Plumber licenses in
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has no statewide license for plumbers. Cities and counties license them.
There's no state search to run. Check the license with the city or county where the work is (see below).
What the license should say
In Pennsylvania you'll see one of these on a plumber's card, bid or truck:
- Master Plumber's License (Philadelphia)
- Individual; plumbing work in the city must be done by a licensed master plumber.
- Journeyman Plumber License (Philadelphia)
- Individual working under a master plumber.
- Master Plumber and Journeyman Plumber licenses (Allentown and Allegheny County)
- Individual; Allentown and the Allegheny County Health Department each examine and license master and journeyman plumbers.
Hiring a company, not a person?
The Commonwealth has no licensure requirement for most construction contractors, so there is no state plumbing license, the municipality sets any trade licensing, and any contractor doing $5,000 or more of home improvements per year must register with the Attorney General as a Home Improvement Contractor.
City and county licenses
Pennsylvania leaves plumber licensing to local governments. These are the largest with an online search.
-
City of Philadelphia
Department of Licenses and Inspections
Not listed? Call the building department for the city or county where the work is.
Before you hire
- Contractor licensing in Pennsylvania (small-job limits, bonds, permits)
- How to check a license in Pennsylvania, step by step
- Before-you-hire checklist (one page, free PDF)
- File a complaint about a plumber (opens official site)
Keep this handy
We'll email you the one-page before-you-hire checklist, plus occasional tips on hiring safely.