How to Verify a PA Roofing Contractor's License

What Is the Pennsylvania HIC License?

Pennsylvania's Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) Act requires all contractors performing home improvement work — including roofing — on residential properties to register with the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection. Registration requires proof of liability insurance ($50,000 minimum), a valid address, and payment of a registration fee. The HIC number is the primary verification tool homeowners should use before signing any roofing contract in Pennsylvania. Hiring an unregistered contractor voids your legal protections under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, which provides remedies for incomplete, defective, or fraudulent work.

How to Look Up a Contractor's HIC Number

The Pennsylvania Attorney General maintains a public HIC verification database. To check a contractor's status:

1. Ask the contractor for their HIC registration number before any agreement.
2. Visit the PA Attorney General's Home Improvement Contractor search page (search "Pennsylvania HIC lookup" in your browser).
3. Enter the contractor's name or registration number to verify active status, registration expiration date, and any disciplinary actions on file.

Every contractor serving Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and all Pennsylvania cities through the RoofPros network holds a current, verified HIC registration. We verify credentials before contractor dispatch — homeowners never need to perform this check themselves for work we've arranged.

Insurance Requirements: What to Ask For

Beyond HIC registration, a qualified Pennsylvania roofing contractor should carry:

• General liability insurance — minimum $1,000,000 per occurrence. This covers damage to your property caused by the contractor's work or negligence.
• Workers' compensation insurance — covers injuries to crew members while working on your property. Without workers' comp, an injured worker can potentially sue the homeowner. Always ask for a certificate of insurance, not just a verbal claim of coverage.

Request a Certificate of Insurance (COI) naming you as the certificate holder. Any legitimate contractor provides this before work begins without hesitation. A contractor who resists providing an actual COI — rather than just telling you they're insured — is a red flag.

7 Red Flags That Signal an Unlicensed or Fraudulent Contractor

• No physical address or only a P.O. Box. Legitimate contractors have verifiable local business addresses.
• Pressure to sign immediately. Any claim that pricing is only available today, or that work must start immediately to qualify for a discount, is a pressure tactic used by storm chasers.
• Requests for large upfront payment. See warning above — PA law limits deposits.
• No written contract or vague scope of work. Every legitimate PA roofing project requires a written contract specifying materials, scope, cost, and timeline before any work begins.
• Out-of-state plates arriving shortly after a storm. Storm chasers follow major weather events across state lines. They take your deposit, do substandard work, and leave the area before warranty claims arise.
• Refuses to provide HIC number or insurance certificate. Non-negotiable disqualifiers.
• Quote dramatically lower than all other estimates. Unusually low quotes typically reflect unlicensed labor, substandard materials, or an intent to generate change orders that inflate the final cost.

Questions to Ask Before Hiring Any PA Roofing Contractor

• What is your HIC registration number?
• Can you provide a Certificate of Insurance for liability and workers' comp?
• Is your crew your own employees or do you subcontract?
• Do you pull permits for this type of work in my municipality?
• What is the warranty on both materials and workmanship?
• Can you provide references from recent jobs in this area?

For York, Lancaster, and other south-central PA communities that see significant storm-chaser activity after hail events and ice storms, these questions are particularly important to ask of any contractor approaching you unsolicited.

How RoofPros Pennsylvania Vets Its Contractor Network

Every contractor in the RoofPros Pennsylvania network holds a current PA HIC registration, verified general liability insurance ($1M+), and workers' compensation coverage. Credentials are verified at onboarding and checked for continued active status. We do not dispatch contractors with lapsed registrations or unverified insurance — your protection is a non-negotiable standard for any contractor we connect you with. Call (877) 401-3022 to be connected with a verified, licensed PA contractor today.