Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has a universal license recognition law. As a California-licensed professional, your license is generally recognized in Pennsylvania, subject to meeting basic eligibility requirements. This is the strongest form of license portability available. Joined NLC, IMLC, and PT Compact on July 7, 2025; rapid expansion of compact memberships.

Pennsylvania is a member of 5 compacts: Nurse Licensure Compact, Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact, Physical Therapy Compact, EMS Compact (REPLICA). None of these overlap with California's compact memberships.

Pennsylvania is an NLC member, but California is not. You would need to obtain a separate Pennsylvania nursing license or establish residency in an NLC state to get a multistate license.

Teaching license portability from California to Pennsylvania: NASDTEC member; reciprocal certification with endorsement review. Most states participate in the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement, but specific requirements vary by state and endorsement area.

Pennsylvania supports PE license comity through NCEES. Licensed Professional Engineers from California can apply for licensure by comity, which is a streamlined process using your NCEES Record. This typically requires verifying your education, exam passage, and experience meet Pennsylvania's requirements.

Universal recognition covers military spouses; expedited processing. Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), updated December 2024, all states are now required to recognize valid professional licenses from other states for military personnel and their spouses.

Joined NLC, IMLC, and PT Compact July 2025; universal recognition enacted.

For the most current licensing requirements and compact participation details, visit the official Pennsylvania licensing page at https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/department-and-offices/bpoa/. Requirements and compact memberships may change as new legislation is enacted.