SECTION 612:10-13-20. Certification maintenance

(a)   General provisions for certification maintenance. Certification for levels I, II, and III are good for a period of two years at which time the certification will expire or the interpreter may re-test. Certification for Level IV is good for a three year period at which time the certification will expire or the interpreter may re-test. Certification for Level V is considered to be permanent. Interpreters are permitted to re-test before their certification has expired. Certification will remain valid for an interpreter who has applied for re-evaluation and cannot be scheduled for testing prior to his/her certificate's expiration date, provided the application is received no later than 90 calendar days before the expiration date. However, any certification will lapse if the maintenance feeis not paid and/or continuing education requirements are not met by stipulated due dates, and/or if the performance application is not submitted 90 days before levels expire. Individuals who have allowed certification to lapse must take and pass the ICRC/QAST written portion before becoming eligible for the performance evaluation.

(b)   Continuing education requirements. QAST certified interpreters are required to satisfy one (10 hours) Continuing Education Unit (CEU) annually, with .1 (1 hour) of this in the category of Ethics. It is the interpreter's responsibility to ensure all supportive CEU documentation is submitted to the Interpreter Certification Resource Center (ICRC) staff before or on December 31^st, to avoid certification becoming invalid. If certification becomes invalid, the individual must re-test, and will be required to take and pass the written ICRC/QAST test before becoming eligible for the performance portion.

(c)   Certification maintenance fee. A certification maintenance fee and maintenance fee renewal form is due by January 31^st each year. The renewal form must be postmarked on or before January 31^st to avoid certification becoming suspended.

(d)   Certification suspension and reinstatement. If the certification maintenance fee and renewal form are submitted after January 31^st, the interpreter will become suspended, but has an option to make application for reinstatement. The reinstatement application, a $100 reinstatement fee and payment of the annual certification maintenance fee will be required for reinstatement. The reinstatement fee and certification maintenance fee are due before or on February 28^th to avoid certification becoming invalid. If certification becomes invalid, the individual must re-test, and will be required to take and pass the written ICRC/QAST test before becoming eligible for the performance portion.

(e)   Expiration of certification. If an interpreter does not submit an application for re-testing 90 days prior to the level(s) expiration date, the interpreter's level(s) will be considered invalid on the expiration date. If level(s) become invalid, the individual must re-test, and will be required to take and pass the ICRC/QAST written test before becoming eligible for the performance portion. If an interpreter's certification becomes invalid twice in a four (4) year period due to non-compliance with either the CEU or maintenance fee requirements, the interpreter will not be allowed to take the written portion or the performance portion of the ICRC/QAST test until one (1) year from the date of the second documented non-compliance.

[Source: Added at 11 Ok Reg 2449, eff 7-1-94; Amended at 14 Ok Reg 809, eff 1-24-97 (emergency); Amended at 14 Ok Reg 2332, eff 7-1-97; Amended at 21 Ok Reg 1774, eff 7-1-04; Amended at 28 Ok Reg 1832, eff 7-1-11; Amended at 35 Ok Reg 1995, eff 9-14-18]