2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY - Examining Boards and Professional Colleges (§§ 1 — 6033) › Chapter 111 - Puerto Rico Board of Examiners of Geologists (§§ 3551 — 3565) › § 3558 - Licenses and certificates—Requirements

(1) Every person who is interested in practicing the profession of geologist in Puerto Rico shall complete the application for the license or certificate, which the Board shall provide to such effects. The geologist’s license or certificate shall be effective for five (5) years.
(2) Every person who requests the Board to grant a certificate as a geologist trainee shall meet the following requirements:
(a) To enjoy good conduct and moral reputation in the community.
(b) To hold accrediting evidence that the applicant has graduated from an institution of higher education approved and recognized by the Board, with a major in geology, geophysics, geochemistry, geology applied to engineering, environmental geology, or any of its respective subdivisions, with a minimum of thirty (30) credit hours per semester, or forty-five (45) credit hours per trimester in geology, geophysics, geochemistry, geology applied to engineering, environmental geology, or any of its respective subdivisions.
(c) To have approved the first part of the written examination, known as “Fundamentals of Geology”.
(d) To have paid the corresponding fees pursuant to applicable laws and regulations.
(3) Every person who requests the Board to issue a license to practice as a licensed geologist shall comply with the requirements for geologist trainee, as well as the following:
(a) To have a minimum of two (2) years of professional experience under the supervision of licensed geologist, or a minimum of three (3) years of experience as a responsible person in charge of geological works, certified by a licensed geologist. For the purposes of this clause, professional geological work does not include routine work such as; sampling, laboratory work, or geological drawings. Credit for graduate study shall be provided at the discretion of the Board up to maximum of two (2) years, which may be accredited to the number of years of experience required by this clause, and
(b) to have approved the second part of the written examination, known as “Principles of the Practice”.
(4) The licenses and certificates shall bear the full name of the person in behalf of whom they are issued; the corresponding license or certificate number, which shall be untransferable and/or unexchangeable; the issue and expiration dates of the license or certificate, and the signatures of the Chairperson and Secretary of the Board, under the seal thereof.
(5) However, within the term of two (2) years from the date the Board is duly constituted for the first time, the Board shall issue licenses and certificates without the written examination, to every applicant that meets the above requirements. The Board may postpone the written examination requirement for an additional term of not more than two (2) years, if necessary. After this term, no person shall practice as a licensed geologist without a license authorizing him/her to practice the profession in Puerto Rico. This prohibition shall not apply to projects that are in true and effective development as of the effectiveness of this act, as determined by the Board.
History —Aug. 23, 1996, No. 163, § 9.