Virginia Law

Part II. Entry

18VAC15-21-20. Application procedures.

A. All applicants seeking licensure must submit an application with the appropriate fee specified in 18VAC15-21-180. Application must be made on forms provided by the board or the board's agent.

1. By submitting the application to the department, the applicant certifies that the applicant has read and understands the applicable statutes and the board’s regulations.

2. The receipt of an application and the deposit of fees by the department does not indicate approval of the application by the board.

B. The board may make further inquiries and investigations with respect to the applicant's qualifications to confirm or amplify information supplied. All applications must be completed in accordance with the instructions contained in this chapter and on the application. Applications will not be considered complete until all required documents are received by the board.

C. The applicant will be notified if the application is incomplete. A person who fails to complete the application process within 12 months after the date the department receives the application must submit a new application and fee.

D. The applicant must immediately report all changes in information supplied with the application, if applicable, prior to issuance of the license or expiration of the application.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.

18VAC15-21-30. General requirements for licensure: individuals.

A. In addition to the specific qualifications for each license type, each applicant for individual licensure must meet the requirements provided in this section.

B. The applicant must disclose the applicant's full legal name.

C. The applicant must be at least 18 years of age.

D. The applicant must disclose the applicant's mailing address and email address. A post office box is only acceptable as a mailing address when a physical address is also provided.

E. In accordance with § 54.1-204 of the Code of Virginia, each applicant must disclose the following information:

1. All felony convictions.

2. All misdemeanor convictions related to environmental remediation activity.

3. All misdemeanor convictions, excluding marijuana convictions, that occurred within three years of the date of application.

The board, at its discretion, may deny licensure to any applicant in accordance with § 54.1-204 of the Code of Virginia.

F. The applicant must report any action taken by any board or administrative body in any jurisdiction against a professional or occupational license, certification, or registration issued to the applicant, to include any suspension, revocation, or surrender of a license, certification, or registration; imposition of a monetary penalty; or requirement to take remedial education or other corrective action. The board, at its discretion, may deny licensure to any applicant for any prior action taken by any board or administrative body in any jurisdiction.

G. Applicants must be in compliance with the standards of practice and conduct set forth in Part VI (18VAC15-21-380 et seq.) and Part VII (18VAC15-21-460 et seq.) of this chapter at the time of application to the board, while the application is under review by the board, and at all times when the license is in effect.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.

18VAC15-21-40. Application denial.

A. The board may refuse initial licensure or accreditation due to an applicant's failure to comply with entry requirements or for any of the reasons for which the board may discipline a regulant.

B. The applicant has the right to request further review of any such action by the board under the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq. of the Code of Virginia).

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.

18VAC15-21-50. Qualifications for asbestos worker license.

Each individual applying for an asbestos worker license must provide proof of successful completion of (i) an EPA-approved or board-approved initial accredited asbestos worker training program and all subsequent EPA-approved or board-approved accredited asbestos worker refresher training programs or (ii) an EPA-approved or board-approved initial accredited supervisor training program and all subsequent EPA-approved or board-approved accredited asbestos supervisor refresher training programs. The training certificate must indicate that the training was taken within 12 months preceding the date the department receives the application.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.

18VAC15-21-60. Qualifications for asbestos supervisor license.

A. Each individual applying for an asbestos supervisor license must:

1. Have a high school diploma or equivalent;

2. Provide proof of successful completion of an EPA-approved or board-approved initial accredited supervisor training program and all subsequent EPA-approved or board-approved accredited asbestos supervisor refresher training programs. The training certificate must indicate that the training was taken within 12 months preceding the date the department receives the application; and

3. Furnish acceptable documentation of three months of experience in asbestos abatement work.

B. The experience submitted pursuant to subsection A of this section must meet the requirements of 18VAC15-21-120.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.

18VAC15-21-70. Qualifications for asbestos inspector license.

A. Each individual applying for an asbestos inspector license must provide:

1. Proof of successful completion of an EPA-approved or board-approved initial accredited inspector training program and all subsequent EPA-approved or board-approved accredited asbestos inspector refresher training programs; and

2. Evidence of experience in performing asbestos inspections in buildings or industrial facilities, including collecting bulk samples, categorizing ACM, assessing ACM, and preparing inspection reports. The applicant must furnish acceptable documentation that one of the following qualifications has been met:

B. The education submitted pursuant to subsection A of this section must meet the requirements of 18VAC15-21-110. The experience submitted pursuant to subsection A of this section must meet the requirements of 18VAC15-21-120.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.

18VAC15-21-80. Qualifications for asbestos management planner license.

A. Each individual applying for an asbestos management planner license must provide:

1. Proof of successful completion of (i) an EPA-approved or board-approved initial accredited management planner training program and all subsequent EPA-approved or board-approved accredited asbestos management planner refresher training programs and (ii) an EPA-approved or board-approved initial accredited inspector training program and all subsequent EPA-approved or board-approved accredited asbestos inspector refresher training programs; and

2. Evidence of experience evaluating inspection reports, selecting response actions, analyzing the cost of response actions, ranking response actions, preparing operations and maintenance plans, and preparing management plans. The applicant must furnish acceptable documentation that one of the following qualifications has been met:

B. The education submitted pursuant to subsection A of this section must meet the requirements of 18VAC15-21-110. The experience submitted pursuant to subsection A of this section must meet the requirements of 18VAC15-21-120.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.

18VAC15-21-90. Qualifications for asbestos project designer license.

A. Each individual applying for an asbestos project designer license must provide:

1. Proof of successful completion of an EPA-approved or board-approved initial accredited project designer training program and all subsequent EPA-approved or board-approved accredited asbestos project designer refresher training programs; and

2. Evidence of experience in the preparation of project designs or project specifications. The applicant must furnish acceptable documentation that one of the following qualifications has been met:

B. The education submitted pursuant to subsection A of this section must meet the requirements of 18VAC15-21-110. The experience submitted pursuant to subsection A of this section must meet the requirements of 18VAC15-21-120.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.

18VAC15-21-100. Qualifications for asbestos project monitor license.

A. Each individual applying for an asbestos project monitor license must have a high school diploma or equivalent and provide:

1. Proof of (i) a current certification by EPA as an asbestos project designer or asbestos supervisor and successful completion of a board-approved asbestos project monitor training program of 16 hours, including the examination, or (ii) successful completion of a board-approved asbestos project monitor training program of 40 hours, including examination. Only project monitor training programs that are board approved will be accepted for meeting the training requirement; and

2. Evidence of 80 hours of experience in performing asbestos project monitoring through field work on project sites, of which at least 16 hours must be from OSHA Class I asbestos activities and at least 16 hours must be from OSHA Class II asbestos activities. This includes evaluating and monitoring asbestos work practices, collecting environmental asbestos air samples during abatement, performing visual inspections, and taking final air samples to grant clearance for asbestos abatement projects.

B. The experience submitted pursuant to subdivision A 2 of this section must meet the requirements of 18VAC15-21-120.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.

18VAC15-21-110. Acceptable degree programs.

A. Applicants seeking to qualify for licensure based on completion of an associate's, bachelor's, or master's degree must submit an official transcript from the school where the applicable degree was obtained. Only degrees from an accredited college or university that is approved or accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, a regional or national accreditation association, or by an accrediting agency that is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education will be considered.

B. The following degrees will be considered to qualify in accordance with 18VAC15-21-70 A 2, 18VAC15-21-80 A 2, or 18VAC15-21-90 A 2:

1. Bachelor's or master's degree in engineering, architecture, industrial hygiene, environmental science or studies, or physical science;

2. Bachelor's degree in a related field that includes a minimum of 40 semester credit hours in any combination of science, technology, engineering and math;

3. Master's degree in a related field and a bachelor's degree in any major such that the combined degrees include a minimum of 40 semester credit hours in any combination of science, technology, engineering, and math; or

4. Associate's degree in engineering, architecture, industrial hygiene, environmental science or studies, or physical science, or a related field that includes a minimum of 20 credit hours in any combination of science, technology, engineering, and math.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.

18VAC15-21-120. Experience used to qualify for licensure.

A. Experience used to qualify for licensure in accordance with 18VAC15-21-60 A 3, 18VAC15-21-70 A 2, 18VAC15-21-80 A 2, 18VAC15-21-90 A 2, or 18VAC15-21-100 A 2 may be obtained by:

1. Working in the applicable profession in another state, provided such work complied with all federal, state, and local statutes.

2. Working in the applicable profession under the direct supervision of a properly licensed individual or EPA-certified individual where no license is required. All reports prepared by the unlicensed individual must be signed by the licensed or EPA-certified individual. The licensed or EPA-certified individual assumes responsibility for all work conducted and reports prepared, as applicable, by the unlicensed individual.

B. Experience used to qualify for licensure must be verified by a supervisor on a board-approved experience verification form signed by a supervisor verifying the applicant's experience. An applicant who is self-employed or otherwise unable to obtain a verifying signature for experience must submit five copies of the completed inspections, management plans, project designs, or project monitor reports, as applicable to the license sought.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.

18VAC15-21-130. Individuals certified or licensed in another jurisdiction.

A. The board may issue a license to an applicant who holds an equivalent and valid license or certificate in another state, the District of Columbia, or any other territory or possession of the United States, provided the requirements and standards under which the license or certificate was issued are substantially equivalent to those established in this chapter and related statutes. The applicant will only need to provide the most recent, current asbestos training program for the applicable license type.

B. In order to qualify in accordance with this section, the applicant must provide proof of a valid license or certificate in the other state acceptable to the board and must be in good standing by the issuing license or certification authority.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.

18VAC15-21-140. Qualifications for asbestos contractor license.

A firm that holds a valid contractor license issued by the Board for Contractors with an asbestos contracting specialty service designation in accordance with Chapter 11 (§ 54.1-1100 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia and the regulations of the Board for Contractors is deemed qualified for an asbestos contractor license pursuant to Chapter 5 (§ 54.1-500 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia and this chapter. Upon verification of the firm's licensure with the Board for Contractors, the board will issue an asbestos contractor license to such firm for a license term that coincides with the license issued by the Board for Contractors.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.

18VAC15-21-150. General qualifications for an asbestos analytical laboratory license.

A. Each firm applying for an asbestos analytical laboratory license must meet the requirements of this section.

B. The applicant must disclose the name under which the firm conducts business and holds itself out to the public. In accordance with Chapter 5 (§ 59.1-69 et seq.) of Title 59.1 of the Code of Virginia, the firm must register any trade or fictitious names, when applicable, with the State Corporation Commission before submitting an application to the board.

C. The applicant must disclose the firm's mailing address , the firm's physical address , and the firm's email address.

D. In accordance with § 54.1-204 of the Code of Virginia, the applicant must disclose the following information about the firm and its owners, officers, managers, members, and directors, as applicable:

1. All felony convictions;

2. All misdemeanor convictions, except marijuana convictions, within the last three years; and

3. Any conviction involving environmental remediation activity that resulted in the significant harm or the imminent and substantial threat of significant harm to human health or the environment.

E. The board, at its discretion, may deny licensure to any applicant in accordance with § 54.1-204 of the Code of Virginia. The applicant has the right to request further review of any such action by the board under the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq. of the Code of Virginia).

F. The applicant must report any disciplinary action taken by any board or administrative body in any jurisdiction against a professional or occupational license, certification, or registration issued to the firm, its owners, officers, managers, members, or directors and, as applicable, any reprimand, suspension, revocation, or surrender of a license, certification, or registration, imposition of a monetary penalty, or requirement to take remedial education or other corrective action. The board, at its discretion, may deny licensure to any applicant based on disciplinary action taken by any board or administrative body in any jurisdiction.

G. The board may deny the application of an applicant who is shown to have a substantial identity of interest with a person whose license or certificate has been revoked or not renewed by the board. A substantial identity of interest includes (i) a controlling financial interest by the individual or corporate principals of the person whose license or certificate has been revoked or has not been renewed or (ii) substantially identical owners, officers, managers, members, or directors, as applicable.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.

18VAC15-21-160. Qualifications for asbestos analytical laboratory analysis type.

A. In addition to the requirements of 18VAC15-21-150, each applicant for an asbestos analytical laboratory license must submit evidence of meeting the standards to perform PLM, PCM, or TEM analysis.

1. For PLM analysis, one of the following:

a. Current NVLAP accreditation demonstrated by submittal of a copy of the most recent Certificate of Accreditation and Scope of Accreditation;

b. The asbestos analytical laboratory is currently rated "proficient" in the BAPAT Program; or

c. The asbestos analytical laboratory is currently accredited under the IHLAP.

2. For PCM analysis, each analyst must have completed the NIOSH 582 or NIOSH 582 Equivalency course. In addition, at least one of the following must be satisfied:

a. At fixed laboratory sites, one of the following qualifications must be met:

(1) The asbestos analytical laboratory is currently accredited under the IHLAP;

(2) The asbestos analytical laboratory is currently rated "proficient" in the IHPAT Program; or

(3) Each analyst is listed in the AAR and has a performance rating of "acceptable" for the most recent AAT round.

b. For onsite analysis, one of the following qualifications must be met:

(1) The asbestos analytical laboratory is currently rated "proficient" in the IHPAT Program;

(2) The asbestos analytical laboratory is currently accredited under the IHLAP; or

(3) Each analyst is listed in the AAR and has a performance rating of "acceptable" for the most recent AAT round.

3. For TEM analysis, a current accreditation by NVLAP to analyze asbestos airborne fibers using TEM as demonstrated by submitting a copy of the NVLAP Certificate of Accreditation and Scope of Accreditation.

B. The applicant must name a responsible individual for the asbestos analytical laboratory.

C. Any branch office of an asbestos analytical laboratory must complete a branch office application from the board. Each branch office will name a resident responsible individual at each branch office.

D. The branch office application must provide the information contained in subsection A of this section for the applicable branch office.

E. Any training and quality control documentation required to be maintained pursuant to this section must be provided to the board upon request.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.