Reporting a Criminal Matter to Your Board
What Must Be Reported
Licensees of Pennsylvania’s professional licensing boards must report certain criminal matters to their board in writing, and the deadline is short. A late or omitted report may itself constitute a separate violation.
Under 63 Pa.C.S. § 3104, a licensee must give the board written notice within 30 days of any of the following:
- A finding or verdict of guilt, or an admission of guilt, on a felony or misdemeanor
- A plea of nolo contendere to a felony or misdemeanor
- Probation without verdict or a disposition in lieu of trial on a felony or misdemeanor
- Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) of a felony or misdemeanor
- Discipline imposed by a licensing authority in another jurisdiction
Duties That Go Further
Some practice acts and regulations impose additional duties, including in some cases a duty to report the filing of charges.
The State Board of Nursing’s regulations require registered and practical nurses to report pending criminal charges within 30 days of their filing, and a conviction, plea, Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition or probation without verdict within 30 days of the disposition (or on the renewal application, if sooner). The State Board of Massage Therapy’s regulations likewise require massage therapists to report the filing of any criminal charges, a sentencing or admission to ARD within 30 days, or on the renewal application if sooner.
License renewal applications also ask about criminal matters, and a false or incomplete answer can be a separate ground for discipline.
Questions Licensees Ask
Does ARD have to be reported even though the charge is later dismissed?
Yes. Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition is one of the dispositions that must be reported within 30 days, even though successful completion of the program leads to dismissal of the charge.
Is a summary offense reportable?
The general 30-day duty applies to felony and misdemeanor charges. A summary offense falls outside that general duty, but some regulations, for example those for nurses and massage therapists, require reporting of any criminal charge, so your own practice act and regulations should be checked.
Is a DUI reportable?
In Pennsylvania, even a first-offense DUI is graded as a misdemeanor, so a conviction, plea or ARD on a DUI charge must be reported within 30 days.
What should the report say?
The report should be accurate, complete and in writing, and it should identify the charge, the court and the disposition. Because the report becomes part of the board’s file, it is prudent to have counsel review it and to include documents showing compliance with the sentence or program.
What happens after I report?
The board’s staff and prosecutors review the report. Depending on the offense and its relation to the profession, the matter may be closed, investigated or referred for formal action.
What if I missed the 30-day deadline?
A late or omitted report may itself constitute a separate violation. The situation should be addressed promptly and with advice, rather than left for the board to discover at renewal or through a background check.
Meet Your Attorney
Steven A. Mimm, Esq.
Founder, Mimm Law, LLC. Admitted in Pennsylvania (2008) and New Jersey (2022).
From 2014 to 2022, Attorney Steven A. Mimm served as a prosecuting attorney bringing disciplinary actions on behalf of the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs before Pennsylvania's licensing boards. That experience informs how the firm evaluates evidence, negotiates with the Commonwealth and prepares cases for hearing. Where a licensee also faces criminal charges, the firm handles the licensing matter and coordinates with the licensee's criminal defense counsel.
Related: Licensing and FAQs · All Licensing Boards
Last reviewed September 2026. The information on this page is general in nature and is not legal advice. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship.