Part V. Standards of Practice and Conduct
18VAC120-30-200. Polygraph examination procedures.
A. Each licensed polygraph examiner and registered polygraph examiner intern must post, in a conspicuous place for the examinee, his license or registration, or a legible copy of his license or registration to practice in Virginia.
B. The examiner shall provide the examinee with a written explanation of the provisions of 18VAC120-30-200, 18VAC120-30-210, and 18VAC120-30-220 at the beginning of each polygraph examination.
C. The examinee may request a recording of the polygraph examination being administered. Each examiner shall maintain recording equipment and recording media adequate for such recording. The examiner shall safeguard all examination recordings with the records he is required to keep pursuant to 18VAC120-30-230. All recordings shall be made available to the department, the examinee, or the examinee's attorney upon request. The examiner may charge the examinee a fee not to exceed $35 only if the examinee requests and receives a copy of an examination.
D. The examinee shall be entitled to a copy of all portions of any written report pertaining to his examination that is prepared by the examiner and provided to any person or organization. The examinee shall make his request in writing to the examiner. The examiner shall comply within 10 business days of providing the written report to any person or organization or receiving the examinee's written request, whichever occurs later. The examiner may collect not more than $1.00 per page from the examinee for any copy provided.
E. The provisions of subsections B, C, and D of this section shall not be applicable to any examination conducted by or on behalf of the Commonwealth or any of its political subdivisions when the examination is for the purpose of preventing or detecting crime or the enforcement of penal laws. However, examiners administering examinations as described in this section shall comply with subsection B of this section through a verbal explanation of the provisions of 18VAC120-30-210 and 18VAC120-30-220.
F. The examiner must disclose to the examinee that the examination is subject to disclosure under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq. of the Code of Virginia).
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-1802.1 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR190-03-1 § 5.1; Virginia Register Volume 11, Issue 19, eff. July 12, 1995; amended, Virginia Register Volume 23, Issue 21, eff. August 1, 2007; Volume 30, Issue 6, eff. January 1, 2014; Volume 41, Issue 2, eff. November 1, 2024.
18VAC120-30-210. Examination pretest procedure.
A. Prior to administering any polygraph test, the examiner shall inform the prospective examinee of all the issues to be covered during the polygraph examination and of all the items to be reported by the examiner to any other person.
B. The examiner shall obtain written permission from the prospective examinee to administer the examination after fulfilling the requirements of 18VAC120-30-200, and before proceeding further with the administration of the examination.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-1802.1 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR190-03-1 § 5.2, eff. March 27, 1991; amended, Virginia Register Volume 11, Issue 19, eff. July 12, 1995.
18VAC120-30-220. Examination standards of practice.
A. The examiner shall comply with the following standards of practice and shall disclose to each examinee the provisions of this subsection and shall not proceed to examine or continue the examination if it is or becomes apparent to the examiner that the examinee does not understand any of these disclosures:
1. All questions to be asked during the polygraph test(s) shall be reduced to writing and read to the examinee.
2. The examinee or the examiner may terminate the examination at any time.
3. If the examination is within the scope of § 40.1-51.4:3 of the Code of Virginia, the examiner shall explain the provisions of that statute to the examinee.
4. No questions shall be asked concerning any examinee's lawful religious affiliations, lawful political affiliations, or lawful labor activities. This provision shall not apply to any such affiliation which is inconsistent with the oath of office for public law‑enforcement officers.
5. The examinee shall be provided the full name of the examiner and the name, address, and telephone number of the department.
6. During no part of a preemployment polygraph examination shall the examiner ask questions concerning an examinee's sexual preferences or sexual activities except as in accordance with § 40.1-51.4:3 or 54.1-1806 of the Code of Virginia.
B. An examiner shall not perform more than 12 polygraph examinations in any 24-hour period.
C. An examiner shall not ask more than 16 questions per chart on a single polygraph test. Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit an examiner from conducting more than one polygraph test during a polygraph examination.
D. An examiner shall allow on every polygraph test a minimum time interval of 10 seconds between the examinee's answer to a question and the start of the next question.
E. An examiner shall record at a minimum the following information on each polygraph test chart produced:
1. The name of the examinee;
2. The date of the examination;
3. The time that each test begins;
4. The examiner's initials;
5. Any adjustment made to component sensitivity;
6. The point at which each question begins and each answer is given;
7. Each question number; and
8. Each answer given by the examinee.
F. An examiner shall render only three evaluations of polygraph tests:
1. Deception indicated;
2. No deception indicated; or
3. Inconclusive.
An examiner may include in his report any information revealed by the examinee during the polygraph examination.
Nothing in this section shall prohibit an examiner from explaining the meaning of the above evaluations.
G. An examiner shall not render a verbal or written report based upon polygraph test chart analysis without having conducted at least two polygraph charts. Each relevant question shall have been asked at least once on each of at least two polygraph charts.
H. An examiner may make a hiring or retention recommendation for the examiner's employer provided the hiring or retention decision is not based solely on the results of the polygraph examination.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-1802.1 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR190-03-1 § 5.3, eff. March 27, 1991; amended, Virginia Register Volume 11, Issue 19, eff. July 12, 1995; Volume 23, Issue 21, eff. August 1, 2007; Volume 30, Issue 6, eff. January 1, 2014.
18VAC120-30-230. Records.
The licensed polygraph examiner or registered polygraph examiner intern shall maintain the following for at least one year from the date of each polygraph examination:
1. Polygraphic charts;
2. Questions asked during the examination;
3. A copy of the results and the conclusions drawn;
4. A copy of every written report provided in connection with the examination; and
5. Electronic recordings of examinations made in compliance with subsection C of 18VAC120-30-200.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-1802.1 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR190-03-1 § 5.4, eff. March 27, 1991; amended, Virginia Register Volume 11, Issue 19, eff. July 12, 1995; Volume 23, Issue 21, eff. August 1, 2007; Volume 30, Issue 6, eff. January 1, 2014.
18VAC120-30-240. Prohibited acts.
The department may fine, deny, suspend, or revoke any license or registration, or deny or withdraw school approval upon a finding that the applicant, licensee, registrant, or school:
1. Has presented false or fraudulent information when applying for any license or registration, renewal of license or registration, or approval;
2. Has violated, aided, or abetted others to violate Chapters 1 (§ 54.1-100 et seq.) through 3 (§ 54.1-300 et seq.) of Title 54.1 or §§ 54.1-1800 through 54.1-1806 of the Code of Virginia, or of any other statute applicable to the practice of the profession herein regulated, or of any provisions of this chapter;
3. Has been convicted or found guilty, regardless of the manner of adjudication, in any jurisdiction of the United States of any felony or non-marijuana misdemeanor. Review of convictions shall be subject to the requirements of § 54.1-204 of the Code of Virginia. Any pleas of nolo contendere shall be considered a conviction for the purposes of this subsection. The record of a conviction authenticated in such form as to be admissible in evidence under the laws of the jurisdiction where the conviction occurred shall be forwarded to the board within 30 days of entry and shall be admissible as prima facie evidence of such conviction;
4. Has made, in the course of soliciting for or advertising a business or service licensed under § 54.1-1802 of the Code of Virginia, a false, deceptive, or misleading statement orally, in writing, or in printed form;
5. Has allowed one's license or registration to be used by anyone else;
6. Has failed, within a reasonable period of time 21 days, to provide any records or other information requested or demanded by the department;
7. Has displayed professional incompetence or negligence in the performance of polygraphy;
8. Has violated any provision of 18VAC120-30-220;
9. Has failed to maintain for a period of one year from the date of each administered polygraph examination a complete and legible copy of all documents relating to the polygraph examination including examination questions, results, conclusions drawn, and written or electronic reports;
10. Has failed to inform the board in writing within 30 days that the regulant, school's owner, or instructor has pleaded guilty or nolo contendere or was convicted and found guilty of any felony or of a Class 1 misdemeanor or any non-marijuana misdemeanor conviction for activities carried out while engaged in the practice of polygraphy;
11. Has refused or failed, upon request, to produce to the board, or any of its agents, any document, book, or record, or copy of it in the regulant's or school's owner's possession concerning all records for which the regulant, school's owner, or instructor is required to maintain; or
12. Has failed to respond to an investigator or provides false, misleading, or incomplete information to an investigator seeking information in the investigation of a complaint filed with the board against the regulant, school's owner, or instructor.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-1802.1 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR190-03-1 § 5.5, eff. March 27, 1991; amended, Virginia Register Volume 11, Issue 19, eff. July 12, 1995; Volume 23, Issue 21, eff. August 1, 2007; Volume 30, Issue 6, eff. January 1, 2014; Volume 38, Issue 5, eff. December 1, 2021.
18VAC120-30-250. Maintenance of license.
A. Notice in writing shall be given to the department in the event of any change of name or address. Such notice shall be mailed to the department within 30 days of the change of the name or location. The department shall not be responsible for the licensee's or registrant's failure to receive notices, communications and correspondence caused by the licensee's or registrant's failure to promptly notify the department in writing of any change of name or address.
B. All licensees or registrants shall operate under the name in which the license or registration was issued.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-1802.1 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR190-03-1 § 5.6, eff. March 27, 1991; amended, Virginia Register Volume 11, Issue 19, eff. July 12, 1995; Volume 23, Issue 21, eff. August 1, 2007.