ISSUANCE AND RENEWAL OF PERMIT TO ADMINISTER MEDICATION.

(a) To be issued or to have renewed a permit to administer medication, a person shall apply to the department on a form prescribed and under rules adopted by the executive commissioner.

(b) The department shall prepare and conduct, at the site of the training program, an examination for the issuance of a permit. The results of the examination shall be reported in accordance with Section 242.6101.

(c) The executive commissioner shall require a permit holder to satisfactorily complete a continuing education course approved by the department for renewal of the permit.

(d) Subject to Subsections (h)-(m), the department shall issue a permit or renew a permit to an applicant who:

(1) meets the minimum requirements adopted under Section 242.608;

(2) successfully completes the examination or the continuing education requirements; and

(3) pays a nonrefundable application fee determined by the executive commissioner by rule.

(e) Except as provided by Subsection (g), a permit is valid for one year and is not transferable.

(f) The department may issue a permit to an employee of a state or federal agency listed in Section 242.003(a)(6)(B).

(g) The executive commissioner by rule may adopt a system under which permits expire on various dates during the year. For the year in which the permit expiration date is changed, the department shall prorate permit fees on a monthly basis so that each permit holder pays only that portion of the permit fee that is allocable to the number of months during which the permit is valid. On renewal of the permit on the new expiration date, the total permit renewal fee is payable.

(h) A person who is otherwise eligible to renew a permit may renew an unexpired permit by paying the required renewal fee to the department before the expiration date of the permit. A person whose permit has expired may not engage in activities that require a permit until the permit has been renewed.

(i) A person whose permit has been expired for 90 days or less may renew the permit by paying to the department a renewal fee that is equal to 1-1/2 times the normally required renewal fee.

(j) A person whose permit has been expired for more than 90 days but less than one year may renew the permit by paying to the department a renewal fee that is equal to two times the normally required renewal fee.

(k) A person whose permit has been expired for one year or more may not renew the permit. The person may obtain a new permit by complying with the requirements and procedures, including the examination requirements, for obtaining an original permit.

(l) A person who was issued a permit in this state, moved to another state, currently holds a valid permit or license issued by the other state, and has been in practice in that state for the two years preceding the date of application may obtain a new permit without reexamination. The person must pay to the department a fee that is equal to two times the normally required renewal fee for the permit.

(m) Not later than the 30th day before the date a person's permit is scheduled to expire, the department shall send written notice of the impending expiration to the person at the person's last known address according to the records of the department.