How to Check a Therapist's License in Pennsylvania

Who licenses therapists in Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, counselors, clinical social workers and marriage and family therapists are licensed by the State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors. The Board describes its job as protecting the public from unprofessional, improper, unauthorized and unqualified practice in these fields, through licensure and discipline.

The Board regulates licensed professional counselors, licensed clinical social workers, licensed marriage and family therapists, licensed social workers and licensed bachelor social workers, along with associate-level counselor and marriage and family therapist licenses. Psychologists have their own separate board in Pennsylvania.

This article is general information as of October 2026, drawn from Pennsylvania's own official pages. It is not legal advice.

What LPC, LCSW and LMFT mean

These letters are protected titles under Pennsylvania's Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors Act. Only people who hold the matching license may use them, and the Act makes it unlawful to hold yourself out with one of these titles without the license.

• LPC, licensed professional counselor: licensed to practice professional counseling, which the Act says includes individual, group and family counseling and psychotherapy, crisis intervention and career counseling, to the extent of the counselor's education and competence
• LCSW, licensed clinical social worker: licensed to practice clinical social work, which applies therapeutic techniques to help people with personal, interpersonal and social adjustment in their lives, families and community
• LMFT, licensed marriage and family therapist: licensed to apply psychotherapeutic and family systems approaches, including therapy with individuals, couples, families and groups
• Associate licenses, such as a licensed associate professional counselor, are an earlier stage of the same professions. Ask how the person is supervised if you see one

How to check a license on PALS

1. 1Get the therapist's full name and license typeIt is an ordinary question to ask, and a therapist should be glad to answer. A license number makes the search quicker.
2. 2Open the state's license verification pageSearch for the Department of State's Verify a Professional or Occupational License page on pa.gov. It links to the PALS search, which is free and open at any time.
3. 3Search and confirm the detailsLook for a name match, the right license type (counselor, clinical social worker or marriage and family therapist) and an active status.
4. 4Check for disciplinary historyThe Department says PALS lets you see whether a licensee has ever faced disciplinary action by their board, including suspension or fines.

The disclosure statement you should receive

Pennsylvania's Act requires licensed professional counselors and licensed marriage and family therapists to give each client a disclosure statement before providing services. It is a useful document for confirming who you are working with.

The statement must include the therapist's name, title, business address and phone number; their formal education, including schools and degrees; their professional approach to treatment, the services they provide and the credentials they hold; and, at the end, the name, address and telephone number of the state board that regulates them.

Online therapy and a Pennsylvania license

Video sessions do not change the licensing rules. The Department of State's telemedicine guidance says practitioners who provide services to people in Pennsylvania need to be licensed in Pennsylvania, whether the care happens in person or through telehealth.

So if you are in Pennsylvania during your sessions, look for a therapist with an active Pennsylvania license, even if the therapist lives somewhere else. Expect to be asked where you are at the start of a session.

Red flags and what to do about them

Most therapists are exactly who they say they are. Still, a few things are worth a second look:

• You cannot find the person in PALS under the name or license type they gave you
• The license shows as inactive, expired or suspended
• The person uses a protected title like LPC or LCSW but avoids sharing a license number
• A counselor or marriage and family therapist does not offer a disclosure statement before services begin

How we can help

Locascio Wellness is an all-virtual practice. Our team is licensed professional counselors and licensed clinical social workers, led by a founder with a Doctor of Psychology degree who is a licensed professional counselor. You can read about each person on our team page and check their license on PALS before you book.

Sessions are by secure video, and Pennsylvania clients need to be physically in Pennsylvania during each session, so we match you with a therapist licensed in Pennsylvania. Our online therapy in Pennsylvania page explains more. Therapists on our team work with couples therapy and family therapy, among other areas.

Therapy is for ongoing care, not emergencies. If you are in crisis, call or text 988, or call 911. Locascio Wellness does not provide emergency services.

Checking a license is a smart, everyday step, and it can make it easier to relax into the work. When you are ready, start with a free 15-minute consultation on our booking page.