Pennsylvania Masonry License Requirements (2026)

Pennsylvania does not issue a statewide masonry trade license. Under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (HICPA), a contractor that performs at least $5,000 of home improvements a year generally must register with the Office of Attorney General. Covered work includes improvements connected to a private residence when the agreed total cash price is more than $500. New-home construction is excluded. State registration is separate from local building permits and business requirements; confirm municipal requirements for masonry, commercial work, excavation, and project permits.

Who Regulates This Work

Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General — Bureau of Consumer Protection, Home Improvement Contractor Registration (PA OAG HIC) is the primary authority or official reference used for this guide. The controlling authority cited here is Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, 73 P.S. §517.1 et seq. (Act 132 of 2008). The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General administers the statewide Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration program under HICPA. Pennsylvania does NOT issue a statewide general contractor, electrician, plumber, or HVAC license — all trade licensing happens at the municipal level. HIC registration is a consumer-protection filing, not a competency license: there is no exam, no experience requirement, and no trade testing. It is mandatory for any contractor performing residential home improvement work totaling more than $5,000 in a calendar year.

Official reference: https://hic.attorneygeneral.gov/
Address: Strawberry Square, 14th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17120
Phone: (717) 772-2425

State and Local Eligibility Rules

There is no single statewide application for this work, so this guide does not impose a uniform applicant-age, identification, or tax-number rule. Check the business, specialty-trade, and local authorities that govern the actual project. HICPA applies to contractors offering or performing covered home improvements in Pennsylvania, including out-of-state contractors.

State-level applicant screening

The application collects background information, including bankruptcies and criminal pleas or convictions.

Background-check requirements

Provide the current application disclosures; the Attorney General’s restored system includes automated criminal-docket checks.

Experience and Scope Requirements

No single statewide year-based experience threshold governs the local or scope-specific path described here. The controlling requirement is HICPA registration has no published general masonry-experience prerequisite..

Relevant records and local documents

Current HICPA registration application, insurance information, and required business/background disclosures

Education and scope boundaries

No education substitution applies because no general experience requirement is published.

Testing Requirements

There is no single statewide trade examination for the local or scope-specific path described here. The applicable testing rule is: No Pennsylvania state masonry examination

Examination fee: No state examination fee.

Insurance, Bonds, and Project Requirements

No statewide contractor-license bond applies to the local or scope-specific path described here. A city, county, permit authority, public owner, or project contract may still require a bond, so confirm the actual project requirements before bidding.

General liability

HICPA requires proof of liability insurance with at least $50,000 personal-injury coverage and $50,000 property-damage coverage.

Workers' compensation

Check Pennsylvania workers’ compensation obligations for the business’s staffing arrangement.

Financial or filing requirements

The HICPA materials do not publish a general financial-statement or contractor-bond requirement.

State and Local Fees

Fee	Amount
Application or registration	$100
Initial credential or registration	$100
Renewal (every 2 years)	$100

To budget for the applicable registration, permits, insurance, and project requirements, open the cost calculator preloaded for Pennsylvania masonry.

Renewal and Ongoing Compliance

The Pennsylvania Home Improvement Contractor Registration runs on a 2 years renewal cycle. The current renewal fee is $100. The current registration page sets a $100 fee for renewal. Update listed registration changes within 30 days.

Continuing education: No general HICPA continuing-education requirement is published.

Downloadable Asset

2026 Pennsylvania Masonry Compliance Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the state, local, and project checks.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Out-of-State Credentials and Local Recognition

Pennsylvania has no single statewide credential for this path to transfer through NASCLA. An authority may consider an outside license, examination, or experience record only under its own current rules.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
No formal bilateral reciprocity agreements identified.

This is Pennsylvania registration rather than reciprocal trade licensure. Out-of-state contractors performing covered Pennsylvania home improvements must comply with HICPA.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares published Masonry license requirements by state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

Masonry Licensing in Neighboring States

Contractors working near a state line, or weighing where to qualify first, should compare Pennsylvania's requirements against the bordering jurisdictions before bidding or beginning work:

Delaware Masonry License Requirements — Delaware Contractor Business License and Contractor Registration Certificate
Maryland Masonry License Requirements — Maryland Home Improvement Contractor (MHIC) License
New Jersey Masonry License Requirements — New Jersey Home Improvement Contractor Business (HICB) Registration
New York Masonry License Requirements — No State Masonry License — Local Contractor Requirements
Ohio Masonry License Requirements — Ohio Masonry — Local Registration Only (No State License)
West Virginia Masonry License Requirements — West Virginia Masonry Contractor License

Step-by-Step Compliance Roadmap

Confirm HICPA scope. Registration generally applies at $5,000 or more of home-improvement work per year; new-home construction is excluded.
Prepare business and background information. The application requires identifying, business, license, and background disclosures.
Maintain the required insurance. Show at least $50,000 personal-injury and $50,000 property-damage liability coverage.
Apply through the Attorney General. The current registration page states a $100 non-refundable fee for both new and renewal applications.
Use compliant written contracts. For covered contracts above $500, use the HICPA-required written terms and disclosures.
Display the PA registration number. Include the PA number clearly and conspicuously in advertisements, contracts, estimates, and proposals.
Check local permits and scope. Pull permits where required and verify local requirements. Philadelphia recognizes registered PA HICs without a separate ordinary contractor license.
Renew every two years. Keep insurance and application information current; update registration information within 30 days of a listed change.

Pre-Work Checklist

Before bidding or beginning work, confirm each item below with the authorities that govern the project location and scope:

HICPA scope and $5,000 annual threshold confirmed
Current business and background disclosures
$50,000 personal-injury and $50,000 property-damage liability insurance
Attorney General registration and $100 fee
Written-contract process for covered work over $500
PA number on ads, contracts, estimates, and proposals
Municipal permit and specialty requirements checked

Common Compliance Mistakes

The issues below are the most likely to create an unlicensed-work, registration, permit, or scope problem for Pennsylvania Masonry work, based on the official sources cited on this page.

Using the old $50 fee

The current Attorney General registration page states a $100 fee every two years for new and renewal applications.

Confusing the two thresholds

The annual registration threshold is $5,000, while covered home-improvement work and written-contract rules use the $500 contract value.

Claiming every city requires a second contractor license

Local rules vary; Philadelphia’s current requirements recognize registered PA HICs without a separate ordinary HIC license.

Missing changes to registration information

The Attorney General says listed registration changes must be updated within 30 days.

Treating HICPA as a construction permit

State registration does not replace local permits, inspections, or specialty licensing.

Official References and Preparation Materials

These materials are drawn from the regulator's own citations and the references applicants commonly use to prepare. CLR receives no compensation for listing them.

HICPA contractor FAQs and application instructions — Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Use current online instructions before applying.
Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act — Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Primary source for scope, contracts, and prohibited practices.
Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code — PA Department of Labor and Industry. Check municipal enforcement and permit requirements for each project.

Other Pennsylvania Trade Licenses

Looking at a different trade? CLR also publishes these Pennsylvania licensing guides:

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Pennsylvania have a masonry license?

No statewide masonry trade license. HICPA registration generally applies if the contractor performs at least $5,000 of covered home improvements a year.

What insurance is required?

At least $50,000 personal-injury liability coverage and $50,000 property-damage coverage.

What is the written-contract threshold?

HICPA covers improvements connected to a private residence with an agreed total cash price above $500; the Attorney General says written contracts are required when the price exceeds $500.

Do I need a separate Philadelphia contractor license?

Philadelphia lists registered PA home-improvement contractors as having no separate Philadelphia license for ordinary HIC work. Check the city for permits and specialty or excavation requirements.

How much is registration?

The current Attorney General registration page states $100 every two years for new and renewal applications.

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

Verified 2026-09-04 · Next scheduled review 2026-12-03

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Corrections and presentation updates

2026-09-30: Corrected examination detection when format details are unpublished and updated the summary layout and requirements score. Source-check dates are unchanged.
2026-09-08: Shared template updated to distinguish unspecified eligibility requirements, retain cost qualifications, and use consistent headings. Source-check dates are unchanged by presentation updates.
2026-09-21: Local-only guides now use a compliance-focused structure and terminology instead of implying a statewide license application. Source-check dates are unchanged by this presentation update.