WAC 173-162-060
How do you qualify for each license? (1) Training licenses.
(a) You are qualified to receive either a water or a
resource protection training license if you:
(i) Submit a completed application to the department on
forms provided by the department and pay the department a
seventy-five dollar application fee; and
(ii) Have completed at least six hundred hours of
drilling experience working under the direct supervision of a
licensed operator who has held a Washington state water and/or
resource protection well drilling license for at least three
years; and
(iii) Have obtained six continuing education units as
approved by the department; and
(iv) Pass a written examination as provided for in RCW 18.104.080; and
(v) Pass an on-site examination by the department; and
(vi) Present a statement by a person or persons licensed
under this chapter, other than a trainee, signed under penalty
of perjury as provided in RCW 9A.72.085, verifying that:
(A) The applicant has acquired a minimum of six hundred
hours of field experience required under this chapter; and
(B) The operator has assumed liability for any and all
well construction activities of the applicant while the
applicant was gaining his/her six hundred hours of field
experience. The operator shall not be subject to any
penalties or orders that may be issued for wells constructed
by the applicant that were not the responsibility of the
operator to have direct supervision and control over; and
(C) A licensed operator, except a trainee, who will
sponsor the trainee, has been identified on the signed
statement. The licensed operator who will be sponsoring the
trainee, shall assume liability for any and all well
construction activities of the trainee accomplished under the
operator's control during the period of the trainee's license;
and
(vii) In obtaining a statement from a well operator(s)
under (a)(vi) of this subsection, an applicant who has gained
drilling experience under more than one operator shall submit
a statement from each operator. It is not necessary to
accumulate all qualifying experience under one operator.
Field experience for which a statement of verification and
liability cannot be obtained, shall not be used as qualifying
experience under this section.
All statements shall be entered on forms provided by the
department.
(b) Terms and conditions of a training license.
(i) A person with either a resource protection or a water
well training license may construct only those types of wells
for which they are licensed without being under the direct
supervision of a licensed operator provided:
(A) A licensed operator is available by radio, telephone,
or other means of communication; and
(B) The licensed operator can reach the drill site within
one hour.
(ii) A trainee shall maintain a daily drilling log
identifying all work accomplished that day. The log shall
remain in the possession of the trainee at all times and shall
be reviewed and initialed daily by the responsible licensed
operator. The drilling log shall be available for review by
department and county officials whose county has received
delegated authority as provided in RCW 18.104.043.
(iii) The work documented and initialed in the drilling
log shall be used in your application for a license under the
training program completed, licensing category of this
chapter.
(iv) All verifiable work performed by a trainee under the
control of a licensed operator may be carried over to
subsequent operator(s) who assume liability for the trainee.
(v) A trainee may apply and qualify for both a resource
protection and a water well drilling training license,
provided they meet the provisions of WAC 173-162-060 (1)(a)
for each license they apply for.
(2) Water well or resource protection well operator
licenses.
A person shall be qualified to receive either a water or
resource protection well operator license if you meet the
requirements of one of the following categories:
(a) New applicant category.
Applicants who have never held a well operator license
qualify if they:
(i) Submit a completed application to the department on
forms provided by the department and pay the department a
seventy-five dollar application fee; and
(ii) Submit proof that they have acquired five thousand
four hundred hours of drilling experience under the direct
supervision of a licensed well operator. Experience gained as
a licensed trainee may be applied towards the experience
requirements of this subsection; and
(iii) Submit proof that they have obtained thirty-two
continuing education units; and
(iv) Pass a written examination as provided for in RCW 18.104.080.
(v) The department shall evaluate and approve all
qualifying experience and educational training. If your
qualifying drilling experience under (a)(ii) of this
subsection is from another state, the department may require
an on-site examination.
(b) Training program completed category.
Applicants who have held a valid training license will be
qualified to receive an operator license if they:
(i) Submit a completed application to the department on
forms provided by the department and pay the department a
seventy-five dollar application fee; and
(ii) Submit proof that they have worked as a licensed
trainee under the provisions of this chapter for at least
three thousand six hundred hours; and
(iii) Have obtained fourteen continuing education units
while working under the training program.
(c) Licensed experience category.
(i) Applicants who have never held an operator license in
Washington state qualify if they:
(A) Submit a completed application to the department on
forms provided by the department and pay the department a
seventy-five dollar application fee; and
(B) Hold a valid well operator license, or equivalent, in
another state and can show proof that the license has been
held for a period of at least three years. The department
shall evaluate and approve all experience acquired by
out-of-state licensed operators; and
(C) Have obtained thirty-two continuing education units
as approved by the department; and
(D) Pass a written examination as provided for in RCW 18.104.080; and
(E) Passed an on-site examination by the department. The
on-site examination may be waived by the department.
(F) Proof of licensing under (c)(i)(B) of this subsection
shall be submitted with the application for license. Proof of
drilling experience may include drilling logs, federal or
state tax records; employment records; or other records
acceptable to the department.
(ii) Individuals, other than trainees, whose Washington
operator license has been suspended, revoked, expired or whose
license status has changed to retired or inactive may apply
for a new license. These individuals qualify to receive a
license if:
(A) The terms of the order of suspension or revocation
have been met; and
(B) They submit a completed application to the department
on forms provided by the department and pay the department a
seventy-five dollar application fee; and
(C) They have obtained seven continuing education units
for each year or portion of a year the license has been
revoked, suspended, inactive, retired, or expired; and
(D) They pass a written examination as provided for in
RCW 18.104.080; and
(E) They pass an on-site examination by the department.
(F) The written and/or on-site examination(s) under
(c)(ii)(D) and (E) of this subsection may be waived by the
department.
(3) Individuals who received an operator license for
either water well or resource protection well drilling are
qualified to receive the other license if they:
(a) Currently hold a valid well operator license under
one of the categories in subsection (2) of this section; and
(b) Submit a completed application to the department on
forms provided by the department and pay a seventy-five dollar
application fee; and
(c) Pass a written examination; and
(d) Pass an on-site examination if their field experience
was gained in another state. The department may waive the
on-site examination.
(e) Submit proof of at least six hundred hours of
additional well drilling experience for the other type of
license you wish to obtain. EXAMPLE - You currently hold a
water well operator license that was issued by the department
after the effective date of these regulations. You also wish
to be licensed to construct resource protection wells. You
will qualify to receive the resource protection operator
license by making an application, paying the fee, and showing
proof of six hundred hours of resource protection well
drilling experience, passing a written exam, and passing an
on-site exam if your drilling experience was gained in another
state. Proof of experience will consist of drilling reports
showing you were the operator of record on at least fifteen
resource protection wells, or other documentation showing
experience approved by the department.
(4) Conditional license.
(a) A conditional license may be issued to a former
licensed operator for the sole purpose of authorizing the well
operator to comply with an order to correct a problem with a
well. The terms of the license shall detail the extent and
limitations placed on the well operator. This may include
limitations of work to be completed on a specific well,
license expiration, and any other limitation set by the
department.
(b) A conditional license cannot be issued to a person
who has never held an operator license issued under the
provisions of this chapter.
(5) Retirement license.
(a) A person shall be qualified to receive a retirement
license if you meet the following requirements:
(i) Submit a completed application to the department on
forms provided by the department and pay the department a
seventy-five dollar application fee; and
(ii) Hold a current active license for a minimum of ten
years; and
(iii) Have no outstanding enforcement actions.
(b) The holder of a retirement license may not engage in
any licensed activities. The holder of a retirement license
may apply for a new license under WAC 173-162-060(2).
(6) Inactive license.
(a) A person shall be qualified to receive an inactive
license if you meet the following requirements:
(i) Submit a completed application to the department on
forms provided by the department and pay the department a
seventy-five dollar application fee; and
(ii) Show proof of inactive status based on military
documents, hospitalization records, out of country drilling or
other extraordinary circumstances as determined by the
department; and
(iii) Hold a current active license; and
(iv) Have no outstanding enforcement actions.
(b) Extraordinary circumstances do not include failure to
notify the department of a change of address; postal service
error and domestic disputes (divorce or separation).
(c) The holder of an inactive license must resubmit an
application to extend inactive license status at the end of
each two-year period. The holder of an inactive license may
not engage in any licensed activities. The holder of an
inactive license may apply for a new license under WAC 173-162-060(2).
[Statutory Authority: Chapter 18.104 RCW. 06-23-121 (Order
06-08), § 173-162-060, filed 11/21/06, effective 12/22/06. Statutory Authority: Chapter 18.104 RCW and RCW 43.21A.080. 98-08-031 (Order 97-08), § 173-162-060, filed 3/23/98,
effective 4/23/98. Statutory Authority: Chapter 18.104 RCW.
88-08-070 (Order 88-58), § 173-162-060, filed 4/6/88; Order DE
73-10, § 173-162-060, filed 6/29/73.]