How to get your license: Geologists by exam without required experience

Requirements

To get a geologist license by exam, you must:

• Meet the education requirements through a degree or equivalent course work
• Have at least 5 years of documented, verifiable professional geological experience, obtained after completing the educational requirements.
  • At least 3 years must be supervised by a licensed geologist.
  • If your supervisor isn't a licensed geologist, the person verifying the experience must provide their resume to the Board for evaluation and approval.
  • One year of full-time graduate study in geology or qualified related area counts as one year of experience – maximum of 2 years.
  • Geological research or teaching at a university or college is credited year-for-year if judged comparable to experience by the Board.
• Pass the National Association of State Boards of Geology (ASBOG®) Fundamentals of Geology and Practice of Geology examinations, or other Board-approved equivalent examinations
• Provide at least 2 professional references – each experience verifier counts as a professional reference

How to apply

1. Submit your application for the Fundamentals of Geology exam, either online or by mail:
   • Online
     • Prepare required documents for upload :
       • If you’re submitting educational equivalents: Course syllabi/class outlines, copies of study materials, and the tables of contents of books used in the courses, or certificate of completion for non-academic courses. These education equivalents will be reviewed and must be approved by us.
     • Log in or sign up to apply and pay the application fee – the fee covers the Fundamentals of Geology exam (if needed), the Practice of Geology exam, and your initial 1-year license fee.
       • During this process, you will upload:
         • Educational equivalents paperwork, if needed
     • Go to step 2 below.
   • By mail
     • Send us the following:
       • Completed Geologist and/or Specialty License Application.
       • If you are submitting educational equivalents: Course syllabi/class outline, copies of study materials, and the tables of contents of books used in the courses, or certificate of completion for non-academic courses
       • Check or money order, payable to the Department of Licensing, for the application fee – fee covers the Fundamentals of Geology exam (if needed), the Practice of Geology exam, and your initial 1-year license fee.
     • Go to step 2 below.
2. Have your college or university send official transcripts to the mailing address shown below.
3. After you are approved by the Board to take the ASBOG® Fundamentals of Geology exam:
   • We will send you an ASBOG® National Examination Candidate Request form.
   • Complete the lower section of the form and send it with the exam fees directly to ASBOG®.
   • After your payment has been received by ASBOG, you will receive an exam admission letter about one month before the exam date.
4. Take and pass the Fundamentals of Geology exam:
   • You can take the exam as many times as needed to pass, but you must submit a Geologist and/or Specialty License Reexam Registration and pay the re-exam administration and vendor fees for each re-exam.
5. Gain the required 5 years of experience.
6. Complete section 1 of an Employment and Experience Verification form for each work experience you are having verified. Have the work verifier complete section 2 and return the form to the address shown at the top of the form.
   • If you’re only requesting one experience verification, you must also complete one Personal Referenceform and have the reference return the form to the address shown at the top of the form.
7. Submit a Geologist and/or Specialty License Application by mail to apply for the Practice of Geology exam.
   • You don’t have to pay the application fee with this application, because this exam was included in the fee you paid prior to the Fundamentals exam.
8. After you are approved by the Board to take the ASBOG® Practice of Geology exam:
   • We will send you an ASBOG® National Examination Candidate Request form
   • Complete the lower section of the form and send it with the exam fees directly to ASBOG®.
   • After payment has been received by ASBOG, you will receive an exam admission letter about one month before the exam date.
9. Take and pass the Practice of Geology exam:
   • You can take the exam as many times as needed to pass, but you must submit a Geologist and/or Specialty License Reexam Registration and pay the re-exam administration and vendor fees for each re-exam.
10. After we receive a passing score from ASBOG, we’ll issue your license.

Mailing address (no overnight mail accepted)

Questions? Need help?

• Email us: geologist@dol.wa.gov
• Call us: 360.664.1497