Moving between states / Virginia
Pennsylvaniato
Virginia, CNAMoving from Pennsylvania to Virginia as a certified nursing assistant
What a certified nursing assistant licensed in Pennsylvania has to do to work in Virginia, what the move does to your pay, and who in Virginia is hiring from out of state.
Transfers by reciprocity. Your Pennsylvania certificate stays on the Pennsylvania Nurse Aide Registry (Pennsylvania Department of Education, administered by Credentia); to work in Virginia you apply to the Virginia Board of Nursing, Certified Nurse Aide registry for reciprocity. It accepts an active certificate in good standing from another state; there is no retest if your record is clean. Most registries list you within two to six weeks.
What the move does to your paycheck
On a $60,000 salary Virginia takes roughly $573 a year more than Pennsylvania does.
| Salary | Pennsylvania state tax | Virginia state tax | Difference a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $1,228 | $1,610 | -$382 |
| $60,000 | $1,842 | $2,415 | -$573 |
| $90,000 | $2,763 | $3,622 | -$859 |
Rough figures for a single filer: exact in the flat-rate and no-tax states, approximated at 70% of the top bracket in the progressive ones. In Pennsylvania: municipalities add an earned income tax, 1% in most places and 3.75% in Philadelphia. Property and sales tax are not in it.
RN and LPN: Pennsylvania to Virginia
Works on day one. Both Pennsylvania and Virginia are in the Nurse Licensure Compact. A multistate RN or LPN licence from Pennsylvania is valid in Virginia the day you arrive. Once Virginia is your primary residence, apply there for a Virginia multistate licence; most boards allow 30 to 60 days.
Electrician: Pennsylvania to Virginia
Exam likely. Virginia licenses at state level through the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, Board for Contractors and reciprocates with other state boards, but Pennsylvania licenses locally through the City and county building departments, which is not a party to those agreements. Expect to document your hours and sit the Virginia journeyman exam.
CDL: Pennsylvania to Virginia
Transfers at the DMV. A commercial driver's licence transfers like any licence: within 30 days of becoming a Virginia resident you surrender the Pennsylvania CDL at a Virginia driver licence office, pass the vision test, pay the fee, and your endorsements carry over. A hazmat endorsement needs a fresh TSA threat assessment in Virginia. Your driving record follows you through the federal CDLIS system.
Does Virginia pay you to come?
No statewide program in Virginia pays people to move in. Towns sometimes list an offer through MakeMyMove, and employers in short-staffed trades pay relocation themselves; ask for it in writing before you accept.
Openings filed in Virginia
137 open positions filed with the Department of Labor by Virginia employers who could not fill them locally.
- Data Product & AI Query GovernanceBank of America · Richmond
- Data Enablement Technology & Solutions LeadBank of America · Richmond
- Field Service Technician I - Richmond, VABAXTER · Richmond
- Senior Engineer - AI Monitoring & Control CapabilitiesBank of America · Richmond
- Insurance Sales & Service Representative - Licensed and Entry-Level Opportunities Available | Up to $2,000 Signing BonUSAA · Chesapeake
- Subrogation Specialist IUSAA · Chesapeake
Your own route from Pennsylvania to Virginia
Tell us your trade and your licence. We write the steps for your case, check the job offer for scams, and keep your resume ready for Virginia employers.
Plan my move to VirginiaSame move, by trade
RN or LPN: Pennsylvania to Virginia · Electrician: Pennsylvania to Virginia · Truck driver: Pennsylvania to Virginia · All licences: Pennsylvania to Virginia
From Pennsylvania to the states next to Virginia
Maryland (progressive, top rate 5.75%) · West Virginia (progressive, top rate 4.82%) · Kentucky (flat 4% state income tax) · Tennessee (no state income tax) · North Carolina (flat 4.25% state income tax)
To Virginia from the states next to Pennsylvania
New York · New Jersey · Delaware · Maryland · West Virginia · Ohio
Everything about working in Virginia · All moves between states · All 50 states