Licensure; inactive and delinquent status.

(1) This section shall apply only to licenses issued under this part. A licensee may practice a profession or occupation regulated under this part only if the licensee has an active status license. A licensee who practices a profession without an active status license is in violation of this chapter, and the licensing authority may impose discipline on the licensee.

(2) Pursuant to procedures specified by rule, a licensee shall be permitted to choose, at the time of licensure renewal, an active or inactive status. However, a licensee who changes from inactive to active status is not eligible to return to inactive status until the licensee thereafter completes a licensure cycle on active status.

(3) There shall be imposed pursuant to rule a fee for an inactive status license which is no greater than the fee for an active status license.

(4) An inactive status licensee may change to active status at any time, provided the licensee meets all requirements for active status, pays any additional licensure fees necessary to equal those imposed on an active status licensee, pays any applicable reactivation fees as set by the licensing authority, and meets all continuing education requirements as specified in this section.

(5) A licensee shall apply with a complete application, as defined by rule of the licensing authority, to renew an active or inactive status license, before the license expires. Failure of a licensee to renew before the license expires shall cause the license to become delinquent in the license cycle following expiration.

(6) A delinquent status licensee must affirmatively apply with a complete application, as defined by rule of the licensing authority, for active or inactive status during the licensure cycle in which a licensee becomes delinquent. Failure by a delinquent status licensee to become active or inactive before the expiration of the current licensure cycle shall render the license null without any further action by the board or the licensing authority. Any subsequent licensure shall be as a result of applying for and meeting all requirements imposed on an applicant for new licensure.

(7) There shall be imposed pursuant to rule an additional delinquency fee, not to exceed the biennial renewal fee for an active status license, on a delinquent status licensee when such licensee applies for active or inactive status.

(8) There shall be imposed pursuant to rule an additional fee, not to exceed the biennial renewal fee for an active status license, for processing a licensee’s request to change licensure status at any time other than at the beginning of a licensure cycle.

(9) There may be imposed pursuant to rule reasonable conditions, excluding full reexamination but including part of a national examination or a special purpose examination, to assess current competency necessary to ensure that a licensee who has been on inactive status for more than 4 consecutive years and who applies for active status can practice with the care and skill sufficient to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. Reactivation requirements may differ depending on the length of time licensees are inactive. The costs to meet reactivation requirements shall be borne by licensees requesting reactivation.

(10) Before reactivation, an inactive or delinquent licensee shall meet the same continuing education requirements, if any, imposed on an active status licensee for all licensure periods in which the licensee was inactive or delinquent.

(11) The status or a change in status of a licensee shall not alter in any way the right to impose discipline or to enforce discipline previously imposed on a licensee for acts or omissions committed by the licensee while holding a license, whether active, inactive, or delinquent.

(12) The board shall prescribe by rule an application fee for inactive status, a renewal fee for inactive status, a delinquency fee, and a fee for reactivation of a license. None of these fees may exceed the biennial renewal fee established by the board for an active license. The department may not reactivate a license unless the inactive or delinquent licensee has paid any applicable biennial renewal or delinquency fee, or both, and a reactivation fee.

(13) A person may not embalm human remains unless he or she is licensed under this chapter as:

(a) An embalmer;

(b) A funeral director and embalmer; or

(c) An embalmer intern or embalmer apprentice, while under the direct supervision or general supervision of a licensed embalmer or licensed funeral director and embalmer as required by this chapter.