BOARD OF REGISTRATION

FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS

[Filed October 1, 2024, 3:04 p.m.]

Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 24-16-069.

Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: Chapter 196-26A WAC, Registered professional engineers and land surveyor fees; and chapter 196-30 WAC, Fees for on-site wastewater treatment designers and inspectors.

Hearing Location(s): On November 6, 2024, at 12:30 p.m., at the Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (BRPELS) Office, 605 11th Avenue S.E., Suite 201, Olympia, WA 98501; or WebEx meeting. The public may also virtually participate in the hearing by accessing the hearing link on BRPELS's rule-making page https://brpels.wa.gov/current-laws-and-rules/rulemaking-activity.

Date of Intended Adoption: November 7, 2024.

Submit Written Comments to: Shanan Gillespie, P.O. Box 9025, Olympia WA 98507-9025, email shanan.gillespie@brpels.wa.gov, beginning October 2, 2024, 12:01 a.m., by November 6, 2024, 5:00 p.m.

Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Mackenzie Wherrett, phone 360-664-1568, TTY 711, email Mackenzie.wherrett@brpels.wa.gov, by November 1, 2024.

Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: RCW 18.43.150 and 18.210.200 requires BRPELS to "set fees at a level adequate to pay the costs of administering this chapter." Fee increases are needed to mitigate the risk of fund balance depletion due to expenses exceeding revenues. Further, the fee increase is moderate and should minimize the risk of over collecting revenues.

Reasons Supporting Proposal: It has been over 20 years since fees have been raised for engineers and land surveyors, and over 17 years since fees were raised for on-site septic designers. Fee increases are needed to mitigate the risk of fund balance depletion due to expenses exceeding revenues.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 18.43.035, 18.43.150, 18.210.050, 18.210.060, and 18.210.200.

Statute Being Implemented: RCW 18.43.050, 18.43.080, 18.43.130, 18.210.120, 18.210.140, and 18.210.190.

Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.

Name of Proponent: BRPELS, governmental.

Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting: Shanan Gillespie, 605 11th Avenue S.E., #201, Olympia, WA 98507, 360-664-1570; Implementation and Enforcement: Ken Fuller, 605 11th Avenue S.E., #201, Olympia, WA 98507, 360-664-1575.

A school district fiscal impact statement is not required under RCW 28A.305.135.

A cost-benefit analysis is not required under RCW 34.05.328. BRPELS is not one of the agencies to which RCW 34.05.328 applies pursuant to RCW 34.05.328 (5)(a).

This rule proposal, or portions of the proposal, is exempt from requirements of the Regulatory Fairness Act because the proposal:

Is exempt under RCW 19.85.025(3) as the rules set or adjust fees under the authority of RCW 19.02.075 or that set or adjust fees or rates pursuant to legislative standards, including fees set or adjusted under the authority of RCW 19.80.045.

Explanation of exemptions: The following sections of rule are exempt per RCW 34.05.310 (4)(f) because fees are being adjusted: WAC 196-26A-025, 196-26A-045, and 196-26A-060.

Scope of exemption for rule proposal:

Chapter 196-26A WAC

((REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND LAND SURVEYOR)) FEES

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 14-03-029, filed 1/8/14, effective 2/8/14)

WAC 196-26A-025State application fees ((for examinations)).

((FUNDAMENTAL EXAMINATIONS:
	Fundamentals of Engineering (FE):
	Application fee (incl. wall certificate):	$30
	Processing fee to retake the FE examination:	$20
	Fundamentals of Land Surveying (FLS):
	Application fee (incl. wall certificate):	$30
	Processing fee to retake the FLS examination:	$20

Note:

Additional charges to cover costs of NCEES fundamentals examinations, exam administration and grading will be charged by NCEES to approved applicants.

PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING EXAMINATIONS:
	NCEES Examinations: (All branches other than board prepared examinations)
	Application fee (incl. wall certificate and initial license):	$65
	Processing fee to retake the NCEES PE exam:	$30

Note:

Additional charges to cover costs of NCEES PE examinations, exam administration and grading will be charged by NCEES to approved applicants.

Structural Engineering:

Note:

To become licensed in structural engineering an applicant is required to pass sixteen hours of structural examinations when determined eligible under Washington law. The examinations for structural licensing consist of the NCEES 16-hour structural examination.

	Application fee (incl. wall certificate and initial license):	$65
	Processing fee to retake the NCEES 16-hour structural exam:	$30

Note:

Additional charges to cover costs of NCEES 16-hour structural examination, exam administration and grading will be charged by NCEES to approved applicants.

PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYING:

Note:

The examinations for licensure in professional land surveying include an NCEES PPLS examination, and a Washington specific examination. One application is required and when determined eligible a candidate will sit for the NCEES PPLS examination and the Washington specific examination on the same day.

	Application fee (incl. wall certificate, state exams, and initial license):	$140
	Processing and examination fee to retake the state PLS exam:	$100

Note:

Additional charges to cover costs of NCEES LS examination, exam administration and grading will be charged by NCEES to approved applicants.

Processing fee to retake the NCEES PPLS examination:

$30))

FUNDAMENTALS CERTIFICATIONS:
	Fundamentals of Engineering (FE):
	Application fee (including wall certificate):	$30
	Fundamentals of Land Surveying (FLS):
	Application fee (including wall certificate):	$30
PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS:
	Exam and initial license application fee (including wall certificate and initial license):	$65
	Comity licensure application fee (including wall certificate and initial license):	$110
	Structural Engineering:
	Exam application fee (including wall certificate and initial license):	$65
	Comity application fee (including wall certificate):	$110
	Temporary Permits:
	Temporary permit application	$110
PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYING:
	Additional charges to cover costs of NCEES PLS examination will be charged by NCEES to approved applicants.
	Application fee for exam and comity (including wall certificate, initial state exam, and initial license):	$140
	Processing and examination fee to retake the state PLS exam:	$100
ON-SITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM DESIGNERS:
	Application fee (including wall certificate, initial state exam, and initial license):	$200
	Processing and examination fee to retake the on-site designer exam:	$140
CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENCY (INSPECTOR):
	Application fee (including wall certificate, initial state exam, and initial license):	$175
	Processing and examination fee to retake the on-site designer exam:	$140

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 02-13-080, filed 6/17/02, effective 9/1/02)

WAC 196-26A-045((Professional engineer, professional land surveyor))Renewal fees and penalties.

Professional engineer (((two years))):	(($116))$128
Professional land surveyor (((two years))):	(($116))$128
On-site wastewater system designer:	$128
Certificate of competency:	$128
Late renewal penalty (((PE and LS only))):	(($58))$64

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 02-13-080, filed 6/17/02, effective 9/1/02)

WAC 196-26A-060Certificate of authorization application and renewal fees.

Application fee (incl. wall certificate and initial license):	$150
Renewal fee (one-year):	(($110))$121

The following sections of the Washington Administrative Code are repealed:

State fees for comity licensure and temporary permit applications.

The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed:

On-site wastewater treatment designer and inspector fees.

WAC 196-26A-035	State fees for comity licensure and temporary permit applications.
WAC 196-26A-100	Suspended fees.