Bottom Line for Pennsylvania Nonprofits
- ✓All unpaid volunteers with direct contact with children, regardless of nonprofit tax status
- ✓Sunday school teachers and faith-based youth volunteers
- ✓Youth sports coaches and activity leaders
- +3 more covered roles below
State Laws That Apply to Volunteer Background Checks
Pennsylvania Act 153 of 2014 — Child Protective Services Law (CPSL) Amendments
23 Pa. C.S. §§ 6344, 6344.1, 6344.2; 24 P.S. § 1-111Signed October 22, 2014 (effective December 31, 2014; volunteer provisions effective July 1, 2015). Requires three clearances for all employees and volunteers with direct contact with children: PA State Police PATCH check, PA DHS Child Abuse History Clearance, and FBI fingerprint check for non-10-year residents. No 501(c)(3) exemption. Clearances are free for volunteers.
Pennsylvania PATCH — Access to Criminal History (ACT 34)
18 Pa. C.S. § 9124; 22 Pa. Code Ch. 8Pennsylvania State Police criminal background check required for all adults who work with or volunteer to serve children. Name-based check processed through the PA State Police central repository.
Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance (ACT 151)
23 Pa. C.S. § 6338.1Check of the PA DHS ChildLine and Abuse Registry to determine if a volunteer or employee has been identified as an alleged perpetrator in a child abuse investigation. Required for any person with direct contact with children.
FBI Criminal History Background Check (ACT 114)
28 C.F.R. Part 20; 23 Pa. C.S. § 6344Fingerprint-based federal check required for volunteers who have not been continuous Pennsylvania residents for the last 10 years. Submitted through an approved PA-authorized channeler.
Who Must Be Screened in Pennsylvania
!Legally Required to Be Screened
- •All unpaid volunteers with direct contact with children, regardless of nonprofit tax status
- •Sunday school teachers and faith-based youth volunteers
- •Youth sports coaches and activity leaders
- •Foster and adoptive parents
- •School employees, contractors, and school volunteers
- •Any adult in a role involving child welfare or child-care supervision
Types of Background Checks Required in Pennsylvania
How to Get Background Checks in Pennsylvania
$5 per check — includes national criminal database, sex offender registry across all 50 states, SSN trace, and FCRA Certified Compliance Team review.
Start Free Today →Volunteer Screening in Pennsylvania: What You Need to Know
Pennsylvania's Act 153 is directly attributable to the Penn State/Jerry Sandusky child sexual abuse scandal, making it one of the most politically scrutinized volunteer screening laws in the US. The Act explicitly covers faith communities, sports leagues, and any private nonprofit — no sector receives a blanket exemption. Pennsylvania has a large Catholic church volunteer base, significant youth athletics infrastructure (PIAA), and active scouting councils, all of which require full compliance. The 10-year continuous residency exemption for the FBI check is unique and often misunderstood by organizations with transient volunteer populations.
Compliance Tips for Pennsylvania Nonprofits
- 1
All three clearances (PATCH, Child Abuse, and FBI if applicable) must be in hand before a volunteer begins working with children — do not allow conditional access pending results, as this creates liability under the CPSL.
- 2
Clearances for unpaid volunteers are free through the PA state portals — coach volunteers and faith-based organizations frequently overpay commercial providers unnecessarily; direct volunteers to the official PA.gov portals.
- 3
Set up a 60-month (5-year) renewal calendar for each volunteer's three clearances and treat expired clearances as disqualifying — the CPSL treats lapsed clearances the same as having no clearance.
- 4
If your volunteer served in another state or country within the past 10 years, they need the FBI fingerprint check — do not rely on the 10-year exemption without confirming continuous PA residency with documentation.
- 5
Train your staff and volunteer coordinators on mandatory reporter obligations under the CPSL — Act 153 also expanded mandatory reporting requirements, and organizations can face liability for unreported suspected child abuse by their volunteers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Pennsylvania Act 153 of 2014 — Child Protective Services Law (CPSL) Amendments apply to my nonprofit?
Pennsylvania law applies to nonprofits with volunteers working in covered roles — typically involving direct, unsupervised contact with children, elderly individuals, or vulnerable adults. Pennsylvania has one of the most comprehensive mandatory volunteer background check regimes in the country, enacted via Act 153 of 2014 in response to the Jerry Sandusky/Penn State scandal.
What happens if we skip background checks in Pennsylvania?
Failing to screen volunteers in Pennsylvania can expose your organization to negligent supervision liability, loss of insurance coverage, and — in sectors with mandatory requirements — regulatory penalties. Under the federal FCRA, running checks without proper procedures also creates compliance risk.
How long does a Pennsylvania volunteer background check take?
Pennsylvania State Police (PATCH/ACT 34); Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, ChildLine (ACT 151); FBI/PA-authorized fingerprint channelers (ACT 114); PA Department of Education oversees school compliance typically processes checks in PATCH: 1–3 business days online; Child Abuse Clearance: 14 days online; FBI fingerprint: 2–6 weeks. VolunteerBadge's national criminal database search returns results instantly for most volunteers.