Frequently Asked Questions | Louisiana Board of Professional Geoscientists

Frequently Asked Questions

What activities do not require a license under Chapter 8-A of Title 37 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950?

Geoscientific work performed by an employee or a subordinate of a license holder under this Chapter if the work does not include the responsible charge of geoscientific work and is performed under the direct supervision of a licensed geoscientist who is responsible for the work
Geoscientific work performed by an officer or employee of the United States practicing solely as such an officer or employee
Geoscientific work performed exclusively in exploring for and developing oil, gas, or other energy resources, base metals, or precious or nonprecious minerals, including sand, gravel, or aggregate, if the work is done in and for the benefit of private industry
Geoscientific research conducted through an academic institution; local, state, or federal governmental agency; nonprofit research institution; or for-profit organization, including submission of a report on the research to a public agency
Teaching geoscience or a related physical or natural science
Work customarily performed by a cartographer, technician, or physical or natural scientist, including a geologist, geophysicist, soil scientist, chemist, archaeologist, geographer or oceanographer, if the work does not include the practice of geoscience
Work performed by an archaeologist, geoscientist, or other person conducting a stratigraphic or historical geological investigation for archaeological purposes
Testifying or preparing and presenting an exhibit or document for the sole purpose of being placed in evidence before an administrative or judicial tribunal or hearing, if the testimony, exhibit, or document does not imply that the person is licensed under this Chapter
The evaluation by a state agency or by a hearing examiner of an exhibit or document offered or placed in evidence before an administrative tribunal

What are my next steps if I was grandfathered into the Louisiana Board of Professional Geoscientists licensing process?

If you were grandfathered, please follow these instructions:

From the home page at www.lbopg.org, click on the "Apply for a License" tile, complete the application, and sign and submit your licensing application online. Please thoroughly explain in detail five years of geoscience work experience. As you will see, there is a location to submit the email addresses for your three (3) geoscientists’ references. Each of them will receive an email with notification that you have requested a reference. He or she will be able to simply click on the provided link, create a login, read your statement, type the reference, and submit it electronically. Further, your school transcripts may be submitted electronically as well. If your school does not provide electronic transcripts, they must mail them to our office at the address listed below. If your transcripts are under a different last name, such as a maiden name, please include that name when applying for your license. Transcripts must come directly from the school to the LBOPG office.

Once your complete application, references, and transcripts have been received, they will be reviewed by the LBOPG Application Review Committee, and those applications that meet the requirements will be presented to the Board for approval. Once approved, you will receive your license credentials within thirty (30) days. These credentials will state your name, license number, date of renewal, and the information concerning obtaining your seal.

Please send an email to apply@lbopg.org if you have any questions or if the LBOPG may be of further assistance to you.

What if I was not grandfathered? How do I apply to take the ASBOG examinations?

The ASBOG examinations, "Fundamentals of Geology" and "Practice of Geology," are administered twice a year, usually in March and October. The Fundamentals of Geology exam is required for a Geologist-In-Training certificate in Louisiana. Both the Fundamentals of Geology exam and the Practice of Geology exam are required for a Professional Geoscientist license in Louisiana. Please click on the "Resources" tab, and scroll down to "ASBOG" for further information concerning the ASBOG examinations.

What is the next step now that my application has been approved?

Once your application has been approved, the roster on the website will state that you have been approved and lists your city, state, and phone number. You will receive your credentials by mail within 30 days from the date your application was approved. These credentials will provide your licensing number, the date of your license, information concerning your seal, the seal design, and information about continuing education and the licensing renewal process.

How do I apply for a Geoscientist-In-Training Certification?

The steps to follow as you apply for the Geoscientist-in-Training (GIT) Certificate are:

Read the GIT certification requirements found at www.lbopg.org by clicking on the "About" tab at the top and scrolling down to "GIT Certification Requirements." If you meet these requirements, then you should:
Create an account through the “Apply for License” page, and fill out the online form. Fill in the GIT Certification application at www.lbopg.org. This application is the same one used to apply for a PG license, but you will select the field stating that you are applying for a GIT certificate.
Submit one letter of reference. The reference is also completed online, as you will see as you fill in your application.
Have all universities from which you received (or will receive) geoscience degrees submit transcripts to the LBOPG office at 9643 Brookline Ave., Ste. 101, Baton Rouge, LA 70809. You can make the requests for transcripts after your junior year in college. You do not need to wait until graduation.
When the application is complete, send your payment of $100 for GIT certification to LBOPG, 9643 Brookline Ave., Ste. 101, Baton Rouge, LA 70809, with a note that you are applying for GIT certification.
Apply for the ASBOG Fundamentals of Geology Exam through the LBOPG office. Once the LBOPG Licensing Application Review Committee verifies you to take the ASBOG Fundamentals of Geology exam, you will be sent ASBOG’s “Geology Examination Candidate Request Form” that you must, in turn, send to ASBOG with your testing fees.
Fill in the LBOPG Proctoring/Verification form found at www.lbopg.org by clicking on the "Resources" tab at the top and scrolling down to "ASBOG;" sign it and submit it with the proctoring fee of $25.00.

Upon completing the application process and paying the $100 application fee, successfully passing the Fundamentals of Geology Exam, and graduating from a course of study in a discipline of geoscience,* the LBOPG Board will vote to approve your application for Geoscientist-in-Training.

With five years of accepted geoscience work experience, you may then apply for the ASBOG Practice of Geology Exam. If you have a Masters or Doctoral degree, you may substitute education for up to two years of work experience.

*Note: the undergraduate course of study should consist of at least four years of study and include at least thirty semester hours or forty-five quarter hours of credit in geoscience, of which at least twenty semester hours or thirty quarter hours of credit must be in upper-level college courses.