City of Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections (PA)

Online

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A Contractor License is required for any business doing work that:

• Involves construction, demolition, or repair.
• Does not require a specialized company license.

Some work requires a specialized license, including:

• Complete demolition.
• Electrical.
• Fire suppression.
• Plumbing.

You don’t need this license if your business only does work on existing one-or-two-family dwellings and does not do work that requires a special trade license. In that case, the company must instead register as a Home Improvement Contractor with the State.

Online or In person

• Business Income and Receipts Tax ID (BIRT)
• Commercial Activity License
• Insurance
• You must provide a Certificate of Insurance that includes these minimum amounts:
  • General liability: $500,000 per occurrence
  • Automobile liability insurance: $300,000
  • Worker’s compensation:
    • $100,000 per accident
    • $100,000 per employee
    • $500,000 policy limit
• Safety training
  • You must identify the supervisors responsible for construction projects. A supervisor can only be employed by one company. They must also show proof of completion of an approved OSHA 30 safety training course taken within five years of application date
• Tax compliance
  • The contractor must be current on all City of Philadelphia taxes.
• Operating requirements
  • The contractor must follow the contractor requirements laid out in the Contractor Operational Requirements.

Online
1 Upload all required documents. Applications are reviewed within five business days.
2 If the application is approved, you will receive a notice to pay the balance. If the application isn’t approved, you will receive an email stating what is missing or required.

In-person
1 Visit the Permit and License Center. L&I can review most applications while you wait.
2 L&I will either issue your license or request more information.

Online or In person

Renewals are due annually

To renew your license, you must:

• Be current on all City of Philadelphia taxes.
• Have proof of an active insurance policy.
• Have eligible supervisor information on file with L&I.