Nursing home administrator license requirements in Pennsylvania.

Board

Pennsylvania State Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators (Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, Department of State) Board source · checked 2026-07-24

Education floor

60+ college semester hours Pennsylvania offers five qualification pathways (49 Pa. Code 39.5). The lowest college-based route is a board-approved 120-clock-hour course of study plus two academic years of college (about 60 semester hours). Alternative routes let a registered nurse, or a candidate who completes the 120-clock-hour program plus two years of practical nursing-home experience, qualify without a four-year degree. Board source · checked 2026-07-24

Administrator-in-Training hours

800 to 1,000 hours depending on your degree or experience

• 800 hours: Master's degree in nursing home administration, hospital administration, public health administration, or a related health-facility field: an 800-hour Administrator-in-Training program (49 Pa. Code 39.5(b)(4)).
• 1,000 hours: Baccalaureate degree plus a board-approved 120-clock-hour course of study: a 1,000-hour Administrator-in-Training program (49 Pa. Code 39.5(b)(3)).
• 1,000 hours: On the 120-clock-hour-plus-two-years-of-college, registered-nurse, or practical-experience routes, Pennsylvania requires documented supervised experience rather than the formal AIT program (for example about 1,000 hours as a facility supervisor over three of the prior five years, or 18 months as a full-time assistant administrator), with a minimum of 300 hours in general administration, 250 in patient services, and 250 in health and social service delivery.

Board source · checked 2026-07-24

National NAB exams

Required (CORE of Knowledge + Nursing Home Administrator) Pennsylvania requires a passing grade on the national written examination administered by professional examination services (the NAB nursing home administrator examination). Board source · checked 2026-07-24

Separate state exam

Required In addition to the national written examination, Pennsylvania requires a written or oral examination (or both) based on the Commonwealth's own nursing-home rules and regulations (49 Pa. Code 39.7). Board source · checked 2026-07-24

Initial license fee

$40 Board licensure application fee (49 Pa. Code 39.72). The Administrator-in-Training program application is a separate $50, and the national examination fee is paid to the test vendor. Pennsylvania sets a low board application fee; most of a candidate's outlay is the separately-paid national examination and the required course of study. Board source · checked 2026-07-24

Renewal fee

$297 Biennial license renewal (49 Pa. Code 39.72). Board source · checked 2026-07-24

Continuing education

48 hours per biennial cycle 48 clock hours of continuing education per biennial renewal period (49 Pa. Code 39.61). Board source · checked 2026-07-24

Reciprocity / endorsement

endorsement available Pennsylvania issues a license by endorsement (49 Pa. Code 39.8) when the other state's qualifications and examination standards were substantially equivalent to Pennsylvania's and that state gives reciprocal recognition to Pennsylvania licensees. The board may require an oral examination. Board source · checked 2026-07-24

Statutes and rules: 49 Pa. Code Chapter 39; Nursing Home Administrators License Act (63 P.S. 1101 to 1114.2). Figures change on the board's own schedule. Confirm against the board before you apply or pay.

1. Get your checklist. The requirements wizard resolves Pennsylvania's requirements for your exact degree.
2. Plan your hours. The AIT-hours tracker turns Pennsylvania's hour target into a finish date.
3. Moving here from another state? The reciprocity checker reads Pennsylvania's endorsement rule.