Overview
Pennsylvania requires three separate clearances for anyone working with children:
PA State Police Criminal History Check
PA Child Abuse History Clearance
FBI Fingerprint-Based Criminal History Check
The third clearance, the FBI fingerprint check, can be waived for unpaid volunteers who have been continuous Pennsylvania residents for the past 10 years. In place of fingerprinting, the volunteer signs a sworn affidavit certifying their residency.
This article explains what the affidavit is, where to get it, and when it applies.
What Is the Exemption Affidavit?
The official form is the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Volunteer Disclosure Statement, sometimes called the Act 153 Affidavit. It is a sworn statement signed by the volunteer, under penalty of perjury, certifying that they meet the requirements to be exempt from the FBI fingerprint clearance.
The logic behind the exemption: if a volunteer has lived in Pennsylvania continuously for the past 10 years, the PA State Police criminal check will have captured any in-state criminal history during that period, making the federal fingerprint check redundant.
Where to Get the Affidavit
The official form is published by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. Use the direct link below:
Download, print, complete, and sign the form. The volunteer gives the signed affidavit to your organization — it is not submitted to the state.
Who Qualifies for the Exemption
To use the affidavit in place of the FBI fingerprint check, all of the following must be true:
The individual is in an unpaid volunteer role
The individual has been a continuous Pennsylvania resident for the past 10 years (no gaps living in another state)
The individual has not been convicted of a disqualifying offense
The role is not at a child day-care center, group day-care home, or family child-care home
If any of these conditions are not met, the volunteer must complete the full FBI fingerprint-based criminal history check.
Who Does Not Qualify
The affidavit exemption does not apply to:
Paid coaches, staff, or contractors — paid positions always require the FBI fingerprint check, regardless of how long the individual has lived in Pennsylvania
Volunteers who have lived outside Pennsylvania at any point in the past 10 years
Volunteers at child day-care centers, group day-care homes, or family child-care homes — these roles require the FBI check regardless of residency
In any of these cases, the individual must complete the full fingerprint-based FBI check. See our IdentoGO fingerprinting instructions for details.
How to Handle the Affidavit in Your Organization
The affidavit does not get submitted to any state agency. Your organization is responsible for collecting and retaining it alongside the other two required clearances.
The volunteer completes and signs the affidavit
The volunteer provides the signed affidavit to your organization
Your organization retains the affidavit in its records alongside the PA State Police criminal check and the PA Child Abuse clearance
The affidavit is uploaded into Ankored as the volunteer's FBI Fingerprint requirement, following this guide on uploading external requirements
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Disclaimer
This document is provided for informational purposes only. The information contained herein represents general guidance based on publicly available Pennsylvania state requirements and is not intended as legal advice or a comprehensive statement of all applicable laws and regulations.
Ankored does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or currency of this information. Clearance requirements may vary by jurisdiction, organization type, and role, and may change without notice.
It is the sole responsibility of your organization to verify all applicable legal requirements with appropriate legal counsel and relevant state agencies.
Ankored provides software tools to help organizations track compliance requirements but does not assume any responsibility or liability for your organization's compliance with federal, state, or local laws. Your use of Ankored does not replace your obligation to understand and comply with all applicable legal requirements for your organization and jurisdiction.
For definitive guidance on Pennsylvania clearance requirements, please consult with qualified legal counsel and/or contact the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services directly.