Title 171 of the Nebraska Administrative Code comprises the Board’s Rules and Regulations and enables the Board to administer the Act and cannot exceed the powers assigned to the Board by the Legislature. The latest revisions are effective as of July 1, 2019. To download a copy of the updated Professional Geologists Handbook, which includes these revisions, click here.
State of Nebraska Board of Geologists - Rules and Regulations
NOTICE OF RULEMAKING HEARING
STATE OF NEBRASKA
BOARD OF GEOLOGISTS
NOTICE is hereby given that the Board of Geologists will hold a rulemaking hearing on the 1st day of October 2025, commencing at 1:00 pm, 215 Centennial Mall South, Lincoln, NE, at the Lincoln Community Foundation Building.
The PURPOSE of the hearing is to take testimony and evidence about the adoption, amendments, and additions to Title 171, Chapter 1 through Chapter 8. This action is proposed to implement Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 81-3501 to 81-3541, consistent with the authority granted by the law and with constitutionality. The subject matter of the rulemaking action is as follows:
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Revisions throughout for clarity and grammatical purposes.
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Adding Rule 1.16 outlining the reinstatement process and requirements.
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Adding Rule 1.17 outlining the emeritus status process and reinstating to active practice.
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Amending Chapter 2 to change the exam approval period from five years to seventy-two months to simplify the tracking process; adding ASBOG as an entity that can determine the place of the examinations with the move to computer-based testing; reducing the experience requirement from five to four years; deleting the number of attempts allowed for each exam approval; adding a new rule clarifying that when the FG and PG are passed in the same exam administration, an geologist-intern certificate is not issued; clarifying that both the FG and PG must be passed before the initial license is issued.
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Amending Chapter 3, reducing the experience requirement from five to four years; clarifying the approval process for temporary permits.
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Adding Rule 4.6.6, encouraging pro bono work
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Amending Rule 5.3.1 to clarify that there must be a specific Board action before the formal hearing process can commence.
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Amending Rule 6.1.5 to add the word “preliminary” to the language needed when submitting preliminary documents.
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Amending Rule 7.2.1 to remove the requirement that the professional geologist listed on a certificate of authorization be an employee of the organization.
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Adding Chapter 8, which outlines the application process for individuals working in exempt fields as listed in Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-3541 who wish to become licensed.
This hearing is being conducted under the provisions of Section 84-907 R.R.S., 1943, which provides that Draft copies of the proposed rules are available for public examination at the office of the Board of Geologists and the office of the Secretary of State, State Capitol Building, Lincoln, Nebraska. A draft copy of the proposed rules is available here, and a clean copy of the revisions can be found here.
A complete statement on the fiscal impact for organizations and persons regulated by these regulations can be examined at the office of the Board of Geologists, 215 Centennial Mall South, Ste 400, Lincoln, Nebraska 68508, (402) 471-8383, and at the office of the Secretary of State, Capitol Building, Lincoln, Nebraska.
All interested persons are invited to ATTEND and TESTIFY orally or by written submission at the hearing. Interested persons may also submit written comments prior to the hearing that will be made part of the hearing record at the time of the hearing if received by the Board of Geologists on or before September 23, 2025. If auxiliary aids or reasonable accommodations are needed to participate in the hearing, please call (402) 471-8383 no later than ten days before the hearing. TDD users, please call (800) 833-7352 and ask the relay operator to call us at (402) 471-8383.
DATED at Lincoln, Nebraska, this 22nd day of August 2025.
Jeffrey Seymour, Chairperson
Board of Geologists