# How to become an electrician or any contractor in Pennsylvania



## jar546

There will be no exaggeration here, simply the truth:

1) Wake in the morning and decide that you want to be an electrician or (Insert building trade here)?  NO experience necessary whatsoever.  If you watched or helped someone once, you can then always say you have experience.

2) Go to your insurance agent's office for 9am sharp.  Tell your agent that you need liability insurance as an electrical contractor.  Pay the average of about $350-$400 for minimum liability coverage and get your binder.

3) Go directly home and log online to the Pennsylvania attorney general's site and register as a "Home Improvement Contractor". You will need your insurance binder at this point.  Pay the $50 fee and input your information.  Now write down that registration number they assigned you on the spot.  You will need that later.

4) On your way home, stop at Staples and get business cards.  Make sure you put that registration number on the card.  That's required!  They can actually do some right there on the spot.  I would start with about 250-500 cards as that should be enough to get started.

5) Stop at Lowes or Home Depot and buy a book on house wiring.  While you are there buy a few hand tools that you may need such a tester, linesman pliers, snips, screwdrivers, hex-key, etc.

6) By now it should be about lunch time.  Time to go somewhere for lunch and start leaving your cards on the pin up boards and tell everyone that you do electrical work.  You are official!!!!!

7) If you don't plan on doing residential work but only want to do commercial stuff then you can skip #3 as you don't even have to register with the state!!

So there you have it.  You can now work in 99% of the state without a problem.  After all, you are a registered contractor with the state of PA!!!!  Just stay out of larger cities that had licensing requirements in place prior to the HIC registration law.  You will have to take a test and prove your knowledge in those areas in order to get a license and work there.  I would not worry about that because there are LOTS of other electricians that just work in the other 99% of the state and never have to worry about licensing.

I really hope that this help anyone who wakes up in the morning and decides they want to be a contractor in Pennsylvania.  Good Luck!!


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## Gregg Harris

Now that is funny.


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## ICE

I don't know what you are upset about.  This arrangement makes the inspector all that much more important.

Step four should include a pad of invoices.

Step five should include a first aid kit.


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## mtlogcabin

We have basically the same registration requirements here fore General Contractors, electricians and plumbers do have to pass a state test,

But to be a really successful General contractor in Montana the "contractor" needs to have a 3/4 ton 4 door deisel pickup truck with a gun rack and a 6 ft level in the gun rack, a cell phone, and a dog, preferably a lab, Australian Shepard or a healer.


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## chris kennedy

There was a thread on ET over the weekend about Pa and legislation to require state wide EC Lisencing.


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## mjesse

I find it interesting that residential has to register, and not commercial.

Anyway, it's not brain surgery, everything you need to know can be found in a book. There are always bad apples in the bunch, but State licensing doesn't guarantee any sort of perfection.

Illinois licenses only plumbers and roofers, not electricians. You don't even need a business card to get started, just a willing victi...um, customer.

Many Illinois municipalities have their own testing and licensing program. E.g., You must have a Smallville license to work in Smallville. Many do not (where I work for example) but do require a licensed electrician. So here, your license from Smallville would be adequate to pull a permit.

There is not necessarily any consistency in individual municipality exams, though most will require testing based on the current NEC, with renewals every year or so.

I don't think a lack of license make you any less capable to do the work. Likewise, I don't think a license automatically means you're capable.

This is Illinois after all, I'm sure a guy could "buy" a license from somewhere if needed.

mj


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## jar546

chris kennedy said:
			
		

> There was a thread on ET over the weekend about Pa and legislation to require state wide EC Lisencing.


Never happen.  Was attempted multiple times but failed.  Never say never except in PA


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## chris kennedy

House bill 1585

http://legiscan.com/PA/bill/HB1585/2013


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## MASSDRIVER

mtlogcabin said:
			
		

> We have basically the same registration requirements here fore General Contractors, electricians and plumbers do have to pass a state test, But to be a really successful General contractor in Montana the "contractor" needs to have a 3/4 ton 4 door deisel pickup truck with a gun rack and a 6 ft level in the gun rack, a cell phone, and a dog, preferably a lab, Australian Shepard or a healer.


You sir, have exposed your ignorance. A six foot level will not fit on a gun rack.

Brent


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## rnapier

Years ago I taught a prep class in NJ for the contractor's exam one of my recent graduates was going to three different towns to get a license to do electrical work. Since the 2008 code just came out he took the 2005 and 2008 codes to each town in preperation for any test requirements. The first town had no test but some experience questions and a fee. The second town had a small test on the 2005 NEC and a fee. The third town had a test on, if remember right, the 1985 NEC. You see they never updated the law since when they first passed it. So they handed him an old code book missing halve the pages and gave him a place to take the test. He said that was the hardest test he took since he could not remember what was required so far back.


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## rnapier

Years ago I taught a prep class in NJ for the contractor's exam one of my recent graduates was going to three different towns in Pennsylvania to get a license to do electrical work. Since the 2008 code just came out he took the 2005 and 2008 codes to each town in preperation for any test requirements. The first town had no test but some experience questions and a fee. The second town had a small test on the 2005 NEC and a fee. The third town had a test on, if remember right, the 1985 NEC. You see they never updated the law since when they first passed it. So they handed him an old code book missing halve the pages and gave him a place to take the test. He said that was the hardest test he took since he could not remember what was required so far back.


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## steveray

The 6'6" Stabila was always a PITA to get in the cab.....



			
				MASSDRIVER said:
			
		

> You sir, have exposed your ignorance. A six foot level will not fit on a gun rack. Brent


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## Keystone

Jar, between 1) & 2), forgot to mention something, I hope this isn't infringment but I took the liberty of updating the list. Please if I offended by using the F Word (forgot) I appologize in advance                   http://www.businessinsider.com/exit-6-pub-answers-starbucks-legal-demands-with-f-words-2013-12

How to become an electrician or any contractor in Pennsylvania

There will be no exaggeration here, simply the truth:

1) Wake in the morning and decide that you want to be an electrician or (Insert building trade here)? NO experience necessary whatsoever. If you watched or helped someone once, you can then always say you have experience.

2) Register with IRS & always get fictitious name - you can't have your own name being tarnished when it comes to a head.

3) Go to your insurance agent's office for 9am sharp. Tell your agent that you need liability insurance as an electrical contractor. Pay the average of about $350-$400 for minimum liability coverage and get your binder.

4) Go directly home and log online to the Pennsylvania attorney general's site and register as a "Home Improvement Contractor". You will need your insurance binder at this point. Pay the $50 fee and input your information. Now write down that registration number they assigned you on the spot. You will need that later.

5) On your way home, stop at Staples and get business cards. Make sure you put that registration number on the card. That's required! They can actually do some right there on the spot. I would start with about 250-500 cards as that should be enough to get started.

6) Stop at Lowes or Home Depot and buy a book on house wiring. While you are there buy a few hand tools that you may need such a tester, linesman pliers, snips, screwdrivers, hex-key, etc.

7) By now it should be about lunch time. Time to go somewhere for lunch and start leaving your cards on the pin up boards and tell everyone that you do electrical work. You are official!!!!!

8) If you don't plan on doing residential work but only want to do commercial stuff then you can skip #3 as you don't even have to register with the state!!


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## MASSDRIVER

How to become an electrician or any contractor in Pennsylvania

The properly outfitted cab of the hands on contractor.






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## jar546

MASSDRIVER said:
			
		

> The properly outfitted cab of the hands on contractor.
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> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yep, you are living the life!


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## MASSDRIVER

I can't figure out what the weird yellow sticks are for.

The dogs a pretty decent electrician though.

Brent.


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## mjesse

MASSDRIVER said:
			
		

> I can't figure out what the weird yellow sticks are for. The dogs a pretty decent electrician though.
> 
> Brent.


Those sticks make good concrete screeds.

...or paint stirrers.


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## steveray

Or pry bars....or a place to keep your hooch......can you say whiskey stick?


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## jar546

It only took 9 posts to get off topic!  We are getting better.  Time to celebrate.


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## RJJ

Well I guess you basically outlined the PA contractor want to bee's! Now the fun begins a few months down the road.

Inspector walks in the office. Phone message from a resident. " my house was on fire last night from work preformed by so&so.

Well did you get a permit?

No! He was a state approved contractor!


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## rshuey

Don't forget the magnetic signs they buy and attach to their 2 door cavalier.


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## fireguy

Is there any penalty for working as a contractor and not being  lisenced?   Or doing work w/o a permit?


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## mark handler

fireguy said:
			
		

> Is there any penalty for working as a contractor and not being  lisenced?   Or doing work w/o a permit?


http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/hic.aspx?id=4313


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## RJJ

only if the state has a complaint and the AG decides to pursue it. So the answer is just SOS!


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## jar546

RJJ said:
			
		

> only if the state has a complaint and the AG decides to pursue it. So the answer is just SOS!


True, again, another reactive law.  They did not tie in the HIC registration act with the UCC.  Therefore:

1) We have no legal authority to deny a permit based on the fact they are not registered with the state as a contractor.

2) We have no legal authority to enforce contractor registration.

3) The only 2 entities that can enforce this (reactively after a complaint) are the county DA's office or the State AG office.  No one else has any legal authority and they have much bigger fish to fry.

4) We can ask if they are registered and recommend that they do get registered but that is about it.

Like I said, this is another horrible piece of legislation put in place by the current governor before he became governor (he was AG at the time).  It was a "feel good" law and he had posters of himself all over the state touting this new law.  This was essentially free campaigning as he knew he was running for governor.  Each municipality received several posters about the law to put up.  All had his name and large picture of him.  You just gotta love when they take advantage of situations like that even for a piece of $hit, useless law.


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## RJJ

it is not going to change either!


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## mmmarvel

jar546 said:
			
		

> There will be no exaggeration here, simply the truth:I really hope that this help anyone who wakes up in the morning and decides they want to be a contractor in Pennsylvania.  Good Luck!!


How cool is that!!! So on the next recession, I know EXACTLY where to go and what to do when I get laid off.  Happy to get that load off my mind.


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## jar546

mmmarvel said:
			
		

> How cool is that!!! So on the next recession, I know EXACTLY where to go and what to do when I get laid off.  Happy to get that load off my mind.


Yes, that is the great thing about PA.  You can be any contractor you want in 99% of the state and experience is not required whatsoever.

This is why we have uneducated, ill-informed, moronic rip off artists that earn a really good living.  (was I just talking about our legislators?)


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## tmurray

Wow, this is very scary.

Where I am you need to be a licensed electrician to pull a permit. Becoming licensed includes both formal education and an apprenticeship program. Same thing for plumbers. HVAC installers are pushing or similar requirements.


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## mmmarvel

tmurray said:
			
		

> Wow, this is very scary. Where I am you need to be a licensed electrician to pull a permit. Becoming licensed includes both formal education and an apprenticeship program. Same thing for plumbers. HVAC installers are pushing or similar requirements.


Yeah, but you're in Canada so it doesn't count - LOL.  It's humor, laugh.


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## fatboy

In CO, we regulate plumbers and electricians, apprentiseship, journeyman, masters, renewal every three years. We have a very intensive local HVAC testing requirement, but as far as general contractor, no state or local requirement, I used to joke that my 15 year old son could walk in and pull a permit for a 5 story buidling...........go figure...........


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