The Texas Geoscience Practice Act was established in 2001, and authorized the creation of the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG). TBPG is responsible for protecting the public through licensure of individuals and firms that perform certain geoscience services in Texas. The licensing process ensures the public that those performing geoscience work for the public in Texas have met defined levels of education and experience.
A professional code of conduct is outlined in the rules for licensure.
TBPG currently licenses approximately 3,500 Professional Geoscientists, 350 Geoscience Firms, and 180 Geoscientists-in-Training.
The Board also regulates the practice of geoscience through its enforcement program, and it provides information and outreach to the public.
Do I need to be licensed?
The Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) was established by the Texas Legislature to regulate the non-exempt public practice of geoscience. With the passage of the Texas Geoscience Practice Act (the Act/ Texas Occupations Code/ TOC, Chapter 1002), beginning September 1, 2003, unless exempted by the Act, a person may not engage in the non-exempt public practice of geoscience unless the person holds a license issued by the TBPG. According to the Act, unless licensed by the TBPG, a person may not use the term, “Licensed Professional Geoscientist” or the initials “P.G.” as part of a professional, business, or commercial identification or title or otherwise present to the public that the person is qualified to practice as a geoscientist or engage in the public practice of geoscience. The Act also provides that a person may not take responsible charge of a geoscientific report or a geoscientific portion of a report required by municipal or county ordinance, state or federal law, state agency rule, or federal regulation that incorporates or is based on a geoscientific study or geoscientific data unless the person is licensed by the TBPG.
Exempt activities: Whereas the Act and/or TBPG rules specify the requirement of individual licensure/registration for an individual/firm to engage in the public practice of geoscience (or to use the “Professional Geoscientist” license title or the initials P.G. in a professional, business or commercial identification or title or otherwise represent to the public that the individual or firm is qualified to engage in the public practice of geoscience), certain geoscience activities are specifically exempted from the requirement of licensure or registration. Those activities are listed in TOC §1002.252. In addition, an individual/firm currently licensed/registered by the Texas Board of Professional Engineers (TBPE) is not required to be licensed/registered by the TBPG to offer non-exempt geoscience services; however, any non-exempt geoscience work performed by a Professional Engineer or an Engineering Firm is regulated by the TBPE.
One of TBPG’s key responsibilities is enforcement of the Act and TBPG’s rules. This includes enforcing the requirement of licensure to offer or engage in activities which require a license and enforcing the TBPG’s Code of Professional Conduct, which is applicable to all licensed Professional Geoscientists, registered Geoscience Firms, and certified Geoscientists-in-Training (GIT). A GIT is not qualified to engage in the non-exempt public practice of geoscience, but is certified to use the GIT certification title/initials and, like any other person, perform non-exempt geoscience activities under the supervision of a licensed Professional Geoscientist, who is responsible for the work performed.
Links to the Texas Geoscience Practice Act (Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1002) and TBPG’s rules (Texas Administrative Code, TITLE 22, Part 39, Chapters 850 and 851) are available on the TBPG’s website at www.tbpg.state.tx.us.