21 NCAC 21 .0303             Inactive Status

(a)  The board shall grant inactive status to a licensee if:

(1)           the licensee submits a letter in writing to the Board before the current license has expired, requesting inactive status; and

(2)           at the time the letter request is submitted, the licensee's license has not been suspended, surrendered, or revoked.

The Board shall notify the licensee that he or she has been granted inactive status or the reason the request was not granted.

(b)  If the licensee seeking inactive status be the person identified as the North Carolina licensed geologist for a corporation registered with the Board, another licensee who meets the statutory requirements shall be identified in order to maintain the professional corporation's registration with the Board. If this is not done before the licensee is granted inactive status, the Board shall suspend the professional corporation's registration and shall send notification of this suspension to the professional corporation by certified mail the same day the licensee is notified that the request for inactive status was granted.

(c)  A geologist or registered corporation with an inactive or suspended license shall not engage in the public practice of geology in North Carolina.

(d)  A geologist with an inactive license shall no longer seal and certify documents with his or her seal.

(e)  The Board shall maintain a list of all inactive licensees.

(f)  Any reference to an inactive geologist on a letter, title, sign, card, or devise shall list such geologist as "Retired Geologist" or "N.C. Geology License No. __ (inactive)."

(g)  An individual who wishes to convert their license from inactive to active status shall submit an application for reinstatement, proof of 12 hours of continuing education taken in the 12 months prior to the reinstatement request, and payment of the reinstatement fee set forth in Rule .0107 of this Chapter.

(h)  In no case shall an individual remain on inactive status for more than five years without permission of the Board. If an individual has been on inactive status for five years and does not request additional time to hold an inactive license, the license shall expire.

(i)  A geologist who has been granted inactive status is not required to fulfill continuing education requirements.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 89E-4; 89E-5;

Eff. June 1, 2017.