Domestic violence classes by state · Pennsylvania
Court-Ordered Domestic Violence Classes in Pennsylvania
If a Pennsylvania court ordered you into a domestic violence class, it almost certainly means the state's certified program — Batterer's Intervention Program (BIP) accepted by your court or county probation (Pennsylvania has no state-government certification of these programs) — not a generic anger-management class. Here's what that program is, how long it runs, whether it can be done online, and how to find one your court will accept.
If you or someone else is in danger right now, call 911. To talk to someone about domestic violence — as a survivor or if you're worried about your own behavior — the National Domestic Violence Hotline is free, confidential, and available 24/7: call 1-800-799-7233, text START to 88788, or visit thehotline.org.
Quick answer: domestic violence classes in Pennsylvania
Not confirmed — verify with your court. Pennsylvania has no statewide rule on whether a batterer's intervention program can be done online, and no statewide minimum length. These are longer group programs focused on abusive and controlling behavior — not a short or self-paced anger-management course. Confirm the accepted program and format with the court or your probation officer before you enroll. the Pennsylvania court that ordered you or your county probation officer decides what counts — confirm the specific certified program and format before you enroll or pay.
Anger management is not the same thing. Read anger management vs. batterer intervention to make sure you sign up for the right program the first time.
At a glance
| What courts order | Batterer's Intervention Program (BIP) accepted by your court or county probation (Pennsylvania has no state-government certification of these programs) |
|---|---|
| When it's required | Pennsylvania has no statute requiring a state-certified batterer program. Judges order a batterer's intervention program case by case — as a condition of a sentence or probation in a domestic violence case, or as additional relief in a Protection From Abuse (PFA) order, where the court may grant any other appropriate relief, including ordering the defendant to attend a batterer's intervention program. |
| Typical length | No statewide minimum is set by law. The PA Department of Corrections contracts for up to 12 months of batterers' intervention services for people it supervises; county programs set their own length. Follow the length in your order. |
| In person or online? | Not confirmed — verify with your court |
| Who certifies / approves it | No Pennsylvania state agency certifies batterer's intervention programs, and there is no official statewide approved list. The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV) — the statewide coalition, a nonprofit — is the reference point: the PA Department of Corrections, for example, contracts for batterers' intervention services using a curriculum deemed appropriate by PCADV. For your case, the sentencing court or county adult probation department decides which programs it accepts. |
Pennsylvania-specific rules to know
- CRITICAL DISTINCTION: a batterer's intervention program is NOT anger management. PCADV's Pennsylvania Domestic Violence Benchbook tells courts not to equate anger management with batterers' intervention programs and calls anger-management techniques inappropriate for perpetrators of domestic violence, so an anger-management certificate generally will not satisfy a domestic-violence order.
- There is no state certification and no official statewide list of batterer programs in Pennsylvania. Ask the court, your county probation department, or your attorney which programs they accept before you enroll or pay.
- In a Protection From Abuse case, the judge can order a batterer's intervention program as part of the PFA's other relief. In custody matters, the benchbook's model order language can require a parent to complete a named batterer's intervention program before seeking additional visitation.
- For people supervised by the PA Department of Corrections, contracted batterers' intervention services run up to 12 months and must use a curriculum deemed appropriate by PCADV.
- Match the exact program, length, and format in your order — confirm with the court or your probation officer before you start.
Find an accepted domestic violence program in Pennsylvania
A certified program is not the same as a class you find on your own, so the safest move is to confirm the specific provider with the Pennsylvania court that ordered you or your county probation officer before you pay:
Prefer to look on a map? Search Google Maps for certified domestic violence programs in Pennsylvania — then check any provider against your court's order, and confirm it is on the certified/approved list, before enrolling.
Source & accuracy: compiled from official Pennsylvania statutes and certifying-agency sources. Requirements change and vary by court and case — always confirm the certified program, format, length, and deadline with the court that ordered you before enrolling. Sources: pcadv.org/wp-content/uploads/PCADV_DV-BENCHBOOK.pdf, pa.gov/agencies/cor/offices-and-bureaus/bureau-of-community-corrections/treatment-services.html, pcadv.org.