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Telehealth nursing license requirements in Pennsylvania

Telehealth licensing has one governing idea: you generally need authority where the patient is. Here is how that plays out for patients located in Pennsylvania.

Do I need a Pennsylvania license for telehealth nursing?

Generally, you need authority to practice where your patient is — so if your patient is in Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania licensure rules apply, even if you never leave home. Because Pennsylvania recognizes compact privilege, an active multistate license from your compact home state generally covers telehealth to patients in Pennsylvania. A single-state license does not. Employer policy and the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing’s rules may add requirements on top — confirm before you take the role.

Last reviewed 2026-06-17

Licensure follows the patient

The location that matters for telehealth is generally the patient’s, not yours. Sitting in one state and caring for a patient in Pennsylvania generally means you need authority to practice in Pennsylvania — via compact privilege or a Pennsylvania license. See telehealth: patient in another state.

The law that governs this in Pennsylvania

Caring for a patient located in Pennsylvania is practice in Pennsylvania, so it is Pennsylvania’s own nurse practice act that defines what you may do and the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing that applies it. That act is Professional Nursing Law, 63 P.S. § 211 et seq..

The compact itself is separate law. Pennsylvania adopted it at Act 68 of 2021 (Senate Bill 115), which is what allows a multistate license issued elsewhere to reach Pennsylvania at all — the practice act still decides what you may do once it does.

Compact status is not the only consideration

Even where a multistate license reaches Pennsylvania, your employer and the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing may impose additional requirements, and some roles carry their own rules. Compact status answers one question — it is not a blanket authorization to practice remotely.

APRN telehealth is separate

The compact covers RN and LPN/LVN licenses only. If you work as an APRN, your advanced-practice authority is granted state by state and is not carried by a multistate RN license — a point that catches out a lot of remote NP roles.

Since when has a compact license worked in Pennsylvania?

Nurses holding another state’s multistate license have been able to practice in Pennsylvania since July 7, 2025. That is recent enough that employer handbooks, agency briefings, and articles written before then still describe Pennsylvania as non-compact — so if you are told you need a Pennsylvania license, check the date on the guidance.

What usually comes next

Next-step checklist

  • Identify where your patients are located — that generally drives licensure.
  • Confirm your license reads multistate on Nursys (nursys.com) if you rely on privilege.
  • Confirm your multistate license covers Pennsylvania, then check employer requirements.
  • If you practice as an APRN, confirm Pennsylvania APRN authority separately with the board.

Frequently asked questions

Generally, if you hold an active multistate license from your compact home state, compact privilege reaches Pennsylvania, which covers telehealth to patients located in Pennsylvania. Licensure follows the patient's location. A single-state license does not carry privilege. Employer and board rules may add requirements — confirm with the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.

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