| (a) Issuance. The Commission may issue an individual's
Forensic Analyst or Forensic Technician License under this section.
(b) License Term. A Forensic Analyst or Forensic Technician
license holder must renew the license holder's license after the initial
date of issuance, every two years on the day before the issuance of
the initial license with the exception of §651.208(b) of this
subchapter (relating to Renewal Term).
(c) Application. Before being issued a Forensic Analyst
or Forensic Technician License, an applicant must:
(1) demonstrate that he or she meets the definition
of Forensic Analyst or Forensic Technician set forth in this subchapter;
(2) complete and submit to the Commission a current
Forensic Analyst or Forensic Technician License Application form;
(3) pay the required fee(s) as applicable:
(A) Initial Application fee of $220 for Analysts and
$150 for Technicians/Screeners;
(B) Biennial renewal fee of $200 for Analyst and $130
for Technicians/Screeners;
(C) Pro-rated Fees for Certain License Renewals. This
subsection applies to licensees initially licensed before January
1, 2024 who are renewing on or before December 31, 2026. Application
fee of $220 for Analysts and $150 for Technicians for the twenty-four
months of the Initial License Term. If the Analyst or Technician's
renewed license term under §651.208(b) of this subchapter exceeds
twenty-four months, the Analyst or Technician shall pay an additional
prorated amount of $8.33 per month (for Analysts) and $5.42 per month
(for Technicians) for each month exceeding two years. If the Analyst
or Technician's Initial License Term under §651.208(b) of this
subchapter is less than twenty-four months, the Analyst or Technician
shall pay a prorated amount of $8.33 per month (for Analysts) and
$5.42 per month (for Technicians) for each month in the Initial License
Term;
(D) Temporary License fee of $100;
(E) Provisional License fee of $110 for Analysts and
$75 for Technicians; An applicant who is granted a provisional license
and has paid the required fee will not be required to pay an additional
initial application fee if the provisional status is removed within
one year of the date the provisional license is granted;
(F) License Reinstatement fee of $220;
(G) De Minimis License
fee of $200 per ten (10) licenses;
(H) Uncommon Forensic Analysis License fee of $200
per ten (10) licenses; and/or
(I) Special Exam Fee of $50 for General Forensic Analyst
Licensing Exam, required only if testing beyond the three initial
attempts or voluntarily taking the exam under the Unaccredited Forensic
Discipline Exception described in subsection (g)(5)(C) of this section;
(4) provide accurate and current address and employment
information to the Commission and update the Commission within five
(5) business days of any change in address or change of employment.
Licensees are required to provide a home address, email address, and
employer name and address on an application for a license; and
(5) provide documentation that he or she has satisfied
all applicable requirements set forth under this section.
(d) Minimum Education Requirements.
(1) Seized Drugs Analyst. An applicant for a Forensic
Analyst License in seized drugs must have a baccalaureate or advanced
degree in chemical, physical, biological science, chemical engineering
or forensic science from an accredited university.
(2) Seized Drugs Technician. An applicant for a Forensic
Analyst License limited to the seized drug technician category must
have a minimum of an associate's degree or equivalent.
(3) Toxicology (Toxicology Analyst (Alcohol Only, Non-interpretive),
Toxicology Analyst (General, Non-interpretive), Toxicologist (Interpretive)).
An applicant for a Forensic Analyst License in toxicology must have
a baccalaureate or advanced degree in a chemical, physical, biological
science, chemical engineering or forensic science from an accredited
university.
(4) Toxicology Technician. An applicant for a Forensic
Analyst License limited to the toxicology technician category must
have a minimum of an associate's degree or equivalent.
(5) Forensic Biology (DNA Analyst, Forensic Biology
Screener, Nucleic Acids other than Human DNA Analyst, Forensic Biology
Technician). An applicant for any category of forensic biology license
must have a baccalaureate or advanced degree in a chemical, physical,
biological science or forensic science from an accredited university.
(6) Firearm/Toolmark Analyst. An applicant for a Forensic
Analyst License in firearm/toolmark analysis must have a baccalaureate
or advanced degree in a chemical, physical, biological science, engineering
or forensic science from an accredited university.
(7) Firearm/Toolmark Technician. An applicant for a
Forensic Analyst License limited to firearm/toolmark technician must
have a minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent degree.
(8) Materials (Trace) Analyst. An applicant for a Forensic
Analyst License in materials (trace) must have a baccalaureate or
advanced degree in a chemical, physical, biological science, chemical
engineering or forensic science from an accredited university. A Materials
(Trace) Analyst performing only impression evidence analyses must
have a minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent degree.
(9) Materials (Trace) Technician. An applicant for
a Forensic Analyst License limited to materials (trace) technician
must have a minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent degree.
(10) Foreign/Non-U.S. degrees. The Commission shall
recognize equivalent foreign, non-U.S. baccalaureate or advanced degrees.
The Commission reserves the right to charge licensees a reasonable
fee for credential evaluation services to assess how a particular
foreign degree compares to a similar degree in the United States.
The Commission may accept a previously obtained credential evaluation
report from an applicant or licensee in fulfillment of the degree
comparison assessment.
(11) If an applicant does not meet the minimum education
qualifications outlined in this section, the procedure in subsection
(f) or (j) of this section applies.
(e) Specific Coursework Requirements.
(1) Seized Drugs Analyst. An applicant for a Forensic
Analyst License in seized drugs must have a minimum of sixteen-semester
credit hours (or equivalent) in college-level chemistry coursework
above general coursework from an accredited university. In addition
to the chemistry coursework, an applicant must also have a three-semester
credit hour (or equivalent) college-level statistics course from an
accredited university or a program approved by the Commission.
(2) Toxicology. An applicant for a Forensic Analyst
License in toxicology must fulfill required courses as appropriate
to the analyst's role and training program as described in the categories
below:
(A) Toxicology Analyst (Alcohol Only, Non-interpretive).
A toxicology analyst who conducts, directs or reviews the alcohol
analysis of forensic toxicology samples, evaluates data, reaches conclusions
and may sign a report for court or investigative purposes, but does
not provide interpretive opinions regarding human performance must
complete a minimum of sixteen-semester credit hours (or equivalent)
in college-level chemistry coursework above general coursework from
an accredited university.
(B) Toxicology Analyst (General, Non-interpretive).
A toxicology analyst who conducts, directs or reviews the analysis
of forensic toxicology samples, evaluates data, reaches conclusions
and may sign a report for court or investigative purposes, but does
not provide interpretive opinions regarding human performance must
complete a minimum of sixteen-semester credit hours (or equivalent)
in college-level chemistry coursework above general coursework that
includes organic chemistry and two three-semester credit hour (or
equivalent) college-level courses in analytical chemistry and/or interpretive
science courses that may include Analytical Chemistry, Chemical Informatics,
Instrumental Analysis, Mass Spectrometry, Quantitative Analysis, Separation
Science, Spectroscopic Analysis, Biochemistry, Drug Metabolism, Forensic
Toxicology, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology, Physiology, or Toxicology.
(C) Toxicologist (Interpretive). A toxicologist who
provides interpretive opinions regarding human performance related
to the results of toxicological tests (alcohol and general) for court
or investigative purposes must complete a minimum of sixteen-semester
credit hours (or equivalent) in college-level chemistry coursework
above general coursework that includes organic chemistry, one three-semester
credit hour (or equivalent) course in college-level analytical chemistry
(Analytical Chemistry, Chemical Informatics, Instrumental Analysis,
Mass Spectrometry, Quantitative Analysis, Separation Science or Spectroscopic
Analysis) and one three-semester credit hour (or equivalent) college-level
courses in interpretive science Cont'd... |
