470.025 Applicability. This chapter does not require a license for any of the following:

(1) A person lawfully practicing within the scope of a license, permit, registration or certification granted by this state or the federal government.

(2) An officer or employee of the federal government while engaged within this state in the practice of professional geology, hydrology or soil science for the federal government.

(3) A public service company or its regular employees acting in its behalf that engage in the practice of professional geology, hydrology or soil science exclusively in connection with the facilities of the company that are subject to regulation, supervision or control by a commission of this state or the federal government.

(4) A person who engages in the practice of professional geology, hydrology or soil science exclusively as a regular employee of a private company or corporation, by rendering to the company or corporation geological, hydrological or soil science services in connection with its operations, so long as the person is actually and exclusively so employed and no longer, if the company or corporation has at least one professional geologist, hydrologist or soil scientist who is licensed under this chapter in responsible charge of the company's or corporation's professional geological, hydrological or soil science work in this state.

(5) A contractor, subcontractor or construction material or equipment supplier who performs or undertakes activities that historically and customarily have been performed by a contractor, subcontractor or construction material or equipment supplier in his or her respective trade or specialty, including the preparation and use of drawings, specifications or layouts within a construction firm or in construction operations, superintending of construction, installation and alteration of equipment, cost estimating, consultation with professional geologists, hydrologists or soil scientists or owners concerning materials, equipment, methods and techniques, and investigations or consultation with respect to construction sites, provided all such activities are performed solely with respect to the performance of the contractor's, subcontractor's or supplier's work on buildings or with respect to supplies or materials furnished by him or her for buildings or structures or their appurtenances which are, or which are to be, erected, enlarged or materially altered in accordance with plans and specifications prepared by professional geologists, hydrologists or soil scientists or by a person specified in subs. (1) to (4).

(6) A person employed by a county or this state who is engaged in the planning, design, installation or regulation of land and water conservation activities under ch. 92 or s. 281.65 and who is certified under s. 92.18.

(7) A professional land surveyor licensed under ch. 443 who is engaged in the planning, design, installation, or regulation of land and water conservation activities under ch. 92 or s. 281.65.

(8) A person engaged solely in teaching geology, hydrology or soil science or a related physical or natural science, or a person engaged solely in geological, hydrological or soil science research as an employee of an educational or research institution or a governmental agency.

(9) A driller who is licensed under s. 280.15 (2m), or an employee of a drilling business that is registered under s. 280.15 (1), who is engaged in well drilling, as defined in s. 280.01 (8), or heat exchange drilling, as defined in s. 280.01 (2c).

(10) A professional engineer registered under ch. 443 who, while engaged in the practice of professional engineering, as defined in s. 443.01 (6), collects, investigates, interprets or evaluates data relating to soil, rock, groundwater, surface water, gases or other earth conditions, or uses that data for analysis, consultation, planning, design or construction.

(11) A professional geologist, hydrologist or soil scientist who is licensed to engage in the practice of professional geology, hydrology or soil science in another state or country and is providing a consultation or demonstration with a professional geologist, hydrologist or soil scientist who is licensed under this chapter.

(12) A person engaged within this state in the practice of a profession, other than professional geology, hydrology, or soil science, including archaeology, aquatic biology, bacteriology, fish management, forestry, horticulture, limnology, mycology, plant pathology, stream ecology, wetland science, or wildlife management, where the practice of the profession by the person involves knowledge within the range of professional geology, hydrology, or soil science, if the person meets all of the following conditions:

(a) The practice of the profession by the person involves only the incidental practice of professional geology, hydrology, or soil science. For purposes of this paragraph, a practice of professional geology, hydrology, or soil science is incidental to the practice of another profession if professional geology, hydrology, or soil science is related to, but not the main purpose of, the other profession, or if a person engages in a practice of professional geology, hydrology, or soil science while primarily engaged in the practice of the other profession.

(b) The person does not designate himself or herself as a professional geologist, hydrologist, or soil scientist or use any other title, letters, or designation that represents or may tend to represent that the person is a professional geologist, hydrologist, or soil scientist.

History: 1997 a. 300; 2001 a. 53, 105; 2005 a. 360; 2011 a. 150; 2013 a. 358.