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Pennsylvania
Source: Local Help Stations (localhelpstations.com). Last updated November 2, 2026.
In Pennsylvania, the statewide rules for home work center on contractor registration with the Attorney General and the contract and deposit rules in the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act. These are the statewide rules we could confirm on official pages.
Key Pennsylvania facts
- Contractors who do at least $5,000 of home improvements a year must register with the Attorney General under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (HICPA). (source: Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General)
- Registration is not an endorsement of a contractor's skill, so the Attorney General also suggests checking references and getting more than one bid. (source: Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General)
- Registered contractors must show their registration number on ads, contracts, estimates and proposals. (source: Pennsylvania General Assembly)
- Contractors must carry public liability insurance of at least $50,000 and property damage coverage of at least $50,000. (source: Pennsylvania General Assembly)
- Home improvement contracts over $500 must be in writing. (source: Pennsylvania General Assembly)
- You can cancel a home improvement contract within three business days of signing. (source: Pennsylvania General Assembly)
- The state Supreme Court agreed with the Attorney General that you can cancel within those three days by phone, in writing or in person, as long as the contractor actually gets notice. (source: Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General)
- On jobs over $5,000, a contractor generally may not take a deposit above one third of the price, plus the cost of special order materials. (source: Pennsylvania General Assembly)
- Pennsylvania requires vehicle safety inspections, and the fees are posted at each official inspection station. (source: PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services)
- Gasoline vehicles of model year 1975 or newer registered in 25 counties, including Allegheny, Philadelphia and York, need an annual emissions inspection. (source: PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services)
Pennsylvania topics
Pennsylvania auto
Pennsylvania auto repair rules come from the Attorney General's automotive trade practice regulations, the Automobile Lemon Law and PennDOT inspection rules.
Not covered yet
We have not published Pennsylvania pages for these topics yet, because we have not confirmed enough Pennsylvania specific facts on official pages: HVAC, Plumbing, Electrician, Roofing, Appliance repair, Garage doors, Locksmith, Pest control, Movers.
Sources
- Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General: Home Improvement Contractor Registration (checked November 2, 2026)
- Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General: Home Improvement Contractor Verification (checked November 2, 2026)
- Pennsylvania General Assembly: Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, Act 132 of 2008 (statute text) (checked November 2, 2026)
- Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General: PA Supreme Court Upholds Consumer Right to Cancel Home Improvement Contracts Within Three Days Regardless of Medium (checked November 2, 2026)
- PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services: Safety Inspection Program (checked November 2, 2026)
- PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services: Form MV 421, County of Residence Verification (emissions counties) (checked November 2, 2026)
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