Pennsylvania to Join Three Interstate Health Care Licensure Compacts
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro recently announced that, effective July 7, 2025, Pennsylvania will commence full participation in three interstate health care licensure compacts: the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact and the Nurse Licensure Compact. Pennsylvania’s participation in these compacts will significantly streamline the process by which Pennsylvania-licensed medical professionals can practice in other states (and vice versa) with the goal of increasing professional mobility and addressing professional staffing shortages.
Full participation in these compacts has been years in the making. The Pennsylvania General Assembly passed the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC) in 2016, the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PTLC) in 2020 and the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) in 2021. To date, Pennsylvania has partially implemented each of these compacts, but full participation has required coordination among the Pennsylvania Department of State, FBI and U.S. Department of Justice to resolve issues related to background checks and to ensure professionals would have full clearance and qualifications before being permitted to practice across state lines.
Specifically, the IMLC is currently comprised of over 40 U.S. states and territories and allows physicians to apply for initial licensure with their local medical/osteopathic board (i.e., their “state of principal licensure” or “SPL”) and thereafter receive both SPL licensure and a “letter of qualification” from their SPL signifying that they are qualified to participate in the compact. With a letter of qualification, a physician can obtain full licensure in one or more additional IMLC states through a simplified and shortened process (i.e., only needing to provide limited additional state-specific licensure information). More information on the IMLC can be found here.
Similarly, through the PTLC, physical therapists and physical therapist assistants can receive “Compact Privileges,” which would allow them to practice in any of the over 30 PTLC member states, in addition to the professional’s own home state. More information on the PTLC can be found here.
Finally, the NLC allows registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) to obtain a multistate license to serve patients (in person or via telehealth) in any of the over 40 NLC member states/territories. RNs and LPNs must complete an application and meet certain uniform licensure requirements in order to be eligible for a multistate license. More information on the NLC can be found here.
By fully implementing the three interstate licensure compacts for physicians, physical therapists and nurses, Pennsylvania’s leadership hopes to increase access and availability of care to Pennsylvania residents and provide increased flexibility for Pennsylvania healthcare providers and employers alike, who will now be able to cast a wider geographic net, whether they are looking for employment or employees. We will continue to monitor the implementation of these compacts in the coming months and provide updates as appropriate.
