Authority: IC 25-31.5-3-4

Affected: IC 25-31.5-4-3

Sec. 4. (a) The board requires applicants for registration as a RPSS or a RASS to pass the following exams:

1. (1) Soil science fundamentals exam, which covers basic principles in all areas of soil science. The requirement can be met by passing either of the following:

   1. (A) The Council of Soil Science Examiners soil science fundamentals exam, which is prepared by the Council of Soil Science Examiners of the Soil Science Society of America and administered through ARCPACS.
   2. (B) The IRSS soil science fundamentals exam, which is prepared for IRSS and approved and administered by the board.

2. (2) The Indiana soils and field skills exam, which is also prepared for IRSS and approved and administered by the board. The exam covers the following:

   1. (A) Indiana soils, including soil geography and land use.
   2. (B) Factors and processes of soil formation in Indiana, including relation of soils to parent (geologic) materials, topography and landforms, climate, vegetation, and time.

   3. (C) Soil morphology, including the following:

      1. (i) Describing soil color, texture, structure, and consistence.
      2. (ii) Estimating the percent of sand, silt, and clay in a soil sample.
   4. (D) Describing landforms and landform components.

   5. (E) Understanding and using map projections, such as the following:

      1. (i) The township-range-section system.
      2. (ii) The Universal Transverse Mercator system.
   6. (F) Interpreting pedon descriptions.
   7. (G) Using Soil Taxonomy and recognizing major soil properties from a taxonomic classification and a pedon description.
   8. (H) Other related topics.

(b) Dates and times when exams will be offered shall be available from the IRSS office located in the office of state chemist. Fees to take the IRSS exams the first time are included in the application fee. Additional fees are charged to retake the exams, see 307 IAC 1-4. Fees to take the Council of Soil Science Examiners exam are set by the Council of Soil Science Examiners.

(c) The passing grade for each IRSS exam is seventy percent (70%).

(d) Individuals may apply for "exam only" in which they take one (1) or both examinations administered by the board before completing the remaining application requirements. Credit for passing an exam lasts for five (5) years, from the date of the exam to the date of the application for RASS or RPSS.

(Indiana Board of Registration for Soil Scientists; 307 IAC 1-3-4; filed Aug 29, 2003, 11:00 a.m.: 27 IR 56; readopted filed May 14, 2009, 1:12 p.m.: 20090610-IR-307090196RFA; readopted filed May 15, 2015, 10:58 a.m.: 20150610-IR-307150072RFA; readopted filed Nov 23, 2021, 1:44 p.m.: 20211222-IR-307210234RFA; readopted filed Nov 4, 2025, 2:51 p.m.: 20251119-IR-307240628RFA)