Chapter 295-15 INACTIVE STATUS LICENSES
Prior to revocation for non-renewal of a license as
defined in O.C.G.A.
43-1-19(1),
licensees of these Professional Licensing Boards may apply for
inactive licensure status in accordance with the following
provisions:
(a) |
Georgia State Board of Nursing Home
Administrators.
1. |
Any
licensee who holds a current license and who is not practicing as a
nursing home administrator may request the Board to place that
license into an "inactive status" upon written application to the
Board and payment of a non-refundable inactive status application
fee. See fee schedule. The Board, in its sole discretion, may grant
or deny the request for inactive status. Any licensee whose license
is on inactive status may not engage in the practice of nursing home
administration or serve as the administrator of record of a nursing
home. |
2. |
In order to
reactivate an inactive license, submit the appropriate application,
forms, and fee to the Board.
(i) |
If
a license is inactive for twelve months or less, but no more than
twenty-four months, the applicant must submit forty (40) hours of CE
obtained since the Board's last renewal period. |
(ii) |
If a license is inactive for
twenty-four months, but not more than thirty-six months, eighty (80)
hours of CE obtained since the Board's last renewal period must be
submitted to the Board. |
(iii) |
If the license has been
inactive more than thirty-six months, the applicant must meet current
requirements and either submit eighty (80) hours of CE since the
Board's last renewal period, OR take and pass the
national exam. |
(iv) |
If
the inactive license holds an active license from the Georgia Board's
approved state's list and has been employed for one year as a Nursing
Home Administrator prior to the date of the application, then the
applicant must submit an application, fee, and verification of an
active, current license from the state or jurisdiction in which the
license is held. |
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(b) |
State Board of
Examiners of Psychologists.
1. |
A licensee who holds a current
license and who is not using the title "psychologist" in Georgia and
will not practice psychology in the State of Georgia may apply for
Inactive Status by completing an Application for Inactive Status and
submitting the appropriate fee to the Board. A licensee may not use
their license in the State of Georgia while that license is on
Inactive Status. |
2. |
A
licensee who wishes to reactivate an inactive license who has an
active license in another state and who has been actively practicing
psychology there within the past two years must submit to the Board
an Application to Reactivate; documentation of 40 hours of continuing
education activities that were completed within two calendar years of
the date the application is received by the Board, and appropriate
fee. |
3. |
For the Board to
approve reactivation of the license of a psychologist who has not had
an active license in another state and who has not been actively
practicing psychology, the licensee must also pass both the Georgia
Jurisprudence and Oral Examinations in addition to the requirements
set forth in (2) above. |
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(c) |
Georgia State Board
of Veterinary Medicine.
1. |
A veterinarian or veterinary
technician who wishes to discontinue the practice of veterinary
medicine may apply for an "inactive license." A veterinarian or
veterinary technician holding an "inactive license" may not
practice. |
2. |
A Doctor of
Veterinary Medicine or a veterinary technician who holds a valid
current active license to practice Veterinary Medicine as a
veterinarian or veterinary technician in the State of Georgia may
request the license be placed on inactive status under the following
provisions:
(i) |
The Board receives
a written request from the licensee requesting inactive status. The
written request shall contain the notarized signature of the licensee
and contain the following statements:
I. |
"I understand that with an
inactive license I shall not engage in the practice of veterinary
medicine as a veterinarian or veterinary technician and shall not
hold myself out to the public as being available to provide
veterinary services." |
II. |
"I understand that I am not required to renew said license while on
inactive status." |
III. |
"I
understand I am not required to obtain the continuing education
credits while on inactive status unless I request to be placed on
active status." |
IV. |
"I
understand that to practice or to hold oneself out as available to
practice veterinary medicine with an inactive license is unlicensed
practice and I would be subject to disciplinary action." |
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(ii). |
A Doctor of
Veterinary Medicine or veterinary technology holding an inactive
license may seek active status.
To reinstate the license to active status the
licensee must:
I. |
Submit a
written request for reinstatement of said inactive license. |
II. |
Submit proof of attendance at
not less than 30 hours of Board approved continuing education within
two years of the date of the request to reinstate. |
III. |
Provide evidence acceptable to
the Board that the licensee has not had a license revoked, suspended,
disciplined or otherwise sanctioned in any other jurisdiction that
ever issued a license to practice. |
IV. |
Provide evidence acceptable to
the Board that licensee has not been convicted of a felony or any
crime involving moral turpitude. |
V. |
Pay the reinstatement fee, as
determined by the Board in the fee schedule. |
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(d) |
Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors,
Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists.
(1) |
Inactive licensure status is
not available for Associate Professional Counselors or Associate
Marriage and Family Therapist licensees.
1. |
A licensee who does not intend
to practice in Georgia and who therefore does not intend to use the
title Professional Counselor, Social Worker, or Marriage and Family
Therapist may apply to convert an active license to inactive status.
An individual who holds an inactive license will not be required to
renew their license or to satisfy the biennial renewal
requirements. |
2. |
A
licensee who does not intend to practice in Georgia and who therefore
does not intend to practice or use the title Professional Counselor,
Social Worker, or Marriage and Family Therapist may apply to convert
an active license to an inactive status. An individual who holds an
inactive license will not be required to renew their license or to
satisfy the biennial renewal requirements. |
3. |
A license may remain inactive
for no more than five years from the date the status is converted to
inactive by the administrative staff. If a licensee has not applied
to reactivate their license before the five year deadline, the
license will be revoked for failure to reactivate. |
4. |
A person who holds an active
license may apply for inactive status in the following manner:
(i) |
Submit a completed, signed,
notarized "Request for Inactive Status" application to the Board.
There is no fee to apply for inactive status; |
(ii) |
Submit the license pocket card
with the application. |
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5. |
A person who holds an inactive
license may apply to reactivate their license within five years or
less from date active status was converted to inactive status by the
administrative staff in the following manner:
(i) |
Submit an Application for
Reactivation; |
(ii) |
Submit
the reactivation fee (see fee schedule); |
(iii) |
Submit evidence that the
licensee has obtained thirty five hours of continuing education
pursuant to Board rule 135-9 within two years of the date of the
application for reactivation. |
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6. |
Upon receipt of the application,
the fee and continuing education documents the license will be
reactivated. |
7. |
After
five years of inactive status, an Application for Reinstatement must
be filed pursuant to Board rule
135-6-.04. |
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(e) |
Georgia Board of Athletic Trainers.
1. |
A licensee who does not intend
to hold themselves out as an athletic trainer or to practice in
Georgia as an athletic trainer may apply to convert his/her active
athletic trainer license into an inactive status. An individual who
holds an inactive license will not be required to renew that
license. |
2. |
A licensee
may maintain his/her license on inactive status for no more than five
years. If licensee does not apply to reactivate his/ her license
before the end of the five-year period, the license will be revoked
for failure to reactivate. In order to obtain a new license, a person
whose license has been revoked for failure to reactivate must apply
for licensure by examination following the procedure set out in
Chapter 53-3. |
3. |
A
licensee may apply for inactive status by submitting an affidavit to
the Board requesting inactive status and affirming that while on
inactive status he/she will not practice athletic training in Georgia
or hold themselves out to the public as an athletic trainer in
Georgia. The licensee shall forward their biennial renewal license
card to the Board with their affidavit but shall be permitted to
retain the decorative wall certificate. |
4. |
The board will reactivate a
license upon receipt of the following:
(i) |
Application for
Reactivation; |
(ii) |
Reactivation Fee (See Fee Schedule); |
(iii) |
Evidence of completion of six
hours of continuing education approved by the board for each year the
license was inactive. However, no proof of continuing education will
be required of an applicant for reactivation who during the period
that the Georgia license was inactive as (1) practicing with an
active license in a jurisdiction that requires continuing education
to maintain that license; or (2) practicing with NATA certification
in a jurisdiction that has licensing requirement. |
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(f) |
Georgia State Board of Funeral Service.
1. |
A funeral director or embalmer
who holds a current license and who will not practice funeral
directing or embalming in Georgia may apply for Inactive Status by
completing an Application for Inactive Status and submitting the
appropriate fee (see Fee Schedule) to the Board. Once the license is
on inactive status, an embalmer or funeral director shall not
practice embalming or funeral directing in the State of Georgia while
that license is on Inactive Status. |
2. |
In order to be placed on
Inactive Status, the license must be in good standing and the
licensee must show that he/she has met continuing education hours,
which will be required at their next renewal. |
3. |
A funeral director or embalmer
who wishes to reactivate an inactive license must submit to the Board
an Application to Reactivate, appropriate fee, and documentation of
continuing education.
(i) |
If the
request to reactivate is received more than two years but less than
four years from the date on which Inactive Status was approved, the
licensee must document five (5) continuing education hours. |
(ii) |
If the request to reactive is
received four or more years after the date on which Inactive Status
was approved, the licensee must document ten (10) continuing
education hours and take and pass the State Laws and Rules
Examination, notwithstanding the fact that he/she may have passed the
Laws and Rules Examination on a prior date. |
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(g) |
State
Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land
Surveyors.
1. |
A
licensee who is over the age of 65 and retired; or who has become
disabled may apply to the Board for inactive status by submitting the
required application and paying the proper fee. |
2. |
While on inactive status, a
licensee is exempt from the payment of the biennial renewal fee and
continuing education requirements. |
3. |
An inactive licensee may not
practice professional engineering or land surveying in this
State. |
4. |
An inactive
license may be restored by filing the proper application; proof of
continuing education requirements; and, approval and reactivation fee
to be determined by the Board. |
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(h) |
Georgia Board of
Chiropractic Examiners.
1. |
A Doctor of Chiropractic who
holds a valid license to practice chiropractic in the State of
Georgia may request the license be placed on inactive status under
the following provisions:
(a) |
Notifies the Board, in writing, that he or she chooses to retire from
active practice of the profession or will no longer practice
Chiropractic in the State of Georgia. |
(b) |
Provides a statement
acknowledging that he or she shall not engage in the practice of
Chiropractic and shall not hold themselves out to the public as being
available to provide chiropractic services in this state. |
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2. |
Upon meeting the
aforementioned conditions said license shall be considered inactive
and the licensee:
(a) |
Shall not be
required to obtain the necessary continuing education credits for
renewal of the license. |
(b) |
Shall not be assessed a renewal
fee for the period that the license is inactive. |
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3. |
Within the State of Georgia, the
practice of chiropractic with an inactive license shall be considered
unlicensed practice and is subject to disciplinary action. |
4. |
Should a Doctor of Chiropractic
holding an inactive license choose to return to active practice in
this state, the following requirements must be met:
(a) |
Submit an application for
reactivation along with the reactivation fee established by the
Board. |
(b) |
Submit
evidence of attendance at forty (40) hours of Board approved
continuing education within the last two (2) years. |
(c) |
Provide evidence that licensee
is in good standing in all jurisdictions in which he or she has ever
been licensed. |
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5. |
After 5 years of continuous
inactive status, the Board may, at its discretion require successful
completion of the Special Purposes Examination for Chiropractic
(SPEC) and/or additional coursework. |
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(i) |
Georgia State Board
of Physical Therapy.
1. |
Any licensee who is no longer
practicing as a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant in
the State of Georgia may request an inactive license status by filing
an application for inactive status and paying the appropriate fee.
Refer to the fee schedule.
(i) |
An
individual holding inactive status may not practice as a physical
therapist or work as a physical therapist assistant within the State
of Georgia. |
(ii) |
Any
individual holding inactive status is not subject to the biennial
renewal fees or continuing competence requirements. |
(iii) |
An individual whose license
is under any sanction may not transfer to inactive status while
sanctions are in effect. |
(iv) |
Any individual holding
inactive status may return to active status by meeting all
requirements for reinstatement as outlined herein. |
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(j) |
Georgia Board of Examiners of Licensed
Dietitians.
1. |
The
holder of an active license may request to place the license on
inactive status by submitting a written request to the board no later
than June 30th following the March 31st expiration date. |
2. |
The holder of an inactive
license that continues to practice is subject to disciplinary action
for unlicensed practice. |
3. |
An inactive license may be
reinstated by application for Reinstatement as provided in Rule
157-2-.04(2). |
4. |
The holder of an inactive
license is required to obtain the required continuing professional
education units that are obtained by active licensees. |
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(k) |
Georgia
State Board of Architects and Interior Designers.
1. |
A registered interior designer
holding a valid license to practice in Georgia who has retired from
active practice and is no longer practicing as a registered interior
designer in Georgia, may request inactive license status by filing
the required application and paying the appropriate fee indicated in
the fee schedule. |
2. |
Any
individual whose license is under any sanction and is not in good
standing may not transfer to inactive status while sanctions are in
effect. |
3. |
An individual
holding inactive status shall abide by the following conditions:
(i) |
may not practice and may not
offer registered interior design services; |
(ii) |
may not hold themselves out to
the public as being available to provide such services; and |
(iii) |
may only use the term
registered interior designer as long as it is not used to imply
active practice or that registered interior design services are
currently offered. |
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4. |
Any practice of registered
interior design services while holding an inactive license shall be
considered unlicensed practice and is subject to disciplinary
action. |
5. |
Any individual
holding inactive status is not subject to the biennial renewal fee or
the professional development requirements. |
6. |
An individual may apply to have
an inactive license reactivated by submitting the following items:
(i) |
a completed
application; |
(ii) |
the
appropriate fee as indicated in the fee schedule; and |
(iii) |
the evidence of having
satisfied the reinstatement requirements for professional development
as provided in Rule
50-9-.05(2)(b). |
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7. |
Reactivation of a
license is at the sole discretion of the Board. |
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(l) |
State Licensing
Board for Residential and General Contractors.
1. |
A residential or general
contractor who holds a valid residential or general contractor's
license in the State of Georgia may request the license be placed on
inactive status under the following provisions:
(i) |
Notifies the Board, in writing,
that he or she chooses to retire from active practice of the
profession. Said license shall be considered inactive. |
(ii) |
Shall not engage in
contracting and shall not hold themselves out to the public as being
available to provide contractor services. |
(iii) |
Shall not be required to
obtain the necessary continuing education credits. |
(iv) |
Shall not be assessed a
renewal fee for the period that the license is inactive. |
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2. |
Contracting with an
inactive license shall be considered unlicensed practice and is
subject to disciplinary action. |
3. |
Should contractor holding an
inactive license choose to return to active status, the following
requirements must be met:
(i) |
Submit evidence of attendance of the required Board approved
continuing education for each biennium that the license was
inactive. |
(ii) |
Provide
evidence that licensee is in good standing in all states in which he
or she has ever been licensed. A reactivation fee as established by
the board must be submitted with the application for
reactivation. |
(iii) |
Submit proof of current general liability insurance and workers'
compensation as required by law for the license type that is to be
reinstated. |
(iv) |
Submit
other proof of financial responsibility as is required for the
license type that is to be reinstated. |
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4. |
After 5 years of continuous
inactive status, the Board may, at its discretion require successful
passing of the contractor examination in the contractor field for the
license that the contractor wishes to reinstate. |
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(m) |
Georgia Board of
Nursing.
1. |
A
currently licensed registered professional nurse or licensed
practical nurse who wishes to maintain his or her license but who
does not wish to practice nursing in this State may apply for
inactive licensure status by submitting an application for inactive
status and paying the required fee. A licensee granted inactive
status is exempt from filing a biennial license renewal application
and paying a license renewal fee. A licensee who holds an inactive
license shall not practice as a registered professional nurse or
licensed practical nurse. |
2. |
An inactive license may be
changed to active status by filing an application for reinstatement
with the Board, complying with reinstatement requirements as defined
by the Board, and paying a reinstatement fee, as determined by the
Board. Applicants must be able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of
the Board that he or she has maintained current knowledge, skill and
proficiency in the practice of nursing and that he or she is mentally
and physically able to practice nursing with reasonable skill and
safety. |
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(n) |
Georgia Board of Optometry.
1. |
Doctors of Optometry who have
reached their sixty-fifth (65th) birthday or who can provide
certification of disability to practice Optometry may request that
their license be placed on inactive status under the following
provisions:
(i) |
In the event that a
Doctor of Optometry who holds a valid license to practice Optometry
in the State of Georgia notifies the Board that he chooses to retire
from active practice of the profession, his license shall be
considered to be inactive; |
(ii) |
Doctors holding an inactive
license shall not engage in the practice of Optometry and shall not
hold themselves out to the public as being available to provide
optometric services; |
(iii) |
A Doctor of Optometry holding
an inactive license shall not be required to obtain the necessary
continuing education credits and no renewal fee shall be
assessed. |
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(o) |
Georgia Board of
Podiatry Examiners.
1. |
The Joint Secretary has designated a category of inactive license
which the Board has determined will be available for those persons
meeting the prescribed criteria which shall remain in full force for
life, unless reactivated under Board Rule
500-4-.02(2),
and which shall incur no fees. To be eligible to be placed in
inactive status, a licensee must:
(i) |
Demonstrate an inability to
practice podiatry due to age, physical impairment, or infirmity which
time is not expected to resolve; |
(ii) |
Have a current active license
in good standing to practice podiatry in the State of
Georgia; |
(iii) |
Must not
be under administrative disciplinary action or court action or
probation; |
(iv) |
Licensees
desiring to be placed on inactive status must apply in writing to the
Board and submit evidence of inability to practice. |
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2. |
Once placed in
inactive status, the license holder thereafter shall not engage in
the practice of podiatry in any manner in the State of Georgia. The
only avenue of reactivation shall be at the discretion of the Board
under conditions acceptable to the Board. Licensees seeking
reactivation shall be required to pay past license renewal fees based
on the current renewal rate for each inactive renewal cycle and
submit proof of continuing education for each biennium on inactive
status. |
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