(a) An application to renew an individual license may not be submitted until the required minimum hours of department approved continuing education credits have been earned in accordance with the Act and this chapter. Proof of the required continuing education must be maintained by the employer and contained in the employee's personnel file. All individual licensees shall indicate they have completed the required minimum hours of department approved continuing education credits on their application for renewal.
(b) Owners, partners, and shareholders who hold individual licenses as owners only, shall complete a total of eight (8) hours of continuing education, including seven (7) hours in the subject matter that relates to the type of regulated service provided by their company, and one (1) hour of ethics. Noncommissioned security officers, and all individuals not required to obtain a commission or license under the Act are specifically exempted from the continuing education requirements.
(c) All individual license holders not otherwise addressed in this section shall complete a total of eight (8) hours of continuing education, seven (7) hours of which must be in subject matter that relates to the type of individual license held, and one (1) hour of which must cover ethics.
(d) Private investigators with more than fifteen (15) years of continued licensure as a private investigator shall complete a total of twelve (12) hours of continuing education, eight (8) hours of which must relate to investigations, two (2) hours of which must cover ethics, and two (2) hours of which must involve the review of the Act and the rules of this chapter.
(e) Private investigators with less than fifteen (15) years of continued licensure as a private investigator shall complete a total of eighteen (18) hours of continuing education, fourteen (14) of which must relate to investigations, two (2) hours of which must cover ethics, and two (2) hours of which must involve the review of the Act and the rules of this chapter.
(f) Any individual licensed as a private investigator who fails to complete the required continuing education during the twenty-four (24) months of initial licensure is not eligible to make a new or renewal application until such time as the training requirement for the previous licensure period has been satisfied.
(g) Commissioned security officers and personal protection officers shall complete six (6) hours of continuing education by completing the renewal portions of the Level III or IV training course, as applicable. All continuing education for commissioned security officers and personal protection officers must be taught by department approved training schools and instructors. Commissioned security officers shall submit a firearms proficiency certificate along with the renewal application.
(h) During the first twelve (12) months of initial licensure, alarm system installers must complete the Alarm Level I training. This training consists of sixteen (16) hours of classroom instruction or equivalent online course as approved by the department, with two (2) hours covering the National Electrical Code (NEC) as it applies to low voltage. Alarm systems installer must earn eight (8) hours of continuing education credits in an alarm related field, with one (1) hour covering the National Electrical Code (NEC) as it applies to low voltage, during each subsequent twenty-four (24) month period. This requirement must be satisfied prior to the expiration date of the license and before renewal.
(i) For the protection of the installer and the general public, the work of an alarm system installer who has not completed the required sixteen (16) hours of instruction must be overseen by an installer who has completed the required sixteen (16) hours of instruction. The oversight required under this section need not involve direct physical supervision, but the overseeing installer is responsible for ensuring the installation complies with all applicable requirements and regulations.
(j) Any licensed alarm systems installer who fails to complete sixteen (16) hours of training during the twenty-four (24) months of initial licensure, or who fails to complete eight (8) hours of continuing education during any subsequent licensing period is not eligible to renew until all training requirements for the previous license period have been satisfied.
(k) Alarm monitors shall complete four (4) hours of continuing education relating to the duties and responsibilities of an alarm monitor.
(l) All individuals licensed as locksmiths must complete sixteen (16) hours of continuing education every two (2) years.
(m) Attendees of continuing education courses shall maintain certificates of completion furnished by the school director in their files for a period of two (2) years. Attendees shall furnish the department with copies of all certificates of completion upon request.
(n) Continuing education courses are only valid if completed within the two year period preceding the license's current expiration date.

Source Note: The provisions of this §35.161 adopted to be effective May 6, 2014, 39 TexReg 3610; amended to be effective March 15, 2018, 43 TexReg 1445; amended to be effective December 29, 2019, 44 TexReg 8035; amended to be effective January 10, 2022, 47 TexReg 33