Shapiro administration launches ‘money-back guarantee’ for most permits, licenses in Pa.

Pennsylvanians applying for licenses, certifications, and permits will now be eligible for their money back if the state doesn’t meet its own deadlines.

Gov. Josh Shapiro announced Wednesday the launch of his “money-back guarantee” for many state applications, in an effort to make the state government more responsive and accountable to its residents.

Earlier this year, Shapiro’s administration completed a first-ever review of all 2,400 licenses, permits, and certifications issued by the state. The administration then used that information to cut backlogs and wait times for a number of processes, including cutting down teaching certificate approvals from 10 weeks to two to three weeks and completely working through the more than 35,000 provider-application Medicaid backlog.

Now, the state will publish its own application processing deadlines, and if they are not met in time, will return the application fees to the applicant using a new state website called PAyback. Applicants can request a refund on the site, which the Shapiro administration is touting as a “first-in-the-nation” initiative. The administration said the fees and deadlines vary for each application.

Applicants should be be notified at the end of their application to visit the PAyback site to check how long it should take until their application is completed and when they would be eligible for a refund.

“When I took office in January, I made a promise to the good people of Pennsylvania that my administration would work at the speed of business and respond in a timely manner,” Shapiro said in a news release Wednesday. “Today, with the launch of PAyback, we are delivering on that promise, increasing transparency and accountability in the application process and giving Pennsylvanians the certainty they need to be successful.”

For example, someone applying for a barber’s license would be eligible to apply for a full refund of the $170 application after 45 business days, a Shapiro spokesperson said.

About 70% of all applications would be eligible for a refund if the state doesn’t meet the deadlines, Shapiro’s office said in a news release. These include some applications that have fees set by state law. Others, such as certification as a small diverse business or veteran-owned business, do not require an application fee.

All applicants, regardless of if their application is approved, will be eligible for a refund after the state surpasses its set deadline.

“Today’s launch of PAyback builds on the progress we’ve made over the last ten months and is our latest step to provide Pennsylvanians with the certainty and predictability they need to start their businesses or careers and create long-term economic success,” said Ben Kirshner, Pennsylvania’s chief transformation officer, a new position Shapiro created in January to help businesses develop or expand in the state.