Licensing
State Soil Science and Licensing and Legislation
All successful certification programs have one common element and that is to serve and protect the public interest. Many professions require a license to practice such as in medicine, engineering, and accounting. If a profession is licensed, it is generally required that a person needs a license in order practice in that profession.
Some states that have licensure programs use the Fundamentals of Soils exam and/or the Professional Practice exam. These states include Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. If you are taking the Professional Practice exam for licensure only, you do not have to pre-apply using the certification application. You should, however, check with your state licensure contact if there are special registering instructions, applications, etc.
For the following states, please contact the individual licensing board for licensing information:
Maine
Karen Ross
Board Clerk for Geologists and Soil Scientists
Department of Professional & Financial Regulation
35 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04330-0035
Phone: 207-624-8672
Website: http://www.maine.gov/professionallicensing
Send Email
Minnesota
Board of Architecture, Engineering Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Geoscience and Interior Design
85 East 7th Place, Suite 160
St. Paul, MN 55101
Phone: 651-296-2388
Website: mn.gov/aelslagid
Send Email
North Carolina
North Carolina Board of Licensed Soil Scientists
PO Box 41368
Raleigh, NC 27629-1368
Website: https://ncblss.wordpress.ncsu.edu/
Send Email
North Dakota
Matt Retka
Board Contact for Registration ND for Professional Soil Classifier
3303 Fiechtner Drive
Fargo, ND 58103
Phone: 651-587-6854
Website: https://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/soils/BRPSC/
Send Email
South Carolina
Sherri F. Moorer
Administrative Coordinator
Soil Classifiers Advisory Council
Post Office Box 11419
Columbia, SC 29211
Phone: 803-896-4580
Fax: 803-896-4427
Website: https://llr.sc.gov/soil/
Send Email
Tennessee
Tammy Roehrich
Administrator at Department of Commence & Insurance
500 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: 615-741-3449
Website: http://www.tn.gov/commerce/section/soil-scientists
Send Email
Texas
Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists
PO Box 13225
Austin, TX 78711
Phone: 512-936-4408
Fax: 512-936-4409
Website: https://tbpg.state.tx.us/licensing-information/
Send Email
Soil Scientists Licensing Only
Please register for the soils exams with CSSE at https://www.soils.org/certifications/exam-information
Virginia
Board for Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists
9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 400
Richmond, VA 23233
Licensing Section: 804-367-8506
Board Office: 804-367-8514
Fax: 866-465-6206
Website: http://www.dpor.virginia.gov/Boards/SSWPG/
Send Email
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Department of Regulation & Licensing
PO Box 8935
Madison, WI 53708
Phone: 608-266-2112
Fax: 608-267-3816
Website: Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services
Registration deadline 60 days prior to exam.
Steps to Creating Licensure Programs
The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), with help from licensed soil scientists, is working to get soil science licensing established in various states.
Licensure Vs. Certification
How does licensing apply to certification?
While the CPSS is a nationally recognized certification, states with licensure will not accept the certification in lieu of the license.
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