Pennsylvania Licensure Requirements
Master's Degree
1 Examination
No Experience Requirement
3 Hours of Child Abuse Education
$115.00 Initial Fee
$56.00 Renewal Fee
An individual licensed to practice as an RN and who is certified by the State Board of Nursing as a clinical nurse specialist.
Pre-requisite License Requirement:
As a condition for obtaining certification as a Clinical Nurse Specialist applicants must hold either a current, unrestricted Pennsylvania single state or multistate registered nurse license or a multistate registered nurse license issued by another Compact state.
Degree Requirement:
Master's Degree
The Board may certify an applicant who has a master's degree, doctoral degree or post-master's degree or certificate as a clinical nurse specialist from an approved educational program. Alternatively, the Board may certify an applicant who completed an educational program in a related discipline previously recognized for national certification as a CNS may be granted certification from the Board in the area of the applicant's current national certification from the American Nurses Association or the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
National Certification Requirement:
1 Examination
Applicants must hold national certification from a Board recognized national certification organization that required passing of a clinical nurse specialist national certification examination in a designated specialty, or if without specialty, in an equivalent specialty.
Additional Educational Requirement:
For initial license, the applicant must complete 3 hours of approved training in how to recognize and report child abuse.
Experience:
No experience requirement for licensure.
Professional Liability Insurance:
CNSs are required to maintain professional liability insurance coverage at a level required of nonparticipating health care providers under the MCARE Act (Act 13 of 2002), which is currently $1 million per occurrence and $3 million in annual aggregate.
Education Required for Biennial Renewal:
To renew certification every two years, a licensee must complete 30 hours of continuing education applicable for clinical nurse specialists, which must include 2 hours of approved training in how to recognize and report child abuse.
Beginning May 1, 2026, all RNs must complete 2 hours of organ donation and tissue recovery education one time within 5 years.
Initial Licensing Fee:
$115.00
Licensure Renewal Fee:
$56.00
Certification via Endorsement:
An applicant for CNS certification by the State Board of Nursing who holds an unrestricted license, certificate or authorization to practice as a CNS from another state, territory or possession of the United States or a foreign country and met initial certification requirements equivalent to the Board's certification requirements and a current RN license (single state or multistate) may be granted certification by endorsement.
Certification via Act 41:
Act 41 allows for portability of out-of-state professional licensees coming to work in Pennsylvania. Act 41 does this by granting all boards and commissions within the Commonwealth the authority to endorse licensees/certificates from other states, territories or jurisdictions (with substantially equivalent licensing requirements) who are active, in good standing, have practiced under that license for no less than 3,600 hours in the five years preceding application, and without discipline against their license/certification or no criminal conviction that constitutes grounds for refusal of a license or certification.