Philadelphia, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro visited Philly Cuts in West Philadelphia to talk with barber shop and salon owners about the transformative improvements to Pennsylvania’s permitting, licensing, and certification (PLC) processes under his Administration. Governor Shapiro met with Darryl Thomas, owner of Philly Cuts; Ann Turner, owner of Hair Du Jour Salon; and Zina Johnson Patrick, owner of Hair 4 U, to hear about their experiences with Pennsylvania’s occupational licensing system and talk to them about how his Administration can continue to open the doors of opportunity for small business owners.
Since taking office, Governor Shapiro has made it a priority to cut red tape, reduce backlogs, and ensure Pennsylvania operates at the speed of business. More than 1 million Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth rely on an occupational license to do their job. Through targeted reforms and innovative programs like the nation’s first online money-back guarantee system, PAyback.pa.gov, and launching PA’s Fast Track Program earlier this week through Executive Order 2024-04, the Shapiro Administration has brought certainty and accountability to the PLC process in Pennsylvania while reducing wait times and eliminating backlogs in the process.
“Waiting to have your license approved shouldn’t stand in the way of opening a business or starting your job – if you’re qualified for that license, you should get it in a timely and predictable fashion. My Administration is committed to breaking down barriers, cutting through red tape, and ensuring Pennsylvanians can get on the job faster, support their families, and contribute to our communities,” said Governor Shapiro. “When government operates effectively and efficiently, it helps drive economic growth and success. We’re proving that Pennsylvania can deliver results, put points on the board, and move at the speed of business to build a stronger, more competitive Commonwealth where folks want to live, work, and build their future.”
Business Owners See Real Results
Darryl Thomas, Philly Cuts, shared how reduced license processing times have made it easier to expand his barbershop: “The changes have been great for business. What used to take weeks now takes days — sometimes even the same day.”
Ann Turner, Hair Du Jour Salon, highlighted how quick approvals have allowed her to onboard new employees faster, supporting her growing business: “Our Governor is a man of his word, committed to taking care of the people he proudly serves. Not only does he make the initial licensing process easy, but he has also found a way to eliminate the headache from the renewal process.”
Zina Johnson Patrick, Hair 4 U, emphasized how the streamlined processes give her peace of mind and more time to focus on her clients: “Streamlining the licensing process is essential to reducing barriers for beauty professionals and driving economic growth in the industry.”
Licensing Reform Creates Opportunity for Pennsylvanians
Governor Shapiro’s commitment to streamlining government has produced measurable results for Pennsylvanians:
- License processing times for barbershops and cosmetology salons have dropped from nearly two weeks to same-day approvals.
- Teacher certification processing times have been slashed from 12 weeks to less than two weeks
- Doctors’ license turnaround times have fallen from 43 days to just two days.
- This year, Pennsylvania achieved the largest improvement in its occupational licensing process of any state in the nation, according to recently released rankings of all 50 states from a nonpartisan public policy think tank.
The Commonwealth is now among the top states for efficient occupational licensing, climbing 25 spots in national rankings — underscoring the Shapiro Administration’s success in streamlining processes and reducing license processing times to deliver meaningful results for Pennsylvanians.
Governor Shapiro’s Work to Improve the PA’s PLC Process
From day one, Governor Shapiro has taken significant steps to improve the delivery of government services, streamline the Commonwealth’s permitting, licensing, and certification processes, and attract businesses to Pennsylvania. The Shapiro Administration has:
- Established OTO within two weeks of Governor Shapiro taking office and charged the office with improving the Commonwealth’s permitting, licensing, and certification (PLC) processes.
- Created first-ever catalogue of more than 2,400 PLCs issued by the state, allowing the Shapiro Administration to identify and resolve bottlenecks in order to give Pennsylvanians more certainty and deliver answers more efficiently.
- Launched PAyback.pa.gov, a first-in-the-nation online money-back guarantee system, allowing residents, businesses, charities, and schools to hold state agencies accountable when processing PLCs.
- Reduced processing time for PLCs for teachers, nurses, realtors, barbers, hair stylists, cosmetologists, and more. For example, when Governor Shapiro took office, it took 8 weeks to get a business license. Now, it takes less than 3 days. It used to take nearly a month to get an initial physical therapist license. Now, it takes just 2 days.
- Boosted Pennsylvania’s competitiveness, making it more attractive than ever for businesses and workers. Since Governor Shapiro took office, corporate filing wait times have dropped from 8 weeks to 2 days and small business certification times are down by 33 percent. Additionally, the Department of Human Services cleared a backlog of 35,000 Medicaid provider enrollment applications, and the Department of Environmental Protection reduced its permit backlog by 75 percent and has completely eliminated its backlog of oil and gas permits.
These improvements have made Pennsylvania a more attractive place for employers and entrepreneurs. With streamlined processes and a government that moves at the speed of business, the Shapiro Administration is driving economic growth across the Commonwealth and creating opportunity for Pennsylvanians to chart their own course.
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