(a) Within the first year of its constitution, the Board shall grant a license which shall be effective for four (4) years to each person who:
(1) Holds a master’s degree or Ph.D. in planning from an accredited university; holds a professional planner’s certificate issued by the Puerto Rican Planning Society; holds a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university and can provide evidence to the Examining Board that he/she has equivalent experience in planning which meets the following requirements: exerts influence on the decision-making processes in public matters for the benefit of the public and collective interest; uses an appropriate extended point of view; applies a planning process appropriate to the situation, as well as constituting a professional level of authority, responsibility and ingenuity.
(2) Is a resident of Puerto Rico.
(3) Has not been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude.
(b) Twelve (12) months after its constitution, the Board shall grant licenses which shall be effective for four (4) years, to each person who:
(1) Holds a master’s or Ph.D. degree in planning from an accredited university.
(2) Is a resident of Puerto Rico.
(3) Has not been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude.
(4) Has approved the certification examination administered by the Board.
In the case of a candidate who is a graduate of a university outside of Puerto Rico, who holds a Masters or Ph.D. in planning, the Board shall evaluate the candidate’s academic background and the comparative accreditation of said university to establish its equivalence.
(c) Twelve (12) months after the constitution of the Board, no person shall practice as a professional planner in Puerto Rico without holding a license authorizing him/her to practice said profession in Puerto Rico. This prohibition shall not apply to planning projects that were in actual and effective development at the time of the constitution of the Board.
The professionals who are practicing the profession of planners at the time of the approval of this act shall have the right to obtain a license without taking the licensure examination, if they meet the requirements of education and years of experience in the profession that are established through regulations by the Board.
(d) The Board shall issue a Planner-in-Training Certificate to any person who so requests and complies with the requirements established by the Board through regulations. Such certificates shall be effective for three (3) years and may be renewed, provided that the planner in training continues to comply with the rules provided therefor by regulations. At least once within such term, the planner in training shall take the licensure examination; no person may be grandfathered into practicing as a professional planner on account of his/her number of years in service.
History —Aug. 23, 1996, No. 160, § 9; Sept. 19, 1997, No. 124, § 1; Aug. 9, 2008, No. 219, § 3.