Find a licensed contractor and contractor information

City of Philadelphia

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Property owners should make sure that contractors have:

Proper licenses and registrations.
A good reputation.
The required permits before starting work.

Contractors are licensed by the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I).

Choosing and working with a contractor

Licenses and registrations

Property owners should make sure that contractors have required licenses or registrations before hiring them.

Plumbers, electricians, fire suppression contractors, and complete demolition contractors must have a Philadelphia trade license.
Unless they work only on existing one-or-two-family residences, other contractors who do construction, demolition, and repair work need a contractor license.
Contractors who only work on existing one-or-two-family dwellings and are not plumbers, electricians, fire suppression workers, or complete demolition contractors must register as Home Improvement Contractors with the PA Attorney General’s Office.

Reputation

Property owners should ask contractors for references and do additional research. The recommendations from the Attorney General’s Office include:

Checking contractors’ references.
Getting more than one bid for the job.
Checking for complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau.

Permits

Once you hire a contractor, make sure that they have the required permits from L&I and have posted those permits on your property before they begin work.