Does state provide a license: Yes
Current Active Licensees
| Title | Licensees |
|---|---|
| Geologist | 1634 |
| Geologist In Training | 58 |
License: Professional Geologist
Exam Entity: ASBOG
Licensing Board: Washington Geologist Licensing Board
Licensing Board Website: https://www.dol.wa.gov/business/geologist/
Degree required:
Majors accepted:
Courses required:
Courses accepted:
Geology credits required: Not available
Credit information: An applicant shall have earned a Bachelor’s degree in geology, engineering geology, hydrogeology, or geological sciences, including successful completion of core classes approved by the board; or have a related Bachelor’s degree as approved by the board, which includes successful completion of coursework that is determined by the board to be educationally equivalent in content and rigor to that of a geological sciences degree program. The board may review and approve unique combinations of educational equivalents to a Bachelor’s degree. This may include advanced study pertinent to geology, nonmatriculated coursework, practical seminars, and/or on-the-job training acceptable to the board. The applicant is required to have 24 semester or 36 quarter hours of upper division geology courses, including 14 semester or 21 quarter credits (unduplicated) from the list of acceptable courses.
Education Notes: See the state regulations for a complete explanation of the education requirements for licensure.
Years of experience required: 5
Experience credits needed: 2
Experience information: The applicant shall have a documented record of a minimum of five years of experience in geology or a specialty of geology, obtained subsequent to completion of the academic requirements. The board shall require that three years of the experience be gained under the supervision of a geologist licensed in this or any other state, or under the supervision of others who, in the opinion of the board, are qualified to have responsible charge of geological work. Each year of full-time graduate study in the geological sciences or in a specialty of geology shall qualify as one year of professional experience in geology or the applicable specialty of geology, up to a maximum of two years.
Continuing education requirements: No
Geologist in Training license available: No
Can take Fundamentals of Geology test before graduation: Yes
Fundamentals of Geology test details: The rules, regulations and board website do not specifically address taking the FG examination before degree completion. The regulations state that to qualify, the applicant must have at least twenty-four semester/thirty-six quarter hours of upper division geology courses.
Legal Code Reference for GIT, FG: WAC 308-15-040
Most registration and licensure systems include structural approaches to review both the need and operational effectiveness of the process.
Some states provide formal sunset evaluation processes for their licensure programs. Many also include a periodic audit process of the licensure program/agency, which can range from cursory financial reviews to comprehensive evaluation of program effectiveness.
The audit process is often leveraged when political pressure is applied to eliminate geologist licensure, so awareness of the history and codes for audits and sunset evaluations is critical to montioring the health of the licensure within the state.
Current modes for sunsetting evaluation: Both sunset review and audit
License subject to sunset review: No
License subject to audit review: Possible
Current law to establish new licensure board: Yes
Sunset regulation name: Washington Sunset Act
Sunset statute: Revised Code of Washington, Title 43. State Government - Executive, Chapter 43.131. Washing Sunset Act of 1977
Sunset statute reference: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=43.131
Sunset committee: Joint Legislative Audit & Review Committee (JLARC)
Sunset committee website: http://leg.wa.gov/jlarc/Pages/default.aspx
Sunset duration: Minimum of seven years
Sunset notes: The Board and Department were not identified as an entity scheduled for sunset. Performance audits were not identified for the board nor the department on the JLARC website for years 1995-2019.
Other sunset references: Neither the board nor the department are listed in the JLARC Biennieal Work Plan 2019-21 that has a schedule of sunset reviews through 2030.
Auditor name: Office of the Washington State Auditor
Auditor website: https://www.sao.wa.gov/
Audit statute: Revised Code of Washington, Title 43. State Government - Executive, Chapter 43.09. State Auditor
Audit Statute abbreviation: Revised Code of Washington, Title 43. State Government - Executive, Chapter 43.09. State Auditor Section 41-5A-1
Audit statute link: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=43.09
Audit legislation committee: Joint Legislative Audit & Review Committee (JLARC)
Audit legislation committee website: http://leg.wa.gov/jlarc/Pages/default.aspx
| Year | Action | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Sunset law created | The Washington Sunset Act (sunset law) was created by c. 289 of 1977 under the Code of Washington, Title 43, Chapter 131. |
| 1983 | Sunset law amended | The sunset law was amended. |
| 1990 | Sunset law amended | The sunset law was amended. |
| 1996 | Sunset law amended | The sunset law was amended. |
| 2000 | Sunset law amended | The sunset law was amended. |
| 2000 | Practice regulation | The Washington Geologist Licensing Board was created. |
| 2002 | ASBOG | The first ASBOG exam was administered. |
| 2010 | Audit | The State Auditor’s Office completed a performance audit on the Department of Licensing, Report Number 1004634. |
| 2013 | Sunset law amended | The sunset law was amended. |
| 2015 | Sunset law amended | The sunset law was amended. |
| 2025 | Sunset law status | The Washington Sunset Act set to expire if it is not renewed by the state legislatture. |