Application for Licensure, Certification or Renewal. (a) Application for licensure or certification shall be made upon application forms to be furnished by the Board and shall be signed and sworn to under penalty of perjury by the applicant. With each application there shall be paid to the Board an application fee which the Board shall fix by regulations. The application or renewal fee is non-refundable after the application has been received by the Board. (b) The Board may accept the certified information contained in a valid council record issued by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying for engineering or land surveying applicants or a valid council record issued by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards for architect applicants in lieu of the same information that is required on the form prescribed and furnished by the Board. (c) For each examination or repetition thereof in whole or in parts as shall be limited or permitted by the rules and regulations of the Board, the applicant shall pay to the Board an examination fee, in such amount as the Board shall fix by regulation. The fee paid shall not be refundable. However, if an applicant after having paid the fee is unable for any reason beyond his or her control to participate in the examination, the Board may extend the time of the applicant’s participation to the next regular examination date and credit to the applicant’s participation the amount of the fee paid. (d) Upon qualifying for licensure or certification, the applicant shall pay a licensing fee, in such amount as the Board shall fix by regulation. Upon receipt thereof by the Board, the applicant shall thereupon be licensed or certified as a engineer, architect, land surveyor, landscape architect or real property appraiser, and shall receive a license from the Board signed by the Board chairman and secretary. (e) The Board shall keep a record of its proceedings and of all applications for licensure or certification, which record shall show (1) the name, age, and last known address of each applicant, (2) the date of application, (3) the place of business of such applicant, (4) education, experience, and other qualifications, (5) type of examination required, (6) whether or not the application was rejected, (7) whether or not a license or certificate was granted, (8) the date of the action of the board, and (9) such other information as may be deemed necessary for the board. The record of the board shall be prima facie evidence of the proceedings of the board, and a transcript thereof, duly certified by the secretary under seal, shall be admissible as evidence with the same force and effect as if the original were produced. (f) Every person licensed or certified who, as an individual or as a member of a firm occupies an office or other place of business for the practice of his/her or their profession shall display his/her or their original certificate or license in a conspicuous manner in his/her or their principal office or place of business. (g) Every certificate or license expires two years following its issuance or renewal and becomes invalid after that date unless renewed on a timely basis prior to such expiration. The Secretary of the Board or designee shall mail, at
least one month in advance of the expiration of the certificate or license, a notice to every person or firm licensed or certified hereunder giving the date of expiration and the fee and any additional requirement for the renewal thereof. As a prerequisite to renewal of a license, real property appraisers shall present satisfactory evidence of having met the continuing education requirements. The Board shall by regulation fix the fee for renewal of a certificate or license. Certificates or licenses which have expired for failure to renew on or before the date herein required may be reinstated within three years of the expiration date upon payment of the renewal fee fixed by the Board, plus a penalty, in such amount as the Board shall fix by regulations, for each calendar month or fraction thereof until the renewal fee is paid. Each licensee or firm whose license or certificate has expired and lapsed for more than three years by failure to renew must file a new application, meet present day requirements for licensure or certification, and receive board approval. (h) A person must file as a new applicant if: (1) He/she was a licensure or firm, and (i) His/her/its license or certificate has expired and has not been renewed for more than three years; or (ii) His/her/its license or certificate has been revoked by the Board or any jurisdiction. (i) Board records and papers of the following class are of a confidential nature and are not public records: examination material for examinations not yet given, file records of examination problem solutions, letters of inquiry and reference concerning applicants, board inquiry forms concerning applicants, investigation files where any investigation is still pending, and all other materials of like confidential nature.
(j) A license may be placed on an inactive status upon notification to the board before his/her license expires by the licensee in writing of the effective date of inactivation and payment of an inactive fee. Failure to reactivate a license on inactive status after three years for engineers, architects, land surveyors, and landscape architects, shall render the license null and void and licensee must file a new application, meet present day requirements for licensure or certification, and receive board approval. Real property appraisers must reactivate their license within two years as required under the Appraisal Qualifications Board guidelines. An inactive licensee may apply for reactivation upon payment of all fees owing from time of inactivity and proof of completion of all continuing education hours (if required) the applicant would have had to submit if the applicant has maintained licensure from the date of inactivation. Failure to meet the requirements for reactivation shall require a person desiring licensure to apply as a new applicant and meet present day requirements for licensure or certification, and receive board approval. Source: PL 4-53, § 7; amended by PL 9-34, § 4; PL 11-99, § 3 (§ 3216); repealed and reenacted by PL 14-95, § 3 (3216); (g) and (h) amended and (j) added by PL 17-39 §§ 9 -11 (April 21, 2011), modified.
Commission Comment: The Commission changed “a required” to “as required” in subsection (j) to correct a manifest error pursuant to 1 CMC § 3806(g).