Selling a trade business in Pennsylvania
For owners of HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing and specialist trade businesses in Pennsylvania who are thinking about a possible sale and want a practical plan for their crew, customers and future.
Licensing in Pennsylvania
Licenses are often held by a person, not the company. Before a sale, know which licenses the business relies on and who holds them.
- Most home-improvement contractors must register with the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office; consult its guidance for registration requirements and exemptions.
- Pennsylvania has no statewide licensure or certification requirement for most construction contractors. Local trade requirements vary: Philadelphia licenses electrical and plumbing contractors, while Pittsburgh licenses electrical and HVAC trades.
Confirm current requirements directly with the licensing agency.
Last verified: against the official sources below. Requirements can change.
Official licensing sources
Use these to confirm the home-improvement registration required of contractors doing at least $5,000 of work a year, that Pennsylvania sets no general contractor license, and which trade licenses Philadelphia and Pittsburgh require.
Get ready
- Organize financial statements and current-year results.
- Separate service agreements from one-off installation revenue.
- Document crew leadership and license dependencies.
- Write down the jobs only you can do today.
- Decide what you want your next chapter to look like.
Other states
Preparation guidance only. This is not legal advice, a valuation or an offer to buy or sell. Business-specific questions are best answered by a human advisor.