Pennsylvania Podiatry Licensing: Act 41 Endorsement and the Old Move-Here Rule

The Pennsylvania State Board of Podiatry's rules for people already licensed somewhere else date from 1979. They contain a trap for anyone who plans to keep practicing in another state, and they sit next to a newer, general law that avoids it. Knowing which route you are on, before you file, decides whether the license you get will last.

What does a Pennsylvania podiatry license require?

The board's Podiatrist Licensure Requirements Snapshot keeps it short. You need a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree from an accredited school of podiatric medicine and surgery, and you must pass the APMLE Parts I, II and III "with results received from the National Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners." The snapshot lists "No experience requirements for licensure," so Pennsylvania sets no residency year in its requirements, unlike most states.

New licensees also complete 3 hours of board-approved training in child abuse recognition and reporting before licensure, and, within one year of licensure, a one-time 4 hours under ABC-MAP: 2 hours in pain management or identifying addiction and 2 hours in prescribing or dispensing opioids. The initial license fee is $30 (49 Pa. Code 29.13).

How does the old reciprocity rule work?

The board's own reciprocity route sits in 49 Pa. Code 29.71 to 29.74. It grants a license when the board finds you were originally licensed in a state "which has standards for licensure that are substantially equivalent" to Pennsylvania's and "which extends similar privileges" to podiatrists originally licensed in Pennsylvania (29.72). The fee is $95.

The catch is in the next two sections. Section 29.71 requires the application to include "a statement that applicant intends to become a resident of this Commonwealth," with a proposed address and date. Section 29.73 then says applicants licensed this way "shall become residents of this Commonwealth within 6 months of licensure," and defines residency as "both living and practicing in this Commonwealth." Under 29.74 the board "will revoke" a license granted under 29.72 if the applicant does not become a resident, and failing to establish residence within six months is enough proof.

That rule fits a podiatrist relocating to Pennsylvania permanently. It does not fit a podiatrist in Delaware, New Jersey or Ohio who wants a Pennsylvania license to cover a satellite office, a hospital across the state line or a nursing-facility contract. A reciprocity license is revocable on exactly those facts.

What does Act 41 change?

Act 41 of 2019 gives every board in Pennsylvania's Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs authority to license people from other jurisdictions by endorsement. The board's snapshot describes it as allowing the board "to endorse licensees from other states, territories or jurisdictions (with substantially equivalent licensing requirements) who are active, in good standing and without discipline against their license or criminal conviction."

The Department of State's Act 41 page explains how it works in practice. If a board's existing endorsement or reciprocity options "do not provide a means of licensure," applicants get Act 41 consideration "on a case-by-case basis." The board's application review subcommittee considers whether you:

• hold the same or a similar license in a jurisdiction whose requirements are substantially equivalent to Pennsylvania's;
• are in good standing there;
• can demonstrate competency in the profession; and
• meet other administrative and background requirements.

Living in Pennsylvania is not among those listed criteria, which is why Act 41 is the route that suits a podiatrist licensed in more than one state. Applications go through the Pennsylvania Licensing System (PALS). The Department notes that a board may, but does not have to, issue a provisional license when an application does not yet meet every Act 41 requirement, so the applicant can practice while finishing the rest.

How long does it take?

The Department says boards generally meet every 8 to 12 weeks, but application review is continuous and many approvals do not need a full board vote. An Act 41 file that needs the subcommittee's judgment on competency or equivalence can wait for a meeting, so a complete file on the first submission matters more here than in a purely administrative state. Plan the timeline around the board calendar, and avoid starting work until the license issues.

Where do your APMLE scores come from?

The snapshot asks for results from NBPME, which matches the current process: since April 1, 2026, candidates send Part I, II and III scores through Meazure Learning's Connect portal straight to boards at no added cost. The Federation of Podiatric Medical Boards no longer reports scores. See where APMLE scores come from now.

When does a Pennsylvania license renew?

Pennsylvania licenses renew every two years for $395 (49 Pa. Code 29.13). Under 49 Pa. Code 29.61, each renewal needs 50 clock hours of continuing education: at least 30 in podiatry courses approved by the board or CPME, at least 2 in child abuse recognition and reporting, and the rest in medical subjects pertinent to podiatry. Up to 10 hours may come from reading professional journals, office management and marketing courses do not count, and excess hours do not carry over. Our mandatory courses by state post covers the child abuse and opioid hours alongside other states' requirements.

Pennsylvania's podiatry compact bill, HB 2745, was referred to the House Professional Licensure committee in August 2026. The compact is not active anywhere, so it changes nothing for a podiatrist applying now; see where the podiatry compact stands.

Which route should a multi-state podiatrist use?

For a multi-state podiatrist, we build the file for Act 41 rather than the residence-bound reciprocity rule, as our Podiatrist License by Endorsement service, $799 per state. We prepare the PALS application for your signature, request verifications from every board that licensed you, assemble the evidence of practice and competency the subcommittee looks for, give you a checklist and a question-by-question guide, and track the file through the board calendar. You complete the child abuse training, sign the application, send your scores from your own Meazure account and pay the board directly. If you truly are moving to Pennsylvania, the reciprocity route can be cheaper, and the $149 Podiatry Licensure Readiness Review will tell you which one fits. The Pennsylvania state page keeps the details current.