Pennsylvania licensing facts
How regulation is organized
Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing regulates the credentials recorded for Pennsylvania: LPN, RN, CRNP, CNS, Dietitian-Nutritionist. Public status checks use Verify a Pennsylvania Professional License; renewal uses Renewal information. The recorded renewal schedule is Biennial The compact classification shown for this review is Compact jurisdiction.
Public verification
Verify a Pennsylvania Professional License is the reviewed public verification route for Pennsylvania. The destination is hosted on www.pa.gov. Search the exact credential, then compare status, expiration, record date, and public restrictions before relying on the result.
Renewal timing
For Pennsylvania, the recorded renewal cycle is Biennial The named renewal route is Renewal information. The current fee summary is Confirm the current credential-specific fee in PALS before payment..
CE or competence
The reviewed Pennsylvania continuing-education or competence rule is: Requirements vary by credential and include mandated topic training. The record-retention or audit note is: Keep certificates and confirm that required courses are from accepted providers..
| Reviewed field | Current dataset value |
|---|---|
| Authority | Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing |
| Public verification | Pennsylvania Licensing System (PALS) |
| Renewal cycle | Biennial |
| Renewal deadline | Renew by the expiration date on the license; failure to receive a notice does not remove the licensee’s responsibility. |
| Continuing competence | Requirements vary by credential and include mandated topic training. |
| Fees | Confirm the current credential-specific fee in PALS before payment. |
| Compact status | Compact jurisdiction |
| Credentials | LPN, RN, CRNP, CNS, Dietitian-Nutritionist |
| Phone | 1-833-367-2762 |
| Physical location | P.O. Box 2649, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 2649, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649 |
| Primary official domains | www.pa.gov, www.pals.pa.gov |
How to verify a Pennsylvania nursing license
Verify a Pennsylvania Professional License is the reviewed public verification route for Pennsylvania. The destination is hosted on www.pa.gov. Search the exact credential, then compare status, expiration, record date, and public restrictions before relying on the result. Renewal-related transactions use Renewal information.
Open Verify a Pennsylvania Professional License ↗
Read the detailed lookup and troubleshooting guide
How to interpret the result
| Field | Meaning | Risk to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania credential type | Confirm the exact credential among LPN, RN, CRNP, CNS, Dietitian-Nutritionist; the same person may hold more than one license, approval, certificate or permit. | For Pennsylvania, treating an RN result as proof of APRN, assistant, certificate, permit or prescriptive authority. |
| Current status | Read the exact status wording published by Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing, including active, inactive, expired, lapsed, probationary, suspended, revoked or restricted. | For Pennsylvania, assuming that a record appearing in search means the person may currently practice. |
| Expiration / renewal timing | Biennial. Renew by the expiration date on the license; failure to receive a notice does not remove the licensee’s responsibility. | For Pennsylvania, using a wallet card, employer roster or old screenshot instead of the live record. |
| Multistate designation | Pennsylvania is recorded as an operational Nurse Licensure Compact jurisdiction in this dataset. Verify that the individual public record is actually designated multistate and that the nurse maintains Pennsylvania or another qualifying compact state as the primary state of residence. | For Pennsylvania, assuming compact membership automatically makes every license multistate or survives a permanent residence move. |
| Public discipline or restrictions | Review public orders or restrictions linked by Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing, Pennsylvania Licensing System (PALS) or Nursys when applicable. | Checking only expiration while ignoring conditions that limit practice. |
| Verification date | The result supports a decision as of the date it was checked. Record the live Pennsylvania verification date. | For Pennsylvania, reusing an undated or stale printout for a new employment or credentialing decision. |
Pennsylvania nursing license renewal
Named renewal system: PALS.
- Confirm whether a Pennsylvania single-state renewal is appropriate if you hold a multistate license elsewhere.
- Review the credential-specific CE and mandatory training requirements.
- Sign in to PALS and complete the renewal.
- Pay the current fee and save the confirmation.
- Verify the updated license status.
Renewal cautions
- A nurse practicing under another compact-state multistate privilege may not need a Pennsylvania single-state license.
- Converting to a multistate license does not reset the expiration date.
- Address changes must be reported within the period stated by the Board.
Continuing education or continuing competence
Requirements vary by credential and include mandated topic training.
- Mandated child abuse reporter training.
- Organ and tissue donation and recovery education where applicable.
- Opioid education and CRNP prescriptive-authority requirements where applicable.
Records and audits: Keep certificates and confirm that required courses are from accepted providers.
Pennsylvania license by endorsement
The reviewed Pennsylvania credential set is LPN, RN, CRNP, CNS, Dietitian-Nutritionist. Use Verify a Pennsylvania Professional License for the public record and Renewal information for renewal-related work. Do not infer an advanced-practice, assistant, certificate, permit, or compact privilege from a different credential record; Compact jurisdiction. The public record host is www.pa.gov, and the recorded renewal schedule is Biennial
No direct endorsement URL is recorded; use the detailed checklist below.
National verification and compact status
Compact jurisdiction
Pennsylvania is classified as Compact jurisdiction. The recorded renewal cycle is Biennial and the authority model is Board within the Pennsylvania Department of State. Confirm primary residence, the exact license designation, and restrictions in the current official record before relying on compact authority.
Published fee records
| Transaction | Credential | Amount | Source note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursys endorsement verification | RN/LPN | $30 | Per license type, per receiving board Official source ↗ |
Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing contact and location
Confirm current service hours before calling or visiting.
5 reviewed official destinations for Pennsylvania
Verify a Pennsylvania Professional License ↗
Pennsylvania public service directing users to PALS for license status and disciplinary history.
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania official verification service · reviewed July 28, 2026Renewal information ↗
Primary official source reviewed for this jurisdiction.
Exact primary-source record · reviewed July 27, 2026PALS ↗
Primary official source reviewed for this jurisdiction.
Exact primary-source record · reviewed July 27, 2026Board resources ↗
Primary official source reviewed for this jurisdiction.
Exact primary-source record · reviewed July 27, 2026Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing ↗
Primary official source reviewed for this jurisdiction.
Exact primary-source record · reviewed July 27, 2026Frequently asked questions
Who regulates nursing licenses in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing. Pennsylvania applications, renewals and many account requests use the Pennsylvania Licensing System (PALS). Public license verification is available through PALS, and RN/LPN state-to-state verification is handled through Nursys when applicable.
What is the reviewed Pennsylvania license lookup?
Pennsylvania Licensing System (PALS). Verify a Pennsylvania Professional License is the reviewed public verification route for Pennsylvania. The destination is hosted on www.pa.gov. Search the exact credential, then compare status, expiration, record date, and public restrictions before relying on the result. Renewal-related transactions use Renewal information.
When is a Pennsylvania nursing license renewed?
Biennial. Renew by the expiration date on the license; failure to receive a notice does not remove the licensee’s responsibility.
What CE or competence applies in Pennsylvania?
Requirements vary by credential and include mandated topic training.
What fee information is published for Pennsylvania?
Confirm the current credential-specific fee in PALS before payment.
How can I contact the nursing authority in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing publishes 1-833-367-2762 and P.O. Box 2649, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649.