Apply for Registration

Registrations

SUBMIT APPLICATION HERE - Click on this LINK to securely submit your application for registration to the Board. Payment of application and registration fees can be completed online using the "Make a Payment" option found in the menu along the top of the website. Scroll down to read more about registrations and for application forms.

The Board offers three (3) primary registration types:

Geologist-in-Training (GIT)
Registered Geologist (RG)
Certified Engineering Geologist (CEG)

See also below for information on Temporary Military Spouse Registration and Temporary Permits.

Geologist-in-Training (GIT)

A Geologist-in-Training (GIT) is an individual registered based on completion of the Board’s minimum education requirements and passage of the Fundamentals of Geology (FG) section of the national geology examination. The GIT registration does not alter the need for the individual to limit the public practice of geology to work done under the supervision and responsible charge of an RG or CEG.

Registered Geologist (RG)

An RG is an individual granted registration to publicly practice geology in Oregon based on Board determination of meeting education, examination, and experience requirements. An RG is able to work in responsible charge of geologic services.

Certified Engineering Geologist (CEG)

A CEG is an individual that holds the RG registration and has been granted a specialty registration to practice in the field of engineering geology based on Board determination of meeting education, examination and experience requirements for the specialty.

An RG is not authorized to provide engineering geology services if not also a CEG or working under the supervision of a CEG. Said another way, the Board does not consider an RG without a CEG certification to be qualified to work as the responsible professional geologist on a civil works project.

The Board does not regulate the practice of geotechnical engineering, even though the work can overlap to some extent with engineering geologic work. The practice of engineering in Oregon, including geotechnical engineering, is regulated by the Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying (OSBEELS). However, the Board would regulate the public practice of engineering geology by a Geotechnical Engineer or other Professional Engineer where such work falls outside the scope of practice or area of expertise for the engineer.

Renew registration or update contact information online.

Note: An RG is also eligible to seek licensure as a Certified Water Rights Examiner. The Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying (OSBEELS) handles the exam and registration for this license type. The Board can verify your RG status in support of a registration application to OSBEEELS.

Minimum standards and application process

The minimum standards for each type of registration are detailed on the Qualify & Apply for Exams page of this website. An applicant must submit the application form for the type of registration sought and include all fees plus supporting documentation, as appropriate.

Application for initial registration

For an applicant seeking registration that has previously applied to the Board to sit for exam, the supporting documentation for your application for registration should already be on file with the Board. For example, an applicant for the GIT registration that applied to sit for the Fundamentals of Geology (FG) exam section would have already submitted an official transcript as part of the exam application process. Similarly, an applicant for the RG registration that applied to sit for the Practice of Geology (PG) exam section would have already submitted an official transcript and work experience documentation. Provided not more than 5 years have passed since an application to sit for exam was submitted to the Board, the applicant's supporting documentation should be on file with the Board. Therefore, the applicant will not generally need to resubmit supporting documents as part of an application for registration. Board staff will notify an applicant if additional information is needed after completing an initial review of the application for registration.

Application for comity registration

For an applicant seeking registration by comity, all supporting documentation regarding education, examination and experience must be filed as part of the application for registration. The Board is required by law to verify that each applicant meets Oregon's education, examination, and experience standards and cannot meet that obligation without receipt of the supporting documentation. The Board will need to obtain verification of exam scores and licensure status from the applicant's primary registration board. Applicants are encouraged to request this official verification from their licensing boards prior to submitting the application for Oregon registration. Doing so may reduce the time it takes for the Board to obtain a complete application.

Review timeline

Applications for registration are processed year round on a first-come, first-served basis. Application processing time varies, but generally, review of a complete application can be completed within three (3) to four (4) weeks.

Temporary military spouse registration

Effective 12/09/2019, the Board offers this registration type to any applicant who is the spouse/domestic partner of a member of the Armed Force of the United States stationed in Oregon on active duty. Like with other applications for registration, the applicant is required to provide documentation of education, exam, and experience credentials. However, the following documentation is also required: (1) copy of marriage certificate, domestic partnership registration, or other official evidence of legal union and an attestation that said union is valid and in effect and (2) copy of the order assignment to an Oregon duty station by official active duty military order. For the full requirements, please see OAR 809-050-0015 in the rules list at the bottom of this page.

Temporary permits

An individual can apply to the Board for a temporary permit to publicly practice geology in Oregon without registration, but the Board by law must limit temporary permits as follows:

The individual must not be a resident of Oregon;
The individual must not have an established place of business in Oregon;
The individual must be licensed or registered to practice geology or the engineering geology specialty in another state where the requirements for licensing are not lower than those specified for Oregon RGs or CEGs;
The proposed unlicensed practice must be limited to a specific project; and
The proposed practice timeframe must not exceed one period of 60 consecutive days in any calendar year.

A temporary permit application serves as the individual’s official filing before commencing work in Oregon and must indicate the timeframe for the proposed work. The Board’s temporary permit for practice will be limited to the 60-day timeframe requested. Upon the completion of geologic work in Oregon, the individual must submit a written a statement indicating when the work ended.

The Board is not able to break up a temporary permit work period into separate, non-consecutive periods. The Board by law can only issue a temporary permit for one consecutive 60 day period. Therefore, applicants are strongly advised to carefully select the requested start and end times for a temporary permit. Also, the Board cannot by law issue multiple temporary permits to an individual within a calendar year. If an individual needs to publicly practice geology in Oregon for more than 60 consecutive days or at various, non-consecutive times within a calendar year, then application for registration is the appropriate path.

The fee for a temporary permit is $100.