
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-49-ps-mechanics-liens/pa-st-sect-49-1301/
13Where these numbers come from
The labels under each table are explained on how to read a page.
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-73-ps-trade-and-commerce/pa-st-sect-73-517-2/
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-73-ps-trade-and-commerce/pa-st-sect-73-517-4/
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-73-ps-trade-and-commerce/pa-st-sect-73-517-7/
- phila.gov/services/permits-violations-licenses/get-a-license/trade-licenses/get-a-master-plumbers-license/
- pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/061/chapter60/s60.1.html&d=reduce
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-49-ps-mechanics-liens/pa-st-sect-49-1301/
- hicsearch.attorneygeneral.gov/
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-73-ps-trade-and-commerce/pa-st-sect-73-517-3/
- attorneygeneral.gov/businesses-and-organizations/home-improvement-contractor-registration/register-as-a-contractor/
- phila.gov/departments/department-of-licenses-and-inspections/licenses/trade-licenses/
- attorneygeneral.gov/businesses-and-organizations/home-improvement-contractor-registration/
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-73-ps-trade-and-commerce/pa-st-sect-73-517-9/
- phila.gov/services/permits-violations-licenses/get-a-license/trade-licenses/get-a-journeyman-plumber-license/
- phila.gov/services/permits-violations-licenses/get-a-license/trade-licenses/get-a-plumber-apprentice-license/
- pittsburghpa.gov/Business-Development/Permits-Licenses-and-Inspections/Licensing
- alleghenycounty.us/Services/Health-Department/Plumbing-Program
- pa.gov/agencies/dli/resources/for-employers-and-educators/workers--compensation-for-employers/workers--compensation-compliance.html
- pa.gov/agencies/revenue/resources/tax-types-and-information/sales-use-and-hotel-occupancy-tax/building-machinery-and-equipment
- pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/061/chapter31/s31.11.html&d=reduce
- pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/061/chapter31/s31.12.html&d=reduce
- pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/061/chapter31/s31.13.html&d=reduce
- pa.gov/agencies/revenue/resources/tax-types-and-information/sales-use-and-hotel-occupancy-tax.html
- pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/revenue/documents/taxtypes/sut/documents/construction_contractors.pdf
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-49-ps-mechanics-liens/pa-st-sect-49-1501/
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-49-ps-mechanics-liens/pa-st-sect-49-1502/
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-49-ps-mechanics-liens/pa-st-sect-49-1201/
- codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-49-ps-mechanics-liens/pa-st-sect-49-1501-2/
- scnd.pa.gov/
- palegis.us/statutes/unconsolidated/law-information/view-statute?act=497&chpt=5&iFrame=true&sessInd=0&smthLwInd=0&txtType=HTM&yr=1963