There are new hurdles for legitimate painting contractors in Pennsylvannia.
Meant to improve consumer protection, it will provide significant new impact against the illegitimate contractor - unfortunately at the expense and additional burden to legitimate contractors.
Quite a few specific additional contract obligations.

For larger contracts the down payments will now be limited.
Time and material contracts (cost plus agreements) will become unlawful since contracts must show a contract price and not an hourly rate.

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Pennsylvania recently enacted the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (HICPA), which requires contractors to register with the Bureau of Consumer Protection of the Pennsylvania Attorney General (the Bureau) and mandates the form and content of contracts.

HICPA provides a consumer protections above and beyond those set forth in Pennsylvania’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection law. While HICPA was created to protect consumers from unscrupulous contractors and scam artists, it also places significant burdens, costs and restrictions on every contractor. HICPA will go into effect on July 1, 2009, and all contractors must be prepared to bring their contracts into compliance and to register with the Bureau.

More Information Here


How about your State?
Are there license requirements with real teeth or other tax type licenses with no teeth?

Brandt,
Thanks for the heads up. As you know I do all my work in PA. Amazing that you heard about this before I did. Thanks for all you do on this site.
All the best,
Kevin
PS. I just squeezed in a couple of days of skiing in your neighborhood. You live in a paradise my friend!

Brandt,
The info will certainly help our Pa. friends. One problem we have in Ohio is legislators are not serious about how we make money. Their Brothers or friends do painting on the side. They don't pay taxes, pay people under the table and don't pay Soc. Sec. I'd hope some day they get some BaXX to stand up and do the right thing. I will say, they fit into Mr. Obamas plan. Get some money and spend it like it is free. Our roads are always being worked on. Never a dull moment. I really like it when some contracts are investigated and again it is a Brother or friend who gets alot of the work! We have no real laws for a painting contractor in Ohio. School teachers, firemen, you name it. They all do it and don't pay like the real contractors do. I worked on our city fire dept. at one time. One guy had 22 workers all summer long. No taxes or insurance ever paid! I can name 10 contractors I see weekly who cheat the system. Maybe one reason I don't have a lot of work? I'd be happy to qualify and set fees for real painting contractors in Ohio. Everytime I speak to a legislator, they always have a reason not to.
Kevin,
Nice to hear from you. Hope all is well. Keep em straight in Pa. !

I thought Maryland was tough! Door to door sales act, Maryland Home Improvement Commision..... Then my home state, scratch that, County jumped on board with the most expensive license I've seen. Now PA. It seems to me all of these extra fees and "tricks" breed more bad contractors. The consumer only sees "cheaper" and is willing to take the chance to hire unlicensed and uninsured contractors. I have New Castle County DE dept. of licensing on speed dial. When I see a contractor in my neighborhoods, and they don't have the required licenses on the side of their trucks, I turn them in. They are supposed to be issued cease and desist orders until they get a license and fine. Haven't seen that happen yet. Makes perfect sense. Now with the economy the way it is, all of the car plants closing and laying off, the cardboard signs on the telephone poles are coming out of the woodwork.

Thanks for the heads up Brandt!

mrowe,
I agree. I don't think licensing will work because there will be no enforcement. We'll comply, sign up, pay out whatever, and so will a handful of others but the majority will stay underground. Another answer to the question " why are you twice as much as another estimate I received."
All the best,
Kevin

So how has it been for you Residential contractors in the PA?
Did you get registered?

This video news came up on my radar today.

It will be interesting to see and hear if this new law's teeth actually bite.
At the end of the news vid (right before it abruptly ends) it states NJ already has a contractor registry in place. How about it - any of you Jersey Contractors - what's the story?

Here's another news account with a link to the attorney generals site - then you'll have to drill down on the 'consumers' menu to get to the actual registry.
Too bad this was not able to be built as a Secretary of State (or what entity) that was more business and consumer focused
-rather than have to be tied to the obvious AG vanity website complete with cocaine pictures etc.
I do hope (and bet) this will be good for legitimate contractors, if it's reality based and has teeth for all those that break the law.

Are you listed on the registry? If not, why not?