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North Carolina Senate Bill S451

North Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Carolina Senate Bill S451 Compare Versions

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11 GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
22 SESSION 2025
3-S 1
4-SENATE BILL 451
3+S D
4+SENATE BILL DRS45243-NN-28B
5+
56
67
78 Short Title: Occupational/Professional Licensing Relief. (Public)
89 Sponsors: Senators Moffitt, Jarvis, and McInnis (Primary Sponsors).
9-Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
10-March 25, 2025
11-*S451 -v-1*
10+Referred to:
11+
12+*DRS45243 -NN-28B*
1213 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
1314 AN ACT TO REDUCE CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN 2
1415 OCCUPATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSING BOARDS . 3
1516 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4
1617 5
1718 PART I. REDUCTION OF CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR 6
1819 CERTAIN BOARDS THAT ARE SET BY RULE 7
1920 SECTION 1.1.(a) Reduction of Continuing Education Requirements. – 8
2021 Notwithstanding any other provision of law or rule, covered boards shall reduce the continuing 9
2122 education and professional development hour requirements established by the covered boards' 10
2223 respective rules by fifty percent (50%). 11
2324 SECTION 1.1.(b) Implementation. – The boards listed in subsection (d) of this 12
2425 section shall implement this reduction by either (i) reducing continuing education rules per 13
2526 renewal cycle by fifty percent (50%) or (ii) keeping the same number of hours required by 14
2627 continuing education rules as of the effective date of this act and doubling the time allowed to 15
2728 achieve those credit hours. 16
2829 SECTION 1.1.(c) Applicability. – If the reduction of continuing education rules 17
2930 would invalidate an accreditation, Interstate Compact, or federal law or rule for a type of license, 18
3031 certification, or permit of a covered board, then the requirement to reduce the continuing 19
3132 education rules for that specific license is suspended. The covered board shall submit a report to 20
3233 the Joint Legislative Administrative Procedure Oversight Committee by October 1, 2025, 21
3334 indicating the invalidation or conflict under this section and a proposed legislative 22
3435 recommendation to reduce the requirements of continuing education rules to the maximum extent 23
3536 allowed without invalidating the licensure, certification, or permit. 24
3637 SECTION 1.1.(d) Definitions. – The following definitions apply in this section: 25
3738 (1) Continuing education rules. – Any rule adopted by a covered board that sets 26
3839 an amount of hours for professional training, professional development, 27
3940 continuing education, continuing legal education, continuing medical 28
4041 education, or other training required for a renewal of licensure, certification, 29
4142 or permit for a licensee of a covered board. 30
4243 (2) Covered board. – All of the following boards that set continuing education 31
4344 requirements by rule: 32
4445 a. North Carolina Board of Landscape Architects. 33
4546 b. North Carolina Board for Licensing of Soil Scientists. 34
4647 c. North Carolina State Board of Examiners for Engineers and 35
47-Surveyors. 36 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
48-Page 2 Senate Bill 451-First Edition
48+Surveyors. 36
49+FILED SENATE
50+Mar 24, 2025
51+S.B. 451
52+PRINCIPAL CLERK General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
53+Page 2 DRS45243-NN-28B
4954 d. North Carolina Board for Licensing of Geologists. 1
5055 e. North Carolina Board of Athletic Trainer Examiners. 2
5156 f. North Carolina Locksmith Licensing Board. 3
5257 g. North Carolina Board of Environmental Health Specialist Examiners. 4
5358 h. North Carolina Pesticide Board. 5
5459 i. North Carolina Appraisal Board. 6
5560 j. The North Carolina Interpreter and Transliterator Licensing Board, in 7
5661 addition to the requirements under Section 2.16 of this act. 8
5762 9
5863 PART II. REDUCTION IN CONTINUING EDUCATION OR PROFESSIONAL 10
5964 DEVELOPMENT HOURS SPECIFIED BY STATUTE 11
6065 SECTION 2.1.(a) North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. – 12
6166 G.S. 87-10.2 reads as rewritten: 13
6267 "§ 87-10.2. Continuing education. 14
6368 (a) As a condition of license renewal, at least one qualifier or qualifying party of a 15
6469 licensee holding a building contractor, residential contractor, or unclassified contractor license 16
6570 classification shall complete, on an annual basis, eight hours as determined by the Board pursuant 17
6671 to subsection (b1) of this section, either (i) on an annual basis, five hours or (ii) on a biennial 18
6772 basis, 10 hours of continuing education approved in accordance with this section. Where an entity 19
6873 holding a building contractor, residential contractor, or unclassified contractor license 20
6974 classification has multiple qualifiers or qualifying parties, at least one qualifier or qualifying 21
7075 party of the licensee shall complete this requirement for the license to remain valid. 22
7176 (b) Of the eight hours of annual When completing annual continuing education, of the 23
7277 five hours of continuing education required by this section, two hours shall be a mandatory course 24
7378 approved by the Board and the remaining six three hours shall be elective courses approved by 25
7479 the Board. When completing biennial continuing education, of the 10 hours required, four hours 26
7580 shall be a mandatory course approved by the Board and the remaining six hours shall be elective 27
7681 courses approved by the Board. Each qualifier or qualifying party shall complete the mandatory 28
7782 course each year or compliance period, as applicable. Each qualifier or qualifying party may 29
7883 accumulate and carry forward up to four two hours of elective course credit to the next calendar 30
7984 year. or compliance period, as applicable. The Board shall evaluate and approve: 31
8085 (1) The content of continuing education courses. 32
8186 (2) Accreditation of continuing education sponsors and programs. 33
8287 (3) Computation of credit. 34
8388 (4) General compliance procedures. 35
8489 (5) Providers and instructors of continuing education courses. 36
8590 (b1) The Board shall determine whether continuing education requirements shall be 37
8691 completed on an annual or biennial basis and shall notify licensees of the selected compliance 38
8792 period no less than 90 days before the start of the applicable compliance period. 39
8893 … 40
8994 (g) Continuing education requirements shall begin on January 1 of any calendar year and 41
9095 shall be completed by November 30 of that calendar year or, for biennial compliance periods, by 42
9196 November 30 of the second year of the compliance period. The Board shall establish a 90-day 43
9297 grace period following November 30 of each calendar year the compliance period for any 44
9398 qualifier or qualifying party who has failed to complete the continuing education requirement. 45
9499 Failure of the qualifier or qualifying party of the entity holding a building contractor, residential 46
95100 contractor, or unclassified contractor license classification to satisfy the annual continuing 47
96101 education requirement by the expiration of the grace period shall result in the license of the entity 48
97102 being invalidated until such time that continuing education and all other licensing requirements 49
98103 have been met. 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
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100105 (h) Any licensee who chooses not to complete the annual continuing education as 1
101106 required by this section may annually request that the Board place the licensee's license in an 2
102107 inactive status and the license shall become invalid for that license year. period. However, in 3
103108 order for the license to be maintained as inactive, the licensee shall pay the same annual renewal 4
104109 fee paid by active licensees. Should the licensee desire to return to active status, the qualifier or 5
105110 qualifying party of the licensee shall satisfactorily complete the following continuing education 6
106111 requirements prior to seeking reinstatement: 7
107112 (1) If the licensee seeks reinstatement during the first two years after the license 8
108113 becomes inactive, the qualifier or qualifying party shall complete eight five 9
109114 hours for annual compliance periods or 10 hours for biennial compliance 10
110115 periods of continuing education, including the mandatory course offered 11
111116 during the year period of reinstatement. 12
112117 (2) If the licensee seeks reinstatement more than two years after the license 13
113118 becomes inactive, the qualifier or qualifying party shall complete 16 eight 14
114119 hours for annual compliance periods or 16 hours for biennial compliance 15
115120 periods of continuing education, including the mandatory course offered 16
116121 during the year period of reinstatement. 17
117122 …." 18
118123 SECTION 2.1.(b) Rulemaking. – The North Carolina Licensing Board for General 19
119124 Contractors shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section. 20
120125 SECTION 2.2.(a) North Carolina Landscape Contractors' Licensing Board. – 21
121126 G.S. 89D-20 reads as rewritten: 22
122127 "§ 89D-20. License renewal and continuing education. 23
123128 … 24
124129 (b) As a condition of license renewal, a licensee shall meet the continuing education 25
125130 requirements set under either one of the following options as determined by the Board. Each 26
126131 licensee shall complete seven continuing education units per year. Board: 27
127132 (1) Option 1: Annual requirement. – Each licensee shall complete three and 28
128133 one-half continuing education units per year. 29
129134 (2) Option 2: Biennial requirement. – Each licensee shall complete seven 30
130135 continuing education units over a two-year period. For annual license 31
131136 renewals that occur during this two-year continuing education cycle, the 32
132137 Board shall do both of the following: 33
133138 a. At the first annual renewal, verify that the licensee is making 34
134139 satisfactory progress toward meeting the biennial requirement. 35
135140 b. At the second annual renewal, verify that the licensee has completed 36
136141 the full biennial requirement. 37
137142 (c) The Board shall notify licensees of the selected continuing education option provided 38
138143 by subsection (b) of this section no less than 90 days before the start of the applicable continuing 39
139144 education cycle. 40
140145 (d) The Board may suspend a licensee's license for 30 days for failure to obtain 41
141146 continuing education units required by this subsection. section. Upon payment of a reinstatement 42
142147 fee, submission to the Board of proof of the continuing education units required by this 43
143148 subsection, and payment of the license renewal fee and late renewal fee, the licensee's license 44
144149 shall be reinstated. Failure to request a reinstatement of the license and failure to pay the 45
145150 reinstatement fee, renewal fee, and late renewal fee shall result in the forfeiture of a license. Upon 46
146151 forfeiture, a person shall be required to submit a new application and retake the examination as 47
147152 provided in this Chapter." 48
148153 SECTION 2.2.(b) Rulemaking. – The North Carolina Landscape Contractors' 49
149154 Licensing Board shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section. 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
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155+Page 4 DRS45243-NN-28B
151156 SECTION 2.3.(a) North Carolina Irrigation Contractors' Licensing Board. – 1
152157 G.S. 89G-9 reads as rewritten: 2
153158 "§ 89G-9. License renewal and continuing education. 3
154159 … 4
155160 (b) As a condition of license renewal, an individual licensee shall meet continuing 5
156161 education requirements set by the Board. Each individual licensee shall complete 10 continuing 6
157162 education units per year.An individual licensee shall meet continuing education requirements 7
158163 under one of the following options as determined by the Board: 8
159164 (1) Option 1: Annual requirement. – Each individual licensee shall complete five 9
160165 continuing education units per year. 10
161166 (2) Option 2: Biennial requirement. – Each individual licensee shall complete 10 11
162167 continuing education units over a two-year period. For annal license renewals 12
163168 that occur during this two-year continuing education cycle, the Board shall do 13
164169 both of the following: 14
165170 a. At the first annual renewal, verify that the licensee is making 15
166171 satisfactory progress toward meeting the biennial requirement. 16
167172 b. At the second annual renewal, verify that the licensee has completed 17
168173 the full biennial requirement. 18
169174 (b1) The Board shall determine which continuing education option provided by subsection 19
170175 (b) of this section shall be implemented and shall notify licensees of the selected option no less 20
171176 than 90 days before the start of the applicable compliance period. 21
172177 …." 22
173178 SECTION 2.3.(b) Rulemaking. – The North Carolina Irrigation Contractors' 23
174179 Licensing Board shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section. 24
175180 SECTION 2.4.(a) North Carolina Auctioneers Commission. – G.S. 85B-4(e1) reads 25
176181 as rewritten: 26
177182 "(e1) The Commission may require licensees to complete annually not more than six hours 27
178183 either (i) not more than three hours annually or (ii) not more than six hours biennially of 28
179184 Commission-approved continuing education courses prior to license renewal. The Commission 29
180185 shall determine which continuing education option shall be implemented and shall notify 30
181186 licensees of the selected option no less than 90 days before the start of the applicable compliance 31
182187 period. The Commission may impose different continuing education requirements, including no 32
183188 such requirements, upon the classes of licensees under this Chapter. The Commission may waive 33
184189 any or all continuing education requirements in cases of hardship, disability, or illness, or under 34
185190 other circumstances as the Commission deems appropriate. The Commission may adopt rules 35
186191 not inconsistent with the provisions of this Chapter to establish continuing education 36
187192 requirements, including rules that govern any of the following: 37
188193 (1) The content and subject matter of continuing education courses. 38
189194 (2) The curriculum of required continuing education courses. 39
190195 (3) The criteria, standards, and procedures for the approval of courses, course 40
191196 sponsors, and course instructors. 41
192197 (4) The methods of instruction for continuing education courses. 42
193198 (5) The computation of course credit. 43
194199 (6) The number of credit hours needed annually.for compliance. 44
195200 (7) The ability to carry forward course credit from one year compliance period to 45
196201 another. 46
197202 (8) The waiver of the continuing education requirement for hardship or other 47
198203 reasons to be determined by the Commission. 48
199204 (9) The procedures for compliance and noncompliance with continuing education 49
200205 requirements." 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
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206+DRS45243-NN-28B Page 5
202207 SECTION 2.4.(b) Rulemaking. – The North Carolina Auctioneers Commission shall 1
203208 adopt to implement the provisions of this section. 2
204209 SECTION 2.5.(a) North Carolina Real Estate Commission. – G.S. 93A-38.5 reads 3
205210 as rewritten: 4
206211 "§ 93A-38.5. Continuing education. 5
207212 (a) The Commission shall establish a program of continuing education for real estate 6
208213 brokers. An individual licensed as a real estate broker is required to complete eight hours of 7
209214 instruction a year during any license renewal period either (i) four hours of instruction a year 8
210215 during any license renewal period or (ii) eight hours of instruction over a two-year period in 9
211216 subjects the Commission deems appropriate. The Commission shall determine which continuing 10
212217 education option shall be implemented and shall notify licensees of the selected option no less 11
213218 than 90 days before the start of the applicable continuing education cycle. Any licensee who fails 12
214219 to complete continuing education requirements pursuant to this section shall not actively engage 13
215220 in the business of real estate broker. 14
216221 (b) The Commission may, as part of the broker continuing education requirements, 15
217222 require real estate brokers-in-charge to complete during each annual license period a special 16
218223 continuing education course consisting of not more than four two hours of instruction if the 17
219224 Commission selects the annual continuing education option, or not more than four hours of 18
220225 instruction over a two-year period if the Commission selects the biennial continuing education 19
221226 option, in subjects prescribed by the Commission. 20
222227 … 21
223228 (d) The Commission may adopt rules not inconsistent with this Chapter to implement the 22
224229 continuing education requirement, including rules that govern: 23
225230 … 24
226231 (6) The ability to carry forward course credit from one year continuing education 25
227232 cycle to another. 26
228233 (7) The deferral of continuing education for brokers not engaged in brokerage. 27
229234 (8) The waiver of or variance from the continuing education requirement for 28
230235 hardship or other reasons. 29
231236 (9) The procedures for compliance and sanctions for noncompliance. 30
232237 …." 31
233238 SECTION 2.5.(b) Rulemaking. – The North Carolina Real Estate Commission shall 32
234239 adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section. 33
235240 SECTION 2.6.(a) North Carolina Alarm Systems Licensing Board. – G.S. 74D-5 34
236241 reads as rewritten: 35
237242 "§ 74D-5. Powers of the Board. 36
238243 (a) In addition to the powers conferred upon the Board elsewhere in this Chapter, the 37
239244 Board shall have the power to: 38
240245 … 39
241246 (9) Determine which of the following continuing education requirement options 40
242247 shall apply. The Board shall select one of the following options and notify 41
243248 licensees and registrants of the selected continuing education option no less 42
244249 than 90 days before the start of the applicable continuing education cycle. 43
245250 Credit shall be given only for classes that have been preapproved by the 44
246251 Board: 45
247252 a. Biennial requirement option. – Each licensee shall complete at least 46
248253 three credit hours of continuing education training during each 47
249254 two-year renewal period, and each registrant shall complete at least 48
250255 one and one-half credit hours of continuing education training during 49
251256 each two-year renewal period. 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
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253258 b. Quadrennial requirement option. – Each licensee shall complete at 1
254259 least six credit hours of continuing education training during each 2
255260 four-year period (spanning two renewal cycles), and each registrant 3
256261 shall complete at least three credit hours of continuing education 4
257262 training during each four-year period (spanning two renewal cycles). 5
258263 (b) The chairman of the Board or his representative designated to be a hearing officer 6
259264 may conduct any hearing called by the board for the purpose of denial, suspension, or revocation 7
260265 of a license or registration under this Chapter." 8
261266 SECTION 2.6.(b) Rulemaking. – The North Carolina Alarm Systems Licensing 9
262267 Board shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section. 10
263268 SECTION 2.7.(a) North Carolina Board of Barber and Electrolysis Examiners. – 11
264269 G.S. 86B-58 reads as rewritten: 12
265270 "§ 86B-58. Continuing education. 13
266271 (a) The Board shall determine the number of hours hours, subject to the requirements of 14
267272 subsection (d) of this section, and subject matter of continuing education required as a condition 15
268273 of license renewal. The Board may offer continuing education to the licensees under this act. 16
269274 … 17
270275 (d) Laser hair practitioners are required to complete a minimum of 10 hours of continuing 18
271276 education annually to maintain their licenses pursuant to rules adopted by the Board.Continuing 19
272277 education requirements for licensees shall be as follows: 20
273278 (1) An electrologist licensed in this State shall complete continuing education 21
274279 units in the amount determined by the Board pursuant to subsection (e) of this 22
275280 section, which shall be either five continuing education units annually or 10 23
276281 continuing education units biennially, as a requirement for renewal of the 24
277282 electrology license. 25
278283 (2) A laser hair practitioner licensed in this State shall complete continuing 26
279284 education units in the amount determined by the Board pursuant to subsection 27
280285 (e) of this section, which shall be either five continuing education units 28
281286 annually or 10 continuing education units biennially, as a requirement for 29
282287 renewal of the laser hair practitioner license. 30
283288 (e) The Board shall determine whether continuing education requirements shall be 31
284289 completed on an annual basis at five continuing education units per year or on a biennial basis at 32
285290 10 continuing education units per two-year period. The Board shall notify licensees of the 33
286291 selected continuing education cycle no less than 90 days before the start of the applicable 34
287292 continuing education cycle. All references in this section to alternative continuing education 35
288293 requirements shall be interpreted in accordance with the continuing education cycle established 36
289294 by the Board pursuant to this subsection. 37
290295 (f) Notwithstanding any other subsection of this section, the Board may establish, 38
291296 through rule, reduced continuing education requirements for licensees with substantial practice 39
292297 experience." 40
293298 SECTION 2.7.(b) Rulemaking. – The North Carolina Board of Barber and 41
294299 Electrolysis Examiners shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section. 42
295300 SECTION 2.8.(a) North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. – G.S. 88B-21 43
296301 reads as rewritten: 44
297302 "§ 88B-21. Renewals; expired licenses; inactive status. 45
298303 … 46
299304 (d1) The Board shall determine which of the following continuing education requirement 47
300305 options shall apply and shall notify licensees of the selected option no less than 90 days before 48
301306 the start of the applicable continuing education cycle: 49
302307 (1) Option 1. – Fewer hours requirement. 50
303308 (2) Option 2. – Extended timeframe requirement. 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
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305310 (e) Prior to renewal of a license, a teacher, cosmetologist, esthetician, natural hair care 1
306311 specialist, or manicurist shall annually complete eight hours of Board-approved continuing 2
307312 education for each year of the licensing cycle. A cosmetologist may complete up to 24 hours of 3
308313 required continuing education at any time within the cosmetologist's three-year licensing cycle.If 4
309314 the Board selects Option 1 under subsection (d1) of this section, prior to renewal of a license: 5
310315 (1) A teacher, esthetician, natural hair care specialist, or manicurist shall annually 6
311316 complete four hours of Board-approved continuing education. 7
312317 (2) A cosmetologist shall complete a total of 12 hours of Board-approved 8
313318 continuing education for the three-year licensing cycle and may complete 9
314319 these hours at any time within the cosmetologist's three-year licensing cycle. 10
315320 (e1) If the Board selects Option 2 under subsection (d1) of this section, prior to renewal of 11
316321 a license: 12
317322 (1) A teacher shall complete a total of eight hours of Board-approved continuing 13
318323 education over a two-year licensing cycle. 14
319324 (2) An esthetician, natural hair care specialist, or manicurist shall complete a total 15
320325 of eight hours of Board-approved continuing education over a two-year 16
321326 period, with a minimum of four hours completed each year. 17
322327 (3) A cosmetologist shall complete a total of 24 hours of Board-approved 18
323328 continuing education over a six-year period, with a minimum of four hours 19
324329 completed each year. 20
325330 (e2) Licensees shall submit written documentation to the Board showing that they have 21
326331 satisfied the requirements of this subsection. subsection (e) or subsection (e1) of this section, as 22
327332 applicable. A licensee who is in active practice as a cosmetologist, esthetician, natural hair care 23
328333 specialist, or manicurist, has practiced for at least 10 consecutive years in that profession, and is 24
329334 60 years of age or older does not have to meet the continuing education requirements of this 25
330335 subsection. A licensee who is in active practice as a cosmetologist and has at least 20 consecutive 26
331336 years of experience as a cosmetologist, does not have to meet the continuing education 27
332337 requirements of this subsection, but shall report any continuing education classes completed to 28
333338 the Board, whether the continuing education classes are Board-approved or not. Promotion of 29
334339 products and systems shall be allowed at continuing education given in-house or at trade shows. 30
335340 Continuing education classes may also be offered in secondary languages as needed. No member 31
336341 of the Board may offer continuing education courses as required by this section. 32
337342 … 33
338343 (h) Upon request by a licensee for inactive status, the Board may place the licensee's 34
339344 name on the inactive list so long as the licensee is in good standing with the Board. An inactive 35
340345 licensee is not required to complete continuing education requirements. An inactive licensee shall 36
341346 not practice cosmetic art for consideration. However, the inactive licensee may continue to 37
342347 purchase supplies as accorded an active licensee. When the inactive licensee desires to be 38
343348 removed from the inactive list and return to active practice, the inactive licensee shall notify the 39
344349 Board of his or her desire to return to active status and pay the required fee as determined by the 40
345350 Board. As a condition of returning to active status, the Board may require the licensee to complete 41
346351 eight to 24 hours of continuing education pursuant to subsection (e) of this section.continuing 42
347352 education consistent with the option selected under subsection (d1) of this section, as follows: 43
348353 (1) If the Board has selected Option 1 under subsection (d1) of this section, the 44
349354 Board may require four to 12 hours of continuing education. 45
350355 (2) If the Board has selected Option 2 under subsection (d1) of this section, the 46
351356 Board may require eight to 24 hours of continuing education to be completed 47
352357 within the applicable time frame specified in subsection (e1) of this section." 48
353358 SECTION 2.8.(b) Rulemaking. – The North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art 49
354359 Examiners shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of subsection (a) of this section. 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
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356361 SECTION 2.9.(a) North Carolina Board of Registration for Foresters. – G.S. 89B-11 1
357362 reads as rewritten: 2
358363 "§ 89B-11. Expiration and renewals; continuing education. 3
359364 … 4
360365 (b) The Board shall require registered foresters to attend continuing education courses 5
361366 approved by the Board, not to exceed 12 hours per year, as a condition of renewal.While 6
362367 maintaining the annual registration renewal cycle as established in subsection (a) of this section, 7
363368 the Board shall determine which of the following continuing education requirement options shall 8
364369 apply and shall require registered foresters to attend continuing education courses approved by 9
365370 the Board as a condition of renewal: 10
366371 (1) Option 1. – The continuing education requirement shall not exceed six hours 11
367372 per annual registration period. 12
368373 (2) Option 2. – The continuing education requirement shall not exceed 12 hours 13
369374 over a two-year period, with compliance determined at the end of each 14
370375 two-year continuing education cycle. 15
371376 (c) The Board shall notify registered foresters of the selected continuing education option 16
372377 provided by subsection (b) of this section no less than 90 days before the start of the applicable 17
373378 continuing education cycle. Under either option, the registration shall continue to be renewed 18
374379 annually as provided in subsection (a) of this section." 19
375380 SECTION 2.9.(b) Rulemaking. – The North Carolina Board of Registration for 20
376381 Foresters shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section. 21
377382 SECTION 2.10.(a) North Carolina State Board of Certified Public Accountant 22
378383 Examiners. – G.S. 93-12 reads as rewritten: 23
379384 "§ 93-12. Board of Certified Public Accountant Examiners. 24
380385 The name of the State Board of Accountancy is hereby changed to State Board of Certified 25
381386 Public Accountant Examiners and said name State Board of Certified Public Accountant 26
382387 Examiners is hereby substituted for the name State Board of Accountancy wherever the latter 27
383388 name appears or is used in Chapter 93 of the General Statutes. Said Board is created as an agency 28
384389 of the State of North Carolina and shall consist of seven members to be appointed by the 29
385390 Governor, five persons to be holders of valid and unrevoked certificates as certified public 30
386391 accountants issued under the provisions of this Chapter and two persons who are not certified 31
387392 public accountants who shall represent the interest of the public at large. Members of the Board 32
388393 shall hold office for the term of three years and until their successors are appointed. Appointments 33
389394 to the Board shall be made under the provisions of this Chapter as and when the terms of the 34
390395 members of the present State Board of Accountancy expire; provided, that all future 35
391396 appointments to said Board shall be made for a term of three years expiring on the thirtieth day 36
392397 of June. All Board members serving on June 30, 1980, shall be eligible to complete their 37
393398 respective terms. No member appointed to a term on or after July 1, 1980, shall serve more than 38
394399 two complete consecutive terms. The powers and duties of the Board shall be as follows: 39
395400 … 40
396401 (8b) To formulate rules for the continuing professional education of all persons 41
397402 holding the certificate of certified public accountant, subject to the following 42
398403 provisions: 43
399404 a. After January 1, 1983, any person desiring to obtain or renew a 44
400405 certificate as a certified public accountant must offer evidence 45
401406 satisfactory to the Board that the person has complied with the 46
402407 continuing professional education requirement approved by the Board. 47
403408 The Board may grant a conditional license for not more than 12 48
404409 months for persons who are being licensed for the first time, or moving 49
405410 into North Carolina, or for other good cause, in order that the person 50
406411 may comply with the continuing professional education requirement. 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
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408413 b. The Board shall adopt rules for the administration of the continuing 1
409414 professional education requirement with a minimum number of hours 2
410415 of 20 and a maximum number of hours of 40 per year, and the The 3
411416 Board shall determine which of the following continuing professional 4
412417 education requirement options shall apply: 5
413418 1. Option 1: Annual requirement. – The Board shall adopt rules 6
414419 for the administration of the continuing professional education 7
415420 requirement with a minimum number of hours of 10 and a 8
416421 maximum number of hours of 20 per year; or 9
417422 2. Option 2: Biennial requirement. – The Board shall adopt rules 10
418423 for the administration of the continuing professional education 11
419424 requirement with a minimum number of hours of 20 and a 12
420425 maximum number of hours of 40 per two-year period. 13
421426 The Board shall notify certificate holders of the selected continuing 14
422427 professional education option no less than 90 days before the start of 15
423428 the applicable continuing professional education cycle. The Board 16
424429 may exempt persons who are retired or inactive from the continuing 17
425430 professional education requirement. The Under either option, the 18
426431 Board may also permit any certified public accountant to accumulate 19
427432 hours of continuing professional education in any calendar year of as 20
428433 much as two additional years annual requirement in advance of or 21
429434 subsequent to the required calendar year.period. 22
430435 c. Any applicant who offers satisfactory evidence on forms promulgated 23
431436 by the Board that the applicant has participated in a continuing 24
432437 professional education program of the type required by the Board shall 25
433438 be deemed to have complied with this subdivision. 26
434439 …." 27
435440 SECTION 2.10.(b) Rulemaking. – The North Carolina State Board of Certified 28
436441 Public Accountant Examiners shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section. 29
437442 SECTION 2.11.(a) North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Electrical 30
438443 Contractors. – G.S. 87-44.1 reads as rewritten: 31
439444 "§ 87-44.1. Continuing education courses required. 32
440445 Beginning July 1, 1991, the Board may require as prerequisite to the annual renewal of a 33
441446 license that every listed qualified individual complete continuing education courses in subjects 34
442447 relating to electrical contracting to assure the safe and proper installation of electrical work and 35
443448 equipment in order to protect the life, health, and property of the public. The listed qualified 36
444449 individual shall complete, during the 12 months or 24 months, at the Board's choice, immediately 37
445450 preceding license renewal, a specific number of hours of continuing education courses approved 38
446451 by the Board prior to enrollment. The Board shall notify licensees of the selected continuing 39
447452 education option no less than 90 days before the start of the applicable continuing education 40
448453 cycle. The Board shall not require more than 10 five hours of continuing education courses per 41
449454 12 months 12-month period, or more than 10 hours per 24-month period if the Board chooses a 42
450455 biennial requirement, and such continuing education courses shall include those taught at a 43
451456 community college as approved by the Board. The listed qualified individual may accumulate 44
452457 and carry forward not more than two additional years of the annual fifty percent (50%) of the 45
453458 required continuing education requirement. hours, not to exceed two and one-half hours for an 46
454459 annual cycle or five hours for a biennial cycle, to the next applicable cycle. Attendance at any 47
455460 course or courses of continuing education shall be certified to the Board on a form provided by 48
456461 the Board and shall be submitted at the time the licensee makes application to the Board for its 49
457462 license renewal and payment of its license renewal fee. This continuing education requirement 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
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459464 may be waived by the Board in cases of certified illness or undue hardship as provided for in the 1
460465 Rules of the Board." 2
461466 SECTION 2.11.(b) Rulemaking. – The North Carolina State Board of Examiners of 3
462467 Electrical Contractors shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section. 4
463468 SECTION 2.12.(a) North Carolina Well Contractors Certification Commission. – 5
464469 G.S. 87-98.12(a) reads as rewritten: 6
465470 "(a) In order to be certified under this Article, a well contractor shall satisfactorily 7
466471 complete two hours one hour of approved continuing education each year for the first three years 8
467472 of the contractor's certification. certification, or alternatively, at the Commission's choice, shall 9
468473 complete a total of three hours of approved continuing education over the first six years of the 10
469474 contractor's certification. The Commission shall notify contractors of the selected continuing 11
470475 education option no less than 90 days before the start of the applicable continuing education cycle 12
471476 and shall not require a well contractor properly certified in accordance with the provisions of this 13
472477 Article and rules adopted under this Article to obtain continuing education credits for annual 14
473478 renewal of certification after the contractor's third or sixth year of certification, depending on 15
474479 which continuing education option the Board selects, except as provided in subsection (b) of this 16
475480 section. The Commission shall specify the scope of required continuing education courses for 17
476481 this purpose and shall approve continuing education courses." 18
477482 SECTION 2.12.(b) Rulemaking. – The North Carolina Well Contractors 19
478483 Certification Commission shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section. 20
479484 SECTION 2.13.(a) North Carolina Code Officials Qualification Board. – 21
480485 G.S. 143-151.13A reads as rewritten: 22
481486 "§ 143-151.13A. Professional development program for officials. 23
482487 (a) As used in this section, "official" means a qualified Code-enforcement official as that 24
483488 term is defined in G.S. 143-151.8. 25
484489 (b) The Board may establish professional development requirements for officials as a 26
485490 condition of the renewal or reactivation of their certificates. The purposes of these professional 27
486491 development requirements are to assist officials in maintaining professional competence in their 28
487492 enforcement of the Code and to assure the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of North 29
488493 Carolina. An official subject to this section shall present evidence to the Board at each certificate 30
489494 renewal after initial certification, that during the 12 months the official has completed the 31
490495 required number of credit hours in courses approved by the Board during the applicable period 32
491496 before the certificate expiration date, the official has completed the required number of credit 33
492497 hours in courses approved by the Board. Annual continuing Continuing education hour 34
493498 requirements shall be determined by the Board but shall not be more than six three credit hours. 35
494499 hours per year, or alternatively, at the Board's choice, the Board may require up to six credit 36
495500 hours to be completed over a two-year period. The Board shall notify officials of the selected 37
496501 continuing education option no less than 90 days before the start of the applicable continuing 38
497502 education cycle. 39
498503 (c) The Board may require an individual who earns a certificate under programs 40
499504 established in G.S. 143-151.13 to complete professional development courses, not to exceed six 41
500505 three hours in each technical area of certification, within one year after that individual is first 42
501506 employed by a city or county inspection department. 43
502507 (d) As a condition of reactivating a standard or limited certificate, the Board may require 44
503508 the completion of professional development courses within one year after reemployment as an 45
504509 official as follows: 46
505510 (1) An individual who has been on inactive status for more than two years and 47
506511 who has not been continuously employed by a city or county inspection 48
507512 department during the period of inactive status shall complete professional 49
508513 development courses not to exceed six three hours for each technical area in 50
509514 which the individual is certified. 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
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511516 (2) An individual who has been on inactive status for more than two years and 1
512517 who has been continuously employed by a city or county inspection 2
513518 department during the period of inactive status shall complete professional 3
514519 development courses not to exceed three one and one-half hours for each 4
515520 technical area in which the individual is certified. 5
516521 (3) An individual who has been on inactive status for two years or less shall 6
517522 complete professional development courses not to exceed two hours one hour 7
518523 for each technical area in which the individual is certified. 8
519524 …." 9
520525 SECTION 2.13.(b) Rulemaking. – The North Carolina Code Officials Qualification 10
521526 Board shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section. 11
522527 SECTION 2.14.(a) North Carolina Home Inspector Licensure Board. – 12
523528 G.S. 143-151.64 reads as rewritten: 13
524529 "§ 143-151.64. Continuing education requirements. 14
525530 (a) Requirements. – The Board may establish programs of continuing education for 15
526531 licensees under this Article. A licensee subject to a program under this section shall present 16
527532 evidence to the Board upon the license renewal following initial licensure, and every renewal 17
528533 thereafter, that during the 12 months applicable period preceding the annual license expiration 18
529534 date the licensee has completed the required number of classroom hours of instruction in courses 19
530535 approved by the Board. Annual continuing Continuing education hour requirements shall be 20
531536 determined by the Board, but shall not be less than 12 six credit hours and no more than 20 hours. 21
532537 10 credit hours annually, or alternatively, at the Board's choice, shall not be less than 12 credit 22
533538 hours and no more than 20 credit hours over a two-year period. The Board shall notify licensees 23
534539 of the selected continuing education option no less than 90 days before the start of the applicable 24
535540 continuing education cycle. No member of the Board shall provide or sponsor a continuing 25
536541 education course under this section while that person is serving on the Board. 26
537542 …." 27
538543 SECTION 2.14.(b) Rulemaking. – The North Carolina Home Inspector Licensure 28
539544 Board shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section. 29
540545 SECTION 2.15.(a) North Carolina Manufactured Housing Board. – 30
541546 G.S. 143-143.11B reads as rewritten: 31
542547 "§ 143-143.11B. Continuing education. 32
543548 (a) The Board may establish programs and requirements of continuing education for 33
544549 licensees, but shall not require licensees to complete more than eight four credit hours of 34
545550 continuing education. education annually, or alternatively, at the Board's choice, shall not require 35
546551 licensees to complete more than eight credit hours of continuing education over a two-year 36
547552 period. The Board shall notify licensees of the selected continuing education option no less than 37
548553 90 days before the start of the applicable continuing education cycle. Before the renewal of a 38
549554 license, a licensee shall present evidence to the Board that the licensee has completed the required 39
550555 number of continuing education hours in courses approved by the Board during the two months 40
551556 applicable period immediately preceding the expiration of the licensee's license. No member of 41
552557 the Board shall provide or sponsor a continuing education course under this section while that 42
553558 person is serving on the Board. 43
554559 … 44
555560 (c) The Board may adopt any reasonable rules not inconsistent with this Part to give 45
556561 purpose and effect to the continuing education requirement, including rules that govern: 46
557562 (1) The content and subject matter of continuing education courses. 47
558563 (2) The criteria, standards, and procedures for the approval of courses, course 48
559564 sponsors, and course instructors. 49
560565 (3) The methods of instruction. 50
561566 (4) The computation of course credit. 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
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563568 (5) The ability to carry forward course credit from one year to another.between 1
564569 continuing education cycles. 2
565570 (6) The waiver of or variance from the continuing education requirement for 3
566571 hardship or other reasons. 4
567572 (7) The procedures for compliance and sanctions for noncompliance. 5
568573 …." 6
569574 SECTION 2.15.(b) Rulemaking. – The North Carolina Manufactured Housing 7
570575 Board shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section. 8
571576 SECTION 2.16.(a) The North Carolina Interpreter and Transliterator Licensing 9
572577 Board. – G.S. 90D-8 reads as rewritten: 10
573578 "§ 90D-8. Provisional license. 11
574579 (a) Upon application to the Board and the payment of the required fees, an applicant may 12
575580 be issued a one-time provisional license as an interpreter or transliterator if the applicant meets 13
576581 all of the following qualifications: 14
577582 (1) Is at least 18 years of age. 15
578583 (2) Is of good moral character as determined by the Board. 16
579584 (3) Completes two one continuing education units unit approved by the Board. 17
580585 These units must be completed Board for each renewable year.year, or 18
581586 alternatively, at the Board's choice, completes two continuing education units 19
582587 over a two-year period. The Board shall notify applicants of the selected 20
583588 continuing education option no less than 90 days before the start of the 21
584589 applicable continuing education cycle. 22
585590 (4) Holds at least a two-year associate degree in interpreting from an accredited 23
586591 institution and satisfies one of the following: 24
587592 a. Holds a quality assurance North Carolina Interpreter Classification 25
588593 System (NCICS) level C classification. 26
589594 b. Holds a valid National Association of the Deaf (NAD) level 2 or 3 27
590595 certification. 28
591596 c. Holds a current Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment 29
592597 (EIPA) level 3.5 or above classification. 30
593598 d. Repealed by Session Laws 2005-299, s. 2, effective August 22, 2005. 31
594599 e. Repealed by Session Laws 2023-137, s. 45(b), effective October 10, 32
595600 2023. 33
596601 f. Holds any other certificate or assessment issued by a nationally 34
597602 recognized body approved by the Board by rule." 35
598603 SECTION 2.16.(b) The North Carolina Interpreter and Transliterator Licensing 36
599604 Board shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section. 37
600605 38
601606 PART III. CARRYOVER OF EARNED HOURS 39
602607 SECTION 3.1.(a) Carryover of Continuing Education Hours. – Notwithstanding any 40
603608 provision of law to the contrary, each occupational licensing board subject to this act may adopt 41
604609 or amend its rules to allow licensees to carry over continuing education or professional 42
605610 development hours from one compliance window to the next, provided all of the following 43
606611 conditions are met: 44
607612 (1) Preservation of the fifty percent (50%) reduction. – Whether a board has 45
608613 shortened the total hours per renewal cycle or extended the continuing 46
609614 education or professional development hour compliance window (e.g., from 47
610615 12 months to 24 months), any carryover policies shall not undermine the intent 48
611616 of this act to reduce the effective continuing education and professional 49
612617 development hour burden by fifty percent (50%) on an annualized basis. 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
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614619 (2) No double counting. – Any hours used to satisfy a licensee's continuing 1
615620 education or professional development hour requirement for one compliance 2
616621 window or renewal cycle may not fully satisfy the requirement for a 3
617622 subsequent compliance window or renewal cycle, unless the board's rules 4
618623 clearly define allowable partial carryover or additional hours earned in excess 5
619624 of the requirement. 6
620625 (3) Uniform application. – Any hours earned prior to the effective date of this act 7
621626 that are carried forward to a future compliance window shall be treated 8
622627 uniformly for all licensees similarly situated. The board may set a maximum 9
623628 limit on the number of hours carried over, how long those hours remain valid, 10
624629 or whether partial hours (e.g., half-hour increments) are permissible. 11
625630 SECTION 3.1.(b) Annual Renewal vs. Continuing Education Compliance Window. 12
626631 – Nothing in this section requires a board to alter its statutory or regulatory license renewal 13
627632 period. A board may maintain its current renewal cycle, whether it is annual or already longer 14
628633 than one year, while granting licensees a compliance window sufficient to achieve a fifty percent 15
629634 (50%) annualized reduction in the existing CE/PDH requirement mandated by this act. 16
630635 17
631636 PART IV. EFFECTIVE DATE 18
632637 SECTION 4.1. This act becomes effective October 1, 2025, and applies to 19
633638 applications for and renewals of licensure, certification, and permits on or after that date. 20