(a) In general. Any citizen or resident of the United States, not an attorney-at-law, who files an application for admission to practice, accompanied by the payment of the fee prescribed by rule or order of the Board, and who successfully completes the practitioners' examination, and shows that applicant possesses the necessary legal and technical qualifications to enable applicant to render valuable service before the Board and that applicant is competent to advise and assist in the presentation of matters before the Board, may be permitted to practice before the Board.

(b) Qualifications standards. A non-attorney applicant for admission to practice must meet one of the following requirements:

(1) An applicant must have completed 2 years (60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours) of post secondary education and must possess technical knowledge, training or experience in the field of transportation which is regarded by the Board as the equivalent of 2 additional years of college education;

(2) An applicant must have worked in the field of transportation for at least 10 years;

(3) An applicant must have received a bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours or 18 quarter hours in transportation or business; or

(4) An applicant must have received a bachelor's degree and worked in the field of transportation for at least one year. An applicant's statement of college education must be supported by a transcript of records attached to the original application. Transcripts from any college accredited by the U.S. Department of Education will be accepted without question. With all other institutions, the burden of proof is on the applicant to establish that the formal education satisfies the standards set forth above. The qualifications standards are intended as general guidelines. Individual situations that vary from the standards will continue to be evaluated on their own merits.

(c)

(1) Application for admission. An application filed pursuant to this rule under oath for admission to practice shall be submitted between January and May 1 of the year in which the examination is to be taken. The application is to be completed in full on the form provided by the Board, and shall be addressed to the Director, Office of Public Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and Compliance, Surface Transportation Board, Washington, DC 20423-0001, to the attention of the room number indicated on the form.

(2) Certification: All applicants must complete the following certification:

(d) Application fee. Each application filed pursuant to this rule must be accompanied by the non-refundable fee in the amount set forth in 49 CFR 1002.2(f)(99)(i). Payment must be made either by check, money order or credit card payable to the Surface Transportation Board. Cash payment will not be accepted.

(e) Additional certification.

(1) When an application meets the required standards, a copy will be referred to the Association of Surface Transportation Board Practitioners for a report to the Board as to the reputation and character of the applicant. Inquiry also will be made by the Board of the sponsors as to their knowledge of the applicant's legal and technical qualifications as contemplated by the Board's Rules of Practice. If the Board is satisfied as to the applicant's qualifications, reputation and character, then applicant will be considered eligible to take the examination.

(2) The Board may require an applicant's sponsors to provide a detailed statement of the nature and extent of their knowledge of applicant's qualifications. Upon consideration of this material, if the Board is not satisfied as to the adequacy of applicant's qualifications, the applicant will be notified by registered mail. Applicant may then request a hearing to prove his qualifications. If applicant makes such a request, the Board will allow a hearing. In the absence of a request for a hearing within 20 days after receipt of the notice, the application will be considered withdrawn.

(f) Scope of examination. If applicant meets the educational and experience standards, and is found to be of good character, the applicant will be permitted to take the examination. The examination tests the applicant's experience and knowledge of the principal regulations, laws, and economic principles in the field of transportation as well as knowledge of the Board's Rules of Practice and Canons of Ethics.

(g) Time and place of examination. The examination will be conducted once a year on the second Tuesday in July. Notice of the time and place to appear for the examination will be mailed to qualifying applicants approximately 30 days prior to the date of the examination.

(h) Location of examination. Examinations will be conducted at the Board's office in Washington, DC.

(i) Cancellation of examination. If the Board determines that there is an insufficient number of applicants to warrant conducting the examination, the Board will cancel the examination for that year. Notice of the cancellation will be mailed to applicants on or before June 15 and the application fee will be refunded. The Board will conduct the examination the next year following the cancellation of the examination.

(j) Examination results. Results will be released within 90 days after the examination. Individual results will be forwarded to the applicants at least 1 week before being publicly released. To protect the privacy of those taking the examination, individual grades will not be released over the telephone to anyone. Requests for grades may, however, be submitted in writing to the Office of Public Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and Compliance to the attention of the address stated in the application form.

(k) Failure to appear for examination. Applicants who have failed to appear for, or postponed taking an examination, a total of three times without showing good cause will have any subsequently filed application returned.

(l) Failing or postponing the examination. Applicants who fail the examination may reapply by submitting a request in writing with an additional filing fee in the amount set forth in 49 CFR 1002.2(f)(99)(i). Applicants who postpone taking the examination three times without showing good cause will have their applications returned.

(m) The filing fee in the amount set forth in 49 CFR 1002.2(f)(99)(i) is not refundable.

(n) Any application resubmitted to the Board after being returned must be accompanied by a filing fee in the amount set forth in 49 CFR 1002.2(f)(99)(i).

(o) Content and grading of examination. A Board staff member is responsible, under the general supervision of the Vice Chairman, for the examination of non-attorney applicants, the preparation of examination questions, and the grading of examinations. The staff member is appointed by the Chairman, with the approval of the Board. The staff member must be an attorney and must have at least two years of experience with the Board.

(p) Applicant's oath. No applicant shall be admitted to practice before the Board until applicant shall subscribe to an oath or affirmation that applicant will conduct practice uprightly and according to the law, as a practitioner before the Board, and that applicant will support the Constitution of the United States and laws of the United States and will conform to the rules and regulations of the Board.

[47 FR 49549, Nov. 1, 1982, as amended at 49 FR 38614, Oct. 1, 1984; 52 FR 46483, Dec. 8, 1987; 54 FR 48250, Nov. 22, 1989; 56 FR 1374, Jan. 14, 1991; 64 FR 53267, Oct. 1, 1999; 74 FR 52906, Oct. 15, 2009; 81 FR 8853, Feb. 23, 2016; 83 FR 15078, Apr. 9, 2018]