Go. Josh Shapiro Takes at Professional Licensing Waits in PA

What to Know

An executive order signed Tuesday takes aim at long wait times that keep professionals from entering their field in Pennsylvania. It also seeks to lower the barriers for small business owners, like barbers and cosmetologists.
Under the order signed by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro on Tuesday, state agencies have 90 days to review all licenses, certificates and permits and submit recommendations for timelines for each application to the governor’s office.
The governor’s office will then develop timelines, and if an agency misses its deadline. the applicant will be reimbursed for the fees.

Gov. Josh Shapiro has signed an executive order aimed at reducing long wait times for professional applicants seeking to enter their fields in Pennsylvania.

Under the order signed Tuesday, state agencies will be held to firm timelines to review license applications or repay applicants for the costs of fees. The measure is aimed at getting frontline workers like teachers and nurses into the field faster and lowering barriers for small business owners such as barbers and cosmetologists.

I just signed my fourth Executive Order to upgrade Pennsylvania’s permitting, licensing, and certification processes — which includes a money back guarantee for applicants that don't get a response by a certain date.⁰⁰This is a big deal. pic.twitter.com/d56voAlqwQ
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) January 31, 2023

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“Pennsylvania, like many other states, is facing a critical labor shortage among frontline workers, from nurses to teachers,” the Democratic governor said during a news conference. “At a time when we need every qualified nurse and hospital worker on the job, we cannot have nurses kept off the job because of paperwork delays.”

Agencies throughout the state will have 90 days to review all licenses, certificates and permits and submit recommendations for timelines to the governor’s office. Once reviewed, the governor’s office plans to develop processing times. If an agency misses its deadline, the applicant is reimbursed for the fees, Shapiro said.

Shapiro said that timelines and terms of reimbursement will be published and available to the public following the review process.