Pennsylvania Volunteer Clearances Explained: PATCH, Child Abuse & FBI (2026)
September 12, 2026
Pennsylvania volunteers who work with children don't get one background check. Under the Child Protective Services Law, they need up to three clearances: a State Police criminal history report (PATCH), a DHS child abuse clearance and, for many volunteers, an FBI fingerprint check. This video covers who needs them, what they cost and when they expire.
In this video
- The three clearances and what each one searches
- Who is covered: the "direct volunteer contact" test
- The FBI check and the 10-year residency exception
- What clearances cost, and the 60-month renewal rule
- The duties that continue after a volunteer is approved
- The law covers adult volunteers with a child-care service, a school, or a program, activity or service who are responsible for a child's welfare or have direct volunteer contact: care, supervision, guidance or control of children and routine interaction with them.
- An unpaid volunteer can skip the FBI check if they've lived in Pennsylvania for the entire previous 10 years and sign the DHS disclosure statement. The exception never applies in child day-care centers, group day-care homes or family child-care homes.
- PATCH and the child abuse clearance are free to volunteers once every 57 months. The DHS volunteer FBI check is $22.95, rising to $25.95 on October 1, 2026.
- All clearances renew every 60 months, counted from the date of the oldest one.
- A volunteer arrested for or convicted of a disqualifying offense, or named in a founded or indicated report, must tell the organization in writing within 72 hours.
Key points
Get the free Pennsylvania guide, "Keystone Clearances," with every statute cited:
Pennsylvania volunteer background check requirements at a glance:
Many Pennsylvania volunteers are also mandated reporters. Our free guide to mandated reporting:
VolunteerBadge runs volunteer background checks for $5 each, with free ID and live-selfie verification on applications and no setup fee, contract or per-seat fee. A VolunteerBadge check never replaces PATCH, the DHS child abuse clearance or the FBI check. It adds nationwide coverage and re-screening between renewals, and covers roles the Child Protective Services Law doesn't.
This video summarizes our Pennsylvania guide. Where they differ, the guide and the statutes it cites control. It's general information, not legal advice; confirm your obligations with DHS, your licensing agency or an attorney.
