Title BPC — California Bus. & Prof. Code

This chapter of the Business and Professions Code constitutes the chapter on geologists and geophysicists. It may be cited as the Geologist and Geophysicist Act.

(a) “Board,” as used in this chapter, means the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists established under Section 6710. Any reference in any law or regulation to the Board for Geologists and Geophysicists or the State Board of Registration for Geologists …

“Geology,” as used in this chapter, refers to that science which treats of the earth in general; investigation of the earth’s crust and the rocks and other materials which compose it; and the applied science of utilizing knowledge of the earth and its constituent rocks, minerals,…

“Geophysics,” as used in this chapter, refers to that science which involves study of the physical earth by means of measuring its natural and induced fields of force, including, but not limited to, electric, gravity, and magnetic, and its responses to natural and induced energy …

“Geologist,” as used in this chapter, refers to a person engaged in the practice of geology.

“Geophysicist,” as used in this chapter, refers to a person engaged in the practice of geophysics.

Only a person registered as a geologist under the provisions of this chapter shall be entitled to take and use the title “professional geologist.” Only a person registered as a geologist and certified under the provisions of this chapter shall be entitled to take and use the titl…

Only a person registered as a geophysicist under the provisions of this chapter shall be entitled to take and use the title “professional geophysicist.” Only a person registered as a geophysicist and certified under the provisions of this chapter shall be entitled to take and use…

The term “responsible charge of work” means the independent control and direction by the use of initiative, skill and independent judgment of geological or geophysical work or the supervision of such work.

A subordinate is any person who assists a professional geologist or professional geophysicist in the practice of geology or geophysics without assuming the responsible charge of work.

A qualified geologist is a person who possesses all the qualifications specified in Section 7841 for registration except that he is not registered.

A qualified geophysicist is a person who possesses all the qualifications specified in Section 7841.1 for registration except that he is not registered.

Protection of the public shall be the highest priority for the board in exercising its licensing, regulatory, and disciplinary functions pursuant to this chapter. Whenever the protection of the public is inconsistent with other interests sought to be promoted, the protection of t…

The board, pursuant to the provisions contained in Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, may adopt, amend, or repeal rules and regulations to carry out this chapter.

Except as otherwise provided by law, all records of the board shall be open to inspection by the public during regular office hours.

The board shall have and use a seal bearing the name “Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists.”

The board shall compile and maintain, or may have compiled and maintained on its behalf, a register of all licensees that contains the licensee’s name, address of record, type of branch license, license number, the date the license was issued, and the date the license will expire…

The board may, by regulation, provide for the division of the certification of registration into different specialties, including, but not limited to, petroleum, mining, and ground water, and may issue certificates in one or more of the specialties in which the applicant demonstr…

The board shall establish relations with bodies which regulate the practice of geology and geophysics, or closely related geologic and geophysical disciplines, or which register geologists and geophysicists in the other states, and may establish relations with such bodies in othe…

The board may establish one or more technical advisory committees to advise and assist the board with respect to the following: (a) Application review and verification for any level of registration, licensure, authority, or title. (b) Evaluation and investigation of potential vio…

Each member of each technical advisory committee shall be appointed by the board and shall serve at the pleasure of the board. Each committee shall be composed of no more than five members.

Each member of each technical advisory committee shall be an expert in the area of geology or geophysics within the committee’s jurisdiction and shall be licensed under this chapter.

All the members of each technical advisory committee shall serve without compensation but shall receive per diem and expenses as provided in Section 103.

Each member of each technical advisory committee shall be granted the same immunity as is granted to a public employee pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 820) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 3.6 of Title 1 of the Government Code.

It is unlawful for anyone other than a geologist licensed under this chapter to stamp or seal any plans, specifications, plats, reports, or other documents with the seal or stamp of a professional geologist or licensed certified specialty geologist, or to use in any manner the ti…

It is unlawful for any person other than a geophysicist licensed under this chapter to stamp or seal any plans, specifications, plats, reports, or other documents with the seal or stamp of a licensed geophysicist, professional geophysicist, or licensed certified specialty geophys…

It is unlawful for anyone to stamp or seal any plans, specifications, plats, reports, or other documents with the seal after the certificate of the registrant, named thereon, has expired or has been suspended or revoked, unless the certificate has been renewed or reissued.

Any person, except as in this chapter specifically exempted, who shall practice or offer to practice geology or geophysics for others in this state is subject to the provisions of this chapter.

This chapter does not prohibit one or more geologists or geophysicists from practicing through the entity of a sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation. In a partnership or corporation whose primary activity consists of geological services, at least one partner or officer…

This chapter does not prevent or prohibit an individual, firm, company, association or corporation whose principal business is other than the practice of geology or geophysics from employing a geologist or geophysicist to perform professional services in geology or geophysics inc…

All geologic plans, specifications, reports, or documents shall be prepared by a professional geologist or licensed certified specialty geologist, or by a subordinate employee under his or her direction. In addition, they shall be signed by the professional geologist or licensed …

All geophysical plans, specifications, reports, or documents shall be prepared by a professional geophysicist, licensed certified specialty geophysicist, professional geologist, licensed certified specialty geologist, or by a subordinate employee under his or her direction. In ad…

Officers and employees of the United States of America practicing solely as such officers or employees are exempt from registration under the provisions of this chapter.

A subordinate to a geologist or geophysicist registered under this chapter, insofar as he or she acts solely in that capacity, is exempt from registration under the provisions of this chapter. This exemption, however, does not permit any subordinate to practice geology or geophys…

A civil engineer empowered to practice civil engineering in this state, and a petroleum engineer registered in this state, under provisions of Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 6700) of Division 3 of this code insofar as they practice civil engineering in its various branches or…

This chapter shall not empower a geologist or geophysicist registered under this chapter to practice or offer to practice civil engineering and any of its various recognized branches.

This chapter shall not empower a geologist registered under this chapter to practice or offer to practice geophysics for others in this state except as such geophysical work is related to his practice of geology. This chapter shall not empower a geophysicist registered under this…

(a) A professional geologist or professional geophysicist shall use a written contract when contracting to provide geological or geophysical services to a client pursuant to this chapter. The written contract shall be executed by the professional geologist or professional geophys…

An application for licensure as a geologist, certification in a specialty in geology, certification as a geologist-in-training, licensure as a geophysicist, or certification in a specialty in geophysics shall be made to the board on a form prescribed by it and shall be accompanie…

An applicant for licensure as a geologist shall have all the following qualifications: (a) Not have committed any acts or crimes constituting grounds for denial of licensure under Section 480. (b) Meet either of the following educational requirements fulfilled at a school or univ…

An applicant for licensure as a geophysicist shall have all of the following qualifications. This section shall not apply to applicants for licensure as geologists. (a) Not have committed any acts or crimes constituting grounds for denial of licensure under Section 480. (b) Meet …

(a) An applicant for certification as a geologist-in-training shall comply with all of the following: (1) Not have committed acts or crimes constituting grounds for denial of certification under Section 480. (2) Successfully pass the Fundamentals of Geology examination. (3) Meet …

(a) An applicant for certification in a specialty in geology shall meet all of the requirements of Section 7841, shall be a geologist licensed under this chapter, and, in addition, his or her seven years of professional geological work shall include one of the following: (1) A mi…

An applicant for certification in a specialty in geophysics shall meet all of the requirements of Section 7841.1 and in addition, his seven years of professional geophysical work shall include one of the following: (a) A minimum of three years performed under the supervision of a…

(a) An applicant for certification as a geologist-in-training shall, upon meeting all the requirements prescribed in Section 7841.2, be issued a certificate as a geologist-in-training. A renewal or other fee, other than the application fee, shall not be charged for this certifica…

(a) Examination for licensure shall be held at the times and places within the state as the board shall determine. The scope of examinations and the methods of procedure may be prescribed by rule of the board. (b) The board may make arrangements with a public or private organizat…

Examinations for registration as a geologist or registered certified specialty geologist shall test the applicant’s knowledge of geology and of any established specialty for which he or she applies and his or her ability to apply that knowledge and to assume responsible charge in…

Examinations for registration as a geophysicist or registered certified specialty geophysicist shall test the applicant’s knowledge basic to geophysics and his ability to apply that knowledge and to assume responsible charge in the professional practice of geophysics or a certifi…

An applicant failing in an examination may be examined again upon filing a new application and the payment of the examination fee fixed by the board.

The board, upon application therefor, on its prescribed form, and upon the payment of the fee fixed by this chapter, which shall be retained by the board, may issue a certificate of registration as a geologist or as a geophysicist to a person holding an equivalent certificate of …