TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING & REGULATION (TDLR)
Keep Your CE Records Current – You Could Be Selected For A Random Audit
Big changes are coming on January 6, 2025, for our Hearing Instrument Fitters and Dispensers licensees when it comes to reporting continuing education (CE) requirements: TDLR will no longer confirm your CE credits BEFORE you renew your license. Instead, you could be selected for a random audit of your hours once you've renewed, so be sure to keep your records current. Previously, failure to complete continuing education would prevent your license from renewing. Going forward, failure to complete continuing education may result in an administrative penalty. We're excited to make a change that will help us issue your license faster!
(It is suggested you keep your CE certificates in a file for 5 years in case of audit, which may go back that far.)
FDA Updates on OTC Hearing Aids
When renewing TX licenses, please submit them online if at all possible-all mailed-in applications may incur significant delays.
TX APPRENTICES-UPDATED CE INFORMATION INCLUDING EXEMPTION INFORMATION
Apprentice Permit (see below in orange for exemption information)
An apprentice permit holder must complete 20 hours of classroom continuing education during the apprentice year. The apprentice must complete the continuing education in one or more of the following approved subjects relating to the fitting and dispensing of hearing instruments:
Basic physics of sound
Structure and function of hearing instruments
Fitting of hearing instruments
Pure tone audiometry, including air conduction testing and bone conduction testing
Live voice and recorded voice speech audiometry
Masking when indicated for air conduction, bone conduction, and speech
Recording and evaluation of audiogram and speech audiometry to determine the candidacy for hearing instruments
Selection and adaption of hearing instruments, testing of hearing instruments, and verification of aided hearing instrument performance
Taking of earmold impressions
Verification of hearing instrument fitting and functional gain measurements using a calibrated system
Anatomy and physiology of the ear
Counseling and aural rehabilitation of an individual with a hearing impairment for the purpose of fitting and dispensing hearing instruments
Use of an otoscope for the visual observation of the entire ear canal
Laws, rules, and regulations of this state and the United States
The proper procedures for sound level measurements
Exception: If you have recently taken the examination, including the written test and the practical test, and completing the jurisprudence test, then you are exempt from the continuing education requirements for the renewal period in which the examination was taken.
NOTICE TO PROSPECTIVE LICENSEES, CURRENT LICENSEES WHO ARE RENEWING THEIR LICENSE, and STAKEHOLDERS
(taken from the TDLR email 12/4/2020)
DECEMBER 4, 2020
Applicants can apply for new licenses and renew licenses online. TDLR strongly encourages you to take advantage of the opportunity to apply or renew online. The process is secure and easy to use – and faster than submitting paper-based applications and supporting documents, especially as TDLR deals with significant staffing issues related to COVID-19.
Applications submitted online can take 30 days to process once TDLR receives all required documents.
Applications submitted by mail may face significant delays, which may take up to 90 days once TDLR receives all required documents.
Access the online licensing system here. If you need to submit a document outside of the online application, please scan the document and send it to TDLR using our online customer service form.
If you need to submit a transcript, please ask your university to send electronic transcripts to TDLR at cs.transcripts@tdlr.texas.gov instead of mailing in an original or certified copy of an original transcript. If your need to submit other documents, such as receipt of fingerprint submission, please scan the document and send it electronically to TDLR using our Customer Service form.
Thank you for helping us process your application or renewal more quickly.
IMPORTANT NOTICES!
REMINDER: New Training Requirement for Texas Health Care Practitioners Effective September 1, 2020
Beginning September 1, 2020, certain health care practitioners are required to complete an approved human trafficking prevention training course in order to renew their license. To count toward the requirement, you must take a training course approved by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. The training course is required for each license renewal submitted on or after the effective date. This applies to the following hearing (among other health) professionals:
Audiologist
Hearing Instrument Fitter & Dispenser
Speech-Language Pathologist
Assistant in Speech-Language Pathology
Intern in Speech-Language Pathology
Hearing Healthcare Instructional Institute is approved by the International Hearing Society to offer continuing education credits for up to the number of hours listed above for each course (1 CE credit = 1 contact hour). IHS approval of this course is based on the course’s adherence to IHS’s course approval requirements only and does not imply endorsement of the course content, specific products, clinical procedure, instructor or adherence to the IHS code of Ethics. Any views that are presented are those of the presenter/Education Provider and not necessarily of the International Hearing Society.
