Licensure or Certification by State

Most states have provisions for either granting a professional license to earth scientists to practice. The specific scope of the licenses vary, and while most are focused on the occuption of geologist, some are focused on environmental professionals as well. In addition, a number of states do not issue formal licenses but rather recognize professional certifications, such as those provided by the American Institute of Professional Geologists.

Nearly all of the licenses and certifications have a required examination. The examining authorities also vary by state, with some conducting their own exams, while others rely on the examinations by ASBOG or AIPG.

StateLicense or CertificationExamining AuthorityLicense or Certification Name
AlabamaYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
AlaskaYes AIPG Certified Professional Geologist
ArizonaYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
ArkansasYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
CaliforniaYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
ColoradoNo None None
ConnecticutYes State Board Licensed Environmental Professional
DelawareYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
FloridaYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
GeorgiaYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
HawaiiNo None None
IdahoYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
IllinoisYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
IndianaYes ASBOG Licensed Professional Geologist
IowaYes State Board Certified Groundwater Professional
KansasYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
KentuckyYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
LouisianaYes ASBOG Professional Geoscientist
MaineYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
MarylandNo None None
MassachusettsYes State Board Licensed Site Professionals
MichiganNo None The Fundamentals of Geology (FG) examination is administered by the state but licensure for Professional Geologists is not offered
MinnesotaYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
MississippiYes ASBOG Registered Professional Geologist
MissouriYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
MontanaNo None None
NebraskaYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
NevadaYes State Board Certified Environmental Manager
New HampshireYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
New JerseyYes State Board Licensed Site Remediation Professional
New MexicoNo None None
New YorkYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
North CarolinaYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
North DakotaNo None None
OhioNo None None
OklahomaNo None None
OregonYes ASBOG Registered Geologist
PennsylvaniaYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
Puerto RicoYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
Rhode IslandNo None None
South CarolinaYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
South DakotaYes State Board Petroleum Release Service Professional: Certified Petroleum Release Assessor or Certified Petroleum Release Remediator
TennesseeYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
TexasYes ASBOG Professional Geoscientist
UtahYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
VermontNo None None
VirginiaYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
WashingtonYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
West VirginiaNo None None
WisconsinYes ASBOG Professional Geologist
WyomingYes ASBOG Professional Geologist