Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania does not license roofers the way some states license trades. It registers home improvement contractors, and that distinction matters — because the registration proves something narrower than most homeowners assume.
What registration is, and is not
Contractors performing home improvement work above a modest annual threshold must register with the state and display a registration number on contracts and advertising. The register is public and searchable, and a number that does not return a live record is the end of the conversation.
What it proves: that the business exists, has provided insurance information, and has not been barred. What it does not prove: skill, or that this crew has ever hung a slate. Registration is a floor, not a verdict.
The contract is where the protection actually is
State law sets out what a home improvement contract must contain: the registration number, the full scope, the total price, the approximate start and completion dates, and the customer’s right to cancel within a set period. A contract missing those elements is not merely informal, it is deficient.
Read the deposit terms with particular attention. There are limits on what can be demanded up front for work not yet performed, and a request well beyond the cost of ordered materials is worth questioning before signing.
Two checks beyond the register
The municipal permit. Roof replacement generally requires one, the record is public, and it confirms who pulled it and whether it was closed out. An open permit on a house you are buying is a problem you inherit.
And the insurance certificate, requested from the insurer rather than the contractor. A certificate forwarded by the person it covers proves less than one that arrives from the company that issued it.
Quick answers
- Is a registration number the same as a licence?
- No, and the difference matters. Registration confirms the business is declared and insured. It says nothing about competence with any particular material.
- How much deposit is reasonable?
- Enough to cover ordered materials, not a large share of the total before work begins. State rules constrain this; a request far beyond materials is worth questioning.
- What if the contractor says no permit is needed?
- Verify with the municipality rather than accepting it. Requirements differ between boroughs and townships here, and the record is public either way.
Next step: Roof inspection