Pennsylvania Jurisdiction Licensing

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sully1975

Member
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South Jersey/ metro philly
What town's and city's make you take a test?

I see Philadelphia does. Almost everything around it seems to just want a "FEE" if you have another license. But getting calls for assisting cell contractors. Everything always last minute and the bigger company wants permits.

Thank God, Delaware and Jersey aren't like PA.
 
infinity

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
sully1975 said:
Thank God, Delaware and Jersey aren't like PA.
Click to expand...

Yup, make fun of NJ with it's unified statewide licensing program all that you want but when you look to the surrounding states like PA and NY you'll see that their licensing programs are a joke.
 
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jksmith82

Senior Member
Location
PA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
I live about 10 miles outside of Philadelphia. It really is horrible as far as licensing is concerned. I know many GC’s that do there own work. And get it inspected. This has been a pet peeve of mine for many years. In 1993 I had to take a test, and it took me 6 hours. Today......all you need to do is pay 50 bucks to get a license from the attorney generals office. It’s called an HIC license.

Jim


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jksmith82

Senior Member
Location
PA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
One note: in the city you do need the Philadelphia license. But not in the suburbs. At least where I work.


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david

Senior Member
Location
Pennsylvania
sully1975 said:
What town's and city's make you take a test?

I see Philadelphia does. Almost everything around it seems to just want a "FEE" if you have another license. But getting calls for assisting cell contractors. Everything always last minute and the bigger company wants permits.

Thank God, Delaware and Jersey aren't like PA.
Click to expand...

As far as i know Allegheny County in the Pittsburgh area and Philadelphia,
the $50 is a registration fee for residential contracts it's not required for commercial work.

all residential repairs and residential alterations not structural and not effecting the egress of the dwelling do not require a permit

The registration requirement was an attempt to keep fly by nights from sneaking in and out
its primary effect was to require a written contract, liability, insurance and limit the amount a contractor could require as a down payment towards labor

Be careful in how the state defines a dwelling and be aware that a municipality had/has the right to submit to the department of labor and industry and adopt an ordinance requiring a permit for work that the state other wise has exempted from requiring a permit, after all the Law act 45 is referred to as the Uniform Construction Code

Few municipalities amended the Act but Philadelphia has, I also have been told Philadelphia independently from the state adopted the 2017 NEC and the 2018 ICC codes
 
tortuga

tortuga

Code Historian
Location
Oregon
Occupation
Electrical Design
My understanding is Due to PA being a commonwealth and not a state Philadelphia and other cities have more power over laws than cities in other states typically do. Most of South eastern PA counties/ townships/ boroughs accept either a Philadelphia license or a Reading license. Philadelphia used to have its own code and has a history of deviating from the state on many laws..
I believe Philadelphia more closely follows NJ than the western part of PA in terms of code.

https://www.readingpa.gov/content/trades-license-examination-application

https://business.phila.gov/electrical-contractor-license/

And watch out for all that two phase when working in philly :)
 
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