1. (a) To be eligible to take a state licensing examination, an individual must have a valid endorsement.

2. (b) A valid endorsement is based on:

   1. (1) a previously completed commission approved basic licensing course;
   2. (2) an expired commission licensing examination result, over two years old;
   3. (3) reactivating a Texas license under rule §217.19;
   4. (4) out of state training, licensing, or certification the commission accepts as a peace officer, federal or military training; or
   5. (5) county corrections training accepted from Texas Occupations Code Chapter §1701.310.

3. (c) A valid endorsement shall:

   1. (1) be in the approved commission format,
   2. (2) be a completed original document bearing all required signatures,
   3. (3) state that the examinee has met the current minimum training standards appropriate to the license sought, and
   4. (4) include a date of issue and an expiration date.

4. (d) For an endorsement to be or remain valid:

   1. (1) it must not be issued in error or based on false or incorrect information; specifically, the applicant must meet the current enrollment standards; or if previously licensed, meet the current licensing standards; and
   2. (2) it must be presented before its expiration date.
5. (e) An endorsement to take an examination is issued by a training coordinator, the registrar of a licensed academic alternative provider, the executive director of the commission, or a person authorized by the executive director. Duplicate endorsements may only be issued by the executive director of the commission.

6. (f) In order to issue the endorsement, the person issuing such an endorsement, other than a commission employee, must have on file for the person to whom it is issued, written documentation of successful completion of the basic licensing course for the license sought; and

   1. (1) written documentation that the person to whom it is issued was previously licensed by the commission, or
   2. (2) if the person is not currently licensed by the commission, written documentation that the applicant meets the current enrollment standards.
7. (g) In order to receive an endorsement from the commission, individuals must meet all current requirements, to include submitting any required application currently prescribed by the commission, requested documentation, and any required fee.
8. (h) An examination may not be taken by an individual who already holds an active license or certificate to be awarded upon passing that examination.
9. (i) Once an endorsement is issued, an examinee will be allowed three opportunities to pass the examination while the examinee's endorsement remains valid. After three failures, the examinee must re-qualify by repeating the basic licensing course for the license sought. If an attempt is invalidated for any reason, except for a commission error, that attempt will count as one of the three opportunities.
10. (j) Once an endorsement from an academic alternative provider expires after three failures individuals will be required to re-qualify by completing the basic licensing course for the license sought.
11. (k) The effective date of this section is February 24, 2011.

Source Note:The provisions of this §219.1 adopted to be effective March 1, 2001, 26 TexReg 230; amended to be effective August 1, 2001, 26 TexReg 5271; amended to be effective March 1, 2003, 27 TexReg 12376; amended to be effective June 1, 2004, 29 TexReg 3821; amended to be effective June 1, 2006, 31 TexReg 2878; amended to be effective March 1, 2008, 33 TexReg 283; amended to be effective April 15, 2010, 35 TexReg 2613; amended to be effective February 24, 2011, 36 TexReg 588.