1. (1) Applicants who do not meet the requirements in Table 2 but do meet the requirements in Table 3 may apply to become an OIT I through IV, except as described in (a) and (b) of this subsection.

   1. (a) Applicants who hold a full certification may only apply for an OIT certification one level above their full certification level.

   2. (b) Applicants who do not hold a full certification are only eligible to apply for the Group I OIT.

      Table 3

      Operator in Training Certification Requirements and Substitutions

      Operator in Training Certification Requirements and Substitutions
      Certification level	Minimum required education	Substitutions allowed for education	Minimum required operating experience	Education substitutions allowed for operating experience	Relevant experience substitutions allowed for operating experience
      Group I Operator in Training	High school diploma or GED	One year of relevant experience for each year of education through twelfth grade	3 months	3.0 credits/CEUs	3 months of relevant experience
      Group II Operator in Training	High school diploma or GED	One year of relevant experience for each year of education through twelfth grade	1 year and 6 months	Up to 67.5 relevant credits/CEUs	Up to 1 year and 6 months of relevant experience
      Group III Operator in Training	High school diploma or GED and 2 years of college (90 credits or CEUs)	Up to 4 years of excess operating experience:• 1 year of excess operating experience for the first 45 credits/CEUs• 3 years of excess operating experience for the last 45 credits/CEUs	2 years	Up to 90 relevant credits/CEUs	Up to 2 years of relevant experience
      Group IV Operator in Training	High school diploma or GED and 4 years of college (180 credits or CEUs)	Up to 8 years of excess operating experience:• 1 year of excess operating experience for each 45 credits/CEUs for the first 90 credits/CEUs• 3 years of excess operating experience for each 45 credits for the second 90 credits/CEUs	2 years	Up to 90 relevant credits/CEUs	Up to 2 years of relevant experience

2. (2) The department will issue OIT certificates to applicants who pass the exam as described in WAC 173-230-270.

3. (3) An existing certified operator continues to hold their full certification as well as the OIT certification until they upgrade from an OIT certification to a full certification, or until their OIT certificate expires.

   1. (a) Groups II through IV OIT certificates will expire after two exam cycles, up to ten years.
   2. (b) To upgrade from an OIT certification to a full certification, the OIT operator must apply as described in WAC 173-230-230.
   3. (c) To upgrade from an OIT certification to a full certification, a Group I through IV OIT must gain the necessary operating experience required for full certification working under the direction or supervision of a fully certified operator.
   4. (d) When an application for an upgrade from OIT to full certification is approved, the operator will no longer hold the lower-level certification or be certified as an OIT. They will be certified only at the higher-level certification.

4. (4) OIT professional growth and renewal requirements:

   1. (a) Operators who hold both a full certification and an OIT certification must only meet the professional growth and renewal requirements for their full certification and are only required to pay one renewal fee as described in WAC 173-230-240.
   2. (b) Operators who only hold an OIT certification must meet professional growth and renewal requirements as described in WAC 173-230-300 and 173-230-310.

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.95B RCW. WSR 19-15-025 (Order 18-02), § 173-230-260, filed 7/10/19, effective 8/10/19.]