Your professional license allows you to work as a nurse or an accountant in Pennsylvania. You have to prove that you meet educational criteria for licensing and that you also meet certain ethical standards. Having a clean criminal background is often part of securing a professional license.
If you were arrested recently for a minor offense, you may consider pleading guilty so that you don’t end up in court and your case doesn’t become public. Could you potentially hide your guilty plea from the professional authority that licenses you?
Pennsylvania law mandates conviction disclosure
You typically will need to make an attestation regarding your criminal background when you apply for professional licensing or submit the paperwork to renew an existing license. That might mean that you could wait several years before notifying the appropriate authority of your arrest and conviction, but Pennsylvania state lawmakers closed that loophole.
Those who hold state licenses for their profession must disclose their conviction or decision to enter a guilty or no contest plea to recent criminal charges. While disclosing could potentially cost you your license or prevent you from renewing it, failing to make the necessary disclosure could also result in penalties, including a disciplinary hearing in front of the licensing board and the loss of your license.
Assertively defending against pending charges is the best way to help ensure that a recent arrest will not have a lasting impact on your profession. Learning more about the laws and regulations that govern criminal charges and licensing defense in Pennsylvania will help you protect your future during this difficult time.