GC Laws — Pennsylvania contractor-law checklist preview (free)
Sources reviewed 2026-09-30. Public summaries remain free on gclaws.com.

[ ] Licensing
      - The Attorney General’s registration guidance requires covered home-improvement contractors to register; use the agency’s registry and current HICPA guidance to confirm eligibility and registration.

[ ] Mechanic's liens
      - Section 501 generally requires a subcontractor’s formal owner notice at least 30 days before filing. On a searchable project of at least $1.5 million with a properly filed Notice of Commencement, §501.3 also requires a Notice of Furnishing within 45 days after first site work or delivery.
      - Section 502 requires filing within six months after completion of the claimant’s work, owner service within one month after filing, and the service affidavit or acceptance within 20 days after service.
      - Section 701 generally requires the judgment action within two years after filing unless extended in writing by the owner. Court-rule acceleration and other statutory requirements remain applicable.

[ ] Retainage
      - Amounts due for release on final completion must be paid within 30 days after final acceptance. Received retainage must be passed to subcontractors within 14 days.
      - At substantial completion of its own scope, a contractor or subcontractor may facilitate earlier release using an approved-surety maintenance bond for 120% of retained funds; statutory good-faith withholding conditions remain applicable.
      - Public-owner projects are governed separately under the Procurement Code, not CASPA.

[ ] Prompt payment
      - CASPA §5 ordinarily makes owner invoices due 20 days after the billing-period end or invoice delivery, whichever is later. Section 7 requires compliant downstream payments 14 days after payment receipt or subcontractor invoice, whichever is later, subject to authorized withholding.
      - CASPA does not apply where the construction owner is a government agency; the Pennsylvania Supreme Court distinguishes the Procurement Code’s public-project provisions.

[ ] Prevailing wage
      - Act §§4–5 require the determined prevailing minimum wage to be incorporated into covered contracts and paid to workmen on public work.
      - Section 6 requires contractors and subcontractors to preserve worker, craft and actual hourly-wage records for two years after payment.

[ ] Davis-Bacon (federal)
      - Under 40 U.S.C. section 3142, covered contracts require payment to laborers and mechanics employed directly on the site of the work at least weekly, at rates no lower than the applicable prevailing wage determination. The required compensation includes the basic hourly rate and required fringe benefits, which may be provided through qualifying benefits or cash as the statute permits.
      - Qualifying apprentices may receive a lower registered-program rate only when the applicable registration and program conditions are met. The Department of Labor’s apprenticeship rules govern those exceptions.
      - The Department of Labor determines the prevailing rates for the work classifications and locality. Contractors and subcontractors must use the wage determination applicable to their covered contract.
      - Federal assistance alone does not establish coverage: many, but not all, construction-assistance statutes include Davis-Bacon requirements. Identify the funding program and its governing Related Act.
      - SAM.gov publishes Davis-Bacon wage determinations. Search by the wage-determination number or the Davis-Bacon public-buildings-or-works category, and match the decision to the contract, locality, and work classification.

This preview lists the topics and rules covered in the full state pack. The paid pack adds the complete source URLs, citations, review dates, and the three editable tools.
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