---
kind: "section"
citation: "23 C.F.R. § 650.309"
title: "23"
number: "650.309"
heading: "Qualifications of personnel."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/23/650.309"
---

# §650.309. Qualifications of personnel.

- (a) **A program manager must, at a minimum—**
  - (1) Be a registered Professional Engineer, or have 10 years of bridge inspection experience;
  - (2) Complete an FHWA-approved comprehensive bridge inspection training course as described in [paragraph (h)](#h) of this section and score 70 percent or greater on an end-of-course assessment (completion of FHWA-approved comprehensive bridge inspection training under FHWA regulations in this subpart in effect before June 6, 2022, satisfies the intent of the requirement in this [paragraph (a)](#a));
  - (3) Complete a cumulative total of 18 hours of FHWA-approved bridge inspection refresher training over each 60 month period;
  - (4) Maintain documentation supporting the satisfaction of [paragraphs (a)(1) through (3)](#a-1..a-3) of this section; and
  - (5) Satisfy the requirements of this [paragraph (a)](#a) within 24 months from June 6, 2022, if serving as a program manager who was qualified under prior FHWA regulations in this subpart.
- (b) **A team leader must, at a minimum—**
  - (1) **Meet one of the four qualifications listed in paragraphs (b)(1)(i) through (iv) of this section—**
    - (i) Be a registered Professional Engineer and have 6 months of bridge inspection experience;
    - (ii) Have 5 years of bridge inspection experience;
    - (iii) **Have all of the following—**
      - (A) A bachelor's degree in engineering or engineering technology from a college or university accredited by or determined as substantially equivalent by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology; and
      - (B) Successfully passed the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying Fundamentals of Engineering examination; and
      - (C) Two (2) years of bridge inspection experience; or
    - (iv) **Have all of the following—**
      - (A) An associate's degree in engineering or engineering technology from a college or university accredited by or determined as substantially equivalent by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology; and
      - (B) Four (4) years of bridge inspection experience;
  - (2) Complete an FHWA-approved comprehensive bridge inspection training course as described in [paragraph (h)](#h) of this section and score 70 percent or greater on an end-of-course assessment (completion of FHWA-approved comprehensive bridge inspection training under FHWA regulations in this subpart in effect before June 6, 2022, satisfies the intent of the requirement in this [paragraph (b)](#b));
  - (3) Complete a cumulative total of 18 hours of FHWA-approved bridge inspection refresher training over each 60 month period;
  - (4) Provide documentation supporting the satisfaction of [paragraphs (b)(1) through (3)](#b-1..b-3) of this section to the program manager of each State transportation department, Federal agency, or Tribal government for which they are performing bridge inspections; and
  - (5) Satisfy the requirements of this [paragraph (b)](#b) within 24 months from June 6, 2022, if serving as a team leader who was qualified under prior FHWA regulations in this subpart.
- (c) **Team leaders on NSTM inspections must, at a minimum—**
  - (1) Meet the requirements in [paragraph (b)](#b) of this section;
  - (2) Complete an FHWA-approved training course on the inspection of NSTMs as defined in [paragraph (h)](#h) of this section and score 70 percent or greater on an end-of-course assessment (completion of FHWA-approved NSTM inspection training prior to June 6, 2022, satisfies the intent of the requirement in this [paragraph (c)](#c)); and
  - (3) **Satisfy the requirements of this paragraph (c) within 24 months from June 6, 2022.**
- (d) Load ratings must be performed by, or under the direct supervision of, a registered professional engineer.
- (e) An Underwater Bridge Inspection Diver must complete FHWA-approved underwater bridge inspection training as described in [paragraph (h)](#h) of this section and score 70 percent or greater on an end-of-course assessment (completion of FHWA-approved comprehensive bridge inspection training or FHWA-approved underwater bridge inspection training under FHWA regulations in this subpart in effect before June 6, 2022, satisfies the intent of the requirement in this [paragraph (e)](#e)).
- (f) State transportation departments, Federal agencies, and Tribal governments must establish documented personnel qualifications for Damage and Special Inspection types.
- (g) State transportation departments, Federal agencies, and Tribal governments that establish risk-based routine inspection intervals that exceed 48 months under [§ 650.311(a)(2)](/cfr/23/650.311.md?p=a-2) must establish documented personnel qualifications for the Service Inspection type.
- (h) **The following are considered acceptable bridge inspection training—**
  - (1) **National Highway Institute training.** Acceptable NHI courses include:
    - (i) Comprehensive bridge inspection training, which must include topics of importance to bridge inspection; bridge mechanics and terminology; personal and public safety issues associated with bridge inspections; properties and deficiencies of concrete, steel, timber, and masonry; inspection equipment needs for various types of bridges and site conditions; inspection procedures, evaluations, documentation, data collection, and critical findings for bridge decks, superstructures, substructures, culverts, waterways (including underwater members), joints, bearings, drainage systems, lighting, signs, and traffic safety features; nondestructive evaluation techniques; load path redundancy and fatigue concepts; and practical applications of the concepts listed in this [paragraph (h)(1)(i)](#h-1-i);
    - (ii) Bridge inspection refresher training, which must include topics on documentation of inspections, commonly miscoded items, recognition of critical inspection findings, recent events impacting bridge inspections, and quality assurance activities;
    - (iii) Underwater bridge inspection training, which must include topics on the need for and benefits of underwater bridge inspections; typical defects and deterioration in underwater members; inspection equipment needs for various types of bridges and site conditions; inspection planning and hazard analysis; and underwater inspection procedures, evaluations, documentation, data collection, and critical findings; and
    - (iv) NSTM inspection training, which must include topics on the identification of NSTMs and related problematic structural details; the recognition of areas most susceptible to fatigue and fracture; the evaluation and recording of defects on NSTMs; and the application of nondestructive evaluation techniques.
  - (2) **FHWA approval of alternate training.** A State transportation department, Federal agency, or Tribal government may submit to FHWA a training course as an alternate to any of the NHI courses listed in [paragraph (h)(1)](#h-1) of this section. An alternate must include all the topics described in [paragraph (h)(1)](#h-1) and be consistent with the related content. FHWA must approve alternate course materials and end-of-course assessments for national consistency and certification purposes. Alternate training courses must be reviewed by the program manager every 5 years to ensure the material is current. Updates to approved course materials and end-of-course assessments must be resubmitted to FHWA for approval.
  - (3) **FHWA-approved alternate training under prior regulations.** Agencies that have alternate training courses approved by FHWA prior to June 6, 2022, have 24 months to review and update training materials to satisfy requirements as defined in [§ 650.305](/cfr/23/650.305.md) and [paragraph (h)(1)](#h-1) of this section and resubmit to FHWA for approval.

## Notes

### Source

Source: 87 FR 27429, May 6, 2022, unless otherwise noted.

### Authority

Authority: 23 U.S.C. 119, 144, and 315.