16 Tex. Admin. Code § 9.10 – Rules Examination

(a) In addition to complying with NFPA §§4.4 and 11.2, an individual who files LPG Form 16 and pays the applicable nonrefundable examination fee may take the rules examination at the Commission's AFRED Training Center, 6506 Bolm Road, Austin, Texas, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon, Monday through Friday, except for state holidays, and at other designated times and locations around the state. Tuesdays and Thursdays are the preferred days for examinations at the AFRED Training Center.
1. (1) Dates and locations of available Commission LP-gas examinations may be obtained in the Austin offices of AFRED and on the Commission's web site at www.rrc.state.tx.us, and shall be updated at least monthly. Examinations shall be conducted in Austin and in other locations around the state. Individuals or companies may request in writing that examinations be given in their area. AFRED shall schedule its examinations and locations at its discretion.
2. (2) Except in a case where a conditional qualification has been requested in writing and approved under §9.17(g) of this title (relating to Designation and Responsibilities of Company Representatives and Operations Supervisors), the Category E, F, G, I, and J management-level rules examination shall be administered only in conjunction with the Category E, F, G, I, and J management-level courses of instruction. Management-level rules examinations other than Category E, F, G, I, and J may be administered on any scheduled examination day.
3. (3) The Commission may not issue a certification card to an applicant for a management-level certificate that requires completion of a course of instruction until the applicant completes both the required course of instruction and passes the required management-level rules examination.
4. (4) An applicant for a management-level certificate shall pass the management-level rules examination within two years after completing a required course of instruction. An applicant who fails to pass such an examination within two years of completing such a course shall reapply as a new applicant.
5. (5) Exam fees.
  1. (A) The nonrefundable management-level rules examination fee (for company representatives and operations supervisors) is $70.
  2. (B) The nonrefundable employee-level rules examination fee (for employees other than company representatives or operations supervisors) is $40.
  3. (C) The nonrefundable examination fee shall be paid each time an individual wishes to take the examination.
  4. (D) Individuals who register and pay for a Category E, F, G, I, or J training course as specified in §9.51(f)(2)(A) of this title (relating to General Requirements for Training and Continuing Education) shall pay the charge specified for the applicable examination.
6. (6) Time limits.
  1. (A) Effective June 1, 2008, an applicant shall complete the examination within the time limit specified in this paragraph.
    1. (i) The Category E management-level (closed book), Bobtail employee-level (open book), and Service and Installation employee-level (open book) examinations shall be limited to three hours.
    2. (ii) All other categories of management-level examinations and all other employee-level examinations shall be limited to two hours.
  2. (B) The examination proctor shall be the official timekeeper.
  3. (C) An examinee shall submit the examination and the answer sheet to the examination proctor before or at the end of the established time limit for an examination.
  4. (D) The examination proctor shall mark any answer sheet that was not completed within the time limit.
7. (7) The Commission may offer employee-level LP-Gas Transport Driver, DOT Cylinder Filling, and Motor/Mobile Fuel Dispensing examinations in Spanish or English.
(b) Table 1 of this subsection specifies the examinations offered by the Commission.
Attached Graphic
1. (1) The Bobtail examination qualifies an individual to operate a bobtail, to perform all of the LP-gas activities authorized by the Transport Driver, DOT Cylinder Filling, and Motor/Mobile Fuel examinations, and to perform leak checks and pressure tests, light appliances, and adjust regulators and thermocouples. The Bobtail examination does not authorize an individual to connect or disconnect containers, except when performing a pressure test or removing a container from service.
2. (2) The Transport Driver examination qualifies an individual to operate an LP-gas transport equipped with a container of more than 5,000 gallons water capacity, to load and unload LP-gas, and connect and disconnect transfer hoses. The Transport Driver examination does not authorize an individual to operate a bobtail or to install or repair transport systems.
3. (3) The On-Road Motor Fuel examination qualifies an individual to install LP-gas motor fuel containers, cylinders, and LP-gas motor fuel systems, and replace container valves on motorized vehicles licensed to operate on public roadways. The On-Road Motor Fuel examination does not authorize an individual to fill LP-gas motor or mobile fuel containers.
4. (4) The Non-Road Motor Fuel examination qualifies an individual to install LP-gas motor fuel containers, cylinders, and LP-gas motor fuel systems, and replace container valves on vehicles such as industrial forklift trucks and lawnmowers. The Non-Road Motor Fuel examination does not authorize an individual to fill LP-gas motor fuel containers or cylinders.
5. (5) The Mobile Fuel examination qualifies an individual to install LP-gas mobile fuel containers, cylinders, and LP-gas mobile fuel systems, and replace container valves on mobile fuel equipment such as trailers, catering trucks, mobile kitchens, tar kettles, hot oil units, auxiliary engines and similar equipment. The Mobile Fuel examination does not authorize an individual to fill LP-gas mobile fuel containers or cylinders.
6. (6) The DOT Cylinder Filling examination qualifies an individual to inspect, requalify, fill, disconnect and connect cylinders, including industrial truck cylinders, and to exchange cylinder valves. The DOT Cylinder Filling examination does not authorize an individual to fill ASME motor or mobile fuel containers.
7. (7) The Recreational Vehicle examination qualifies an individual to install LP-gas motor or mobile fuel containers, including cylinders, and to install and repair LP-gas systems on recreational vehicles. The Recreational Vehicle examination does not authorize an individual to fill LP-gas containers.
8. (8) The Service and Installation examination qualifies an individual to perform all LP-gas activities related to stationary LP-gas systems, including LP-gas containers, appliances, and stationary engines. The Service and Installation examination does not authorize an individual to fill containers or operate an LP-gas transport.
9. (9) The Appliance Service and Installation examination qualifies an individual to perform all LP-gas activities related to appliances, including installing, repairing and converting appliances, installing and repairing connectors from the appliance gas stop through the venting system, and to perform leak checks on the new or repaired portion of an LP-gas system. The Appliance Service and Installation examination does not authorize an individual to install a container, install or repair piping upstream of and including the appliance gas stop, or to install, repair or adjust regulators.
10. (10) The Motor/Mobile Fuel Dispensing examination qualifies an individual to inspect and fill motor or mobile fuel containers on vehicles, including recreational vehicles, cars, trucks, and buses. The Motor/Mobile Fuel Dispensing examination does not authorize an individual to fill LP-gas cylinders or ASME stationary containers.
(c) Within 15 calendar days of the date an individual takes an examination, AFRED shall notify the individual of the results of the examination.
1. (1) If the examination is graded or reviewed by a testing service, AFRED shall notify the individual of the examination results within 14 days of the date AFRED receives the results from the testing service. If the notice of the examination results will be delayed for longer than 90 days after the examination date, AFRED shall notify the individual of the reason for the delay before the 90th day. AFRED may require a testing service to notify an individual of the individual's examination results.
2. (2) Successful completion of any required examination shall be credited to and accrue to the individual.
3. (3) An individual who has been issued a certification card shall make the card readily available and shall present the card to any Commission employee or agent who requests proof of certification.
(d) Failure of any examination shall immediately disqualify the individual from performing any LP-gas related activities covered by the examination which is failed, except for activities covered by a separate examination which the individual has passed. If requested by an individual who failed the examination, AFRED shall furnish the individual with an analysis of the individual's performance on the examination.
1. (1) Any individual who fails an examination administered by the Commission only at the Austin location may retake the same examination only one additional time during a business day.
2. (2) Any subsequent examination shall be taken on another business day, unless approved by the assistant director for the AFRED Research and Technical Services Section or the assistant director's designee.

Source Note:The provisions of this §9.10 adopted to be effective February 1, 2001, 26 TexReg 947; amended to be effective May 28, 2001, 26 TexReg 3742; amended to be effective June 9, 2003, 28 TexReg 4412; amended to be effective September 1, 2005, 30 TexReg 4810; amended to be effective February 12, 2007, 32 TexReg 519; amended to be effective October 29, 2007, 32 TexReg 7675; amended to be effective February 1, 2008, 33 TexReg 138.