(a) Licenses shall be renewed biennially on the dates set by the department with the approval of the respective board.

(b) A license subject to renewal shall be renewed on or before the date set by the department. If the license is not renewed by the date set by the department, the license lapses. In addition to renewal fees required for reinstatement of the lapsed license, the department may impose a delayed renewal penalty, established by regulation, that shall be paid before a license that has been lapsed for more than 60 days may be renewed. The department may adopt a delayed renewal penalty only with the concurrence of the appropriate board.

(c) Except as provided in (f) of this section, when continuing education or other requirements are made a condition of license renewal, the requirements shall be satisfied before a license is renewed.

(d) Except as otherwise provided, a license may not be renewed if it has been lapsed for five years or more.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, a renewal of a license may not be issued by the department to a natural person unless the licensee's social security number has been provided to the department.

(f) The department may establish and implement a waiver of continuing education requirements for renewal of a license regulated by the department and a board may establish and implement a waiver of continuing education requirements for renewal of a license regulated by the board for the period in which a licensee is engaged in active duty military service in the armed forces of the United States.

(g) A member of the armed forces of the United States on active duty in a combat zone, danger pay post, or qualified hazardous duty area, who is a licensee under this title in good standing at the time of the licensee's active duty order is exempt from any fees or other requirements to maintain that license or good standing while the licensee is in that zone, at that post, or in that area. This exemption is valid for 180 days after returning to the licensee's permanent duty station, if the licensee does not engage in licensed practice for profit in the private sector. The licensee shall pay fees and meet all other requirements for the license period beginning after the exemption ends. In this subsection,

(1) “combat zone” has the meaning given in 26 U.S.C. 112(c)(2) (Internal Revenue Code);

(2) “danger pay post” means a post so designated by the United States Secretary of State in the Department of State Standardized Regulations for purposes of danger pay under 5 U.S.C. 5928;

(3) “qualified hazardous duty area” means an area that, during the applicant's deployment, is treated as if it were a combat zone for purposes of a federal tax exemption under 26 U.S.C. 112 (Internal Revenue Code).