Military Applicants

(1) An applicant for licensure meeting the requirements of T.C.A. § 4-3-1304(d)(1) may: (a) Be issued a license upon application and payment of all fees required for the issuance of such license, if, in the opinion of the commissioner, the requirements for licensure satisfied by the applicant in another state are substantially equivalent to that required in Tennessee; or (b) Be issued a temporary permit as described herein if the commissioner determines that the applicant’s license does not meet the requirements for substantial equivalency, but that the applicant could perform additional acts, including—but not limited to— education, training, or experience, in order to meet the requirements for the license to be substantially equivalent. The commissioner may issue a temporary permit upon application and payment of all fees required for issuance of a regular license of the same type, which shall allow such person to perform services as if fully licensed for a set period of time that is determined to be sufficient by the commissioner for the applicant to complete such requirements. 1. After completing those additional requirements and providing the commissioner with sufficient proof thereof as may be required, a full license shall be issued to the applicant with an issuance date of the original issuance of the temporary permit and an expiration date as if the full license had been issued at that time. 2. A temporary permit shall be issued for a period no longer than the length of a renewal cycle for a full license of the same type. 3. A temporary permit shall expire upon the date set by the commissioner and shall not be subject to renewal except through the completion of the requirements for substantial equivalency as required by the commissioner or by an extension of time granted for good cause by the commissioner. 4. Should an extension to a temporary permit cause the permit to be in effect longer than the renewal cycle of a full license, then the holder of the temporary permit shall file a renewal application with such documentation and fees, including completion of continuing education, as are required by the commissioner for all other renewals of a full license of the same type. (2) Military education, training, or experience completed by a person described at T.C.A. § 4-3- 1304(d)(1)(B)(ii)(a)–(c) shall be accepted toward the qualifications, in whole or in part, to receive any license issued by the commissioner if such military education, training, or experience is determined by the commissioner to be substantially equivalent to the education, training, or experience required for the issuance of such license. (3) Any licensee who is a member of the National Guard or a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States called to active duty whose license expires during the period of activation shall be eligible to be renewed upon the licensee being released from active duty without: LICENSURE CHAPTER 0455-01-03 (a) Payment of late fees or other penalties; or (b) Obtaining continuing education credits when: 1. Circumstances associated with the person’s military duty prevented the obtaining of continuing education credits and a waiver request has been submitted to the commissioner; or 2. The person performs the licensed occupation as part of such person’s military duties and provides documentation sufficient to demonstrate such to the commissioner. (4) The license shall be eligible for renewal pursuant to Paragraph (3) for six (6) months from the person’s release from active duty. (5) Any person renewing under Paragraph (3) shall provide the commissioner such supporting documentation evidencing activation as may be required by the commissioner prior to the renewal of any license pursuant to Paragraph (3).