Rules of
Professional
Responsibility
Scope
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To establish and maintain a high standard
of integrity, skills and practice in the
profession.
To safeguard the life, health, property and
welfare of the public.
The Rules are binding on all persons and
business entities to whom the Board has
issued a license or certificate.
Scope
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All registrants and certificate holders are
obligated to become familiar with the
Rules.
Biennially, when you renew your license or
certificate you sign a certification that you
have read and agree to abide by the Rules.
Failure to obey the Rules may result in
disciplinary action by the Board.
Responsibility to the Public
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Your primary obligation is to the public.
Your primary obligation is to the public.
Your primary obligation is to the public.
Your primary obligation is to the public.
You are obligated to exercise such care,
skill and diligence as others in like
circumstances ordinarily exercise.
Responsibility to the Public
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If your professional judgement is
overruled under circumstances where the
public safety, health or welfare might be
endangered, you are obligated to inform
your client or employer of the possible
consequences and notify the Board or such
other authority of the situation, where
appropriate.
Responsibility to the Public
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If you discover a material discrepancy,
error or omission on the part of another
registrant or certificate holder, you are
obligated to make a reasonable attempt to
contact them in writing and obtain a
response from them. The other registrant or
certificate holder has 60 days in which to
respond in writing. You are further
obligated to contact the Board if you do not
receive a satisfactory response.
Competency for Assignments
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Registrants may only undertake
assignments for which they are competent
as evidenced by their education and
experience. Qualified associates,
consultants or employees of the registrant
may be in responsible charge of portions of
assignments not within the Registrants
expertise.
Competency for Assignments
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Registrants shall avoid actions and
procedures which amount to aiding and
abetting an unregistered person to practice.
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Registrants shall affix their seal and
signature only to documents prepared under
their responsible charge.
Idaho Code 54-1202(h)
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“Responsible Charge” means the
control and direction of the
investigation, studies, design,
construction or operation of
engineering work requiring initiative,
professional skill and independent
judgement.
Public Statements
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Registrants shall be complete, objective
and truthful in all professional reports,
statements or testimony and shall include all
relevant and pertinent information in such
reports, statements or testimony.
Public Statements
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A Registrant shall express an opinion
before a court, commission or other tribunal
only when it is founded upon adequate
knowledge of the facts in issue, upon a
background of technical competence in the
subject matter, and upon honest conviction
of the accuracy and propriety of his
testimony.
Public Statements
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On matters connected with establishing
public policy a Registrant or Certificate
Holder shall issue no statements, criticisms
or arguments which are paid for by an
interested party, unless he has prefaced his
comment by explicitly identifying himself,
by disclosing the identities of the party, on
whose behalf he is speaking, and by
revealing the existence of any pecuniary
interest he may have in the matters.
Public Statements
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A Registrant shall not attempt to injure,
maliciously or falsely, directly or indirectly,
the professional reputation, prospects,
practice or employment of another
Registrant or Certificate Holder, nor shall he
indiscriminately criticize another’s work
in public. If he believes that another
Registrant or Certificate Holder is guilty of
fraud, deceit, negligence, incompetence,
misconduct or a violation of these Rules he
should present such information to the
Board for action.
Conflict of Interest
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Conflict of interest with an employer or
client shall be conscientiously avoided, but
when unavoidable, the Registrant or
Certificate holder shall disclose the
circumstances to the employer or client in
writing. Registrants and Certificate
Holders shall also inform the employer or
client in writing of any business
association, interests, or circumstances
which might influence the Registrant’s or
Certificate Holder’s judgement or quality of
service, or jeopardize the clients’ interests.
Conflict of Interest
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Compensation from more than one party
for services on the same project may only
be accepted if the circumstances are fully
disclosed, in writing, in advance and agreed
to by all interested parties.
Registrants or Certificate Holders cannot
solicit or accept financial or other valuable
considerations from material or
equipment suppliers for specifying or
recommending the products of said
suppliers without full disclosure as required
above.
Conflict of Interest
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Registrants or Certificate Holders cannot
solicit or accept gratuities, gifts, travel,
lodging, loans, entertainment or other favors
directly or indirectly, from any third party
dealing with a client or employer in
connection with work for which the
Registrant or Certificate Holder is
responsible which could be construed to be
an effort to improperly influence the
Registrant’s or Certificate Holder’s
professional judgement. Nor shall
Registrants or Certificate Holders make any
such improper offer.
Conflict of Interest
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Registrants and Certificate Holders cannot
solicit or accept a contract from a
government agency on which an existing
principal or officer of his organization
serves as a member of the elected policy
and governing body or serves as a member
of an entity of such governmental authority
having the right to contract for the services
of the Registrant or Certificate Holder.
Conflict of Interest
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If a Registrant or Certificate Holder serves
as a member, advisor or consultant to a
governmental board, commission or
department, he shall not participate in
decisions with respect to professional
services that have been offered to or
performed for the government agency or
any other client by his associates, firm or
employer.
Conflict of Interest
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A Registrant or Certificate Holder may not
use the advantages of his position as a fulltime employee to compete unfairly with
other professionals.
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A Registrant or Certificate Holder may not
accept professional employment outside his
regular work or interest without the written
permission of that person’s employer.
Solicitation of Work
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A Registrant or Certificate Holder
shall not pay a commission in an
effort to secure work, except to a bona
fide employee or bona fide established
business enterprises retained by the
Registrant or Certificate Holder for the
purpose of securing business or
employment.
Solicitation of Work
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A Registrant or Certificate Holder shall be truthful
in representing his and his associate’s academic
and professional qualifications, and shall not
misrepresent or exaggerate the degree of
responsibility in or for the subject matter of prior
assignments. Brochures incident to the
solicitation of employment shall not misrepresent
pertinent facts concerning employers, employees,
associates, joint-ventures or his or their past
accomplishments with the intent and purpose of
enhancing qualification for the work. The
Registrant or Certificate Holder shall not indulge
in publicity that is misleading.
Solicitation of Work
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A Registrant or Certificate Holder shall not
knowingly seek or accept employment for
professional services for an assignment
which another Registrant or Certificate
Holder is employed or contracted to
perform without the currently employed or
contracted entity being informed in writing.
Solicitation of Work
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A Registrant or Certificate Holder shall not
accept an agreement, contract or
commission for professional services on a
contingency basis which may compromise
his professional judgement and shall not
accept a contract with provisions wherein
the payment of fee involved is contingent
on a favorable conclusion, recommendation
or judgement.
Solicitation of Work
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Registrants and Certificate Holders should
seek professional employment and
professional service work on the basis of
qualifications and competence.
Improper Conduct
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A Registrant or Certificate Holder shall not
knowingly associate with or permit the use
of his name or the firm name in a business
venture by any person or firm which it is
known, or there is reason to believe, is
engaging in business or professional
practices of a fraudulent or dishonest
nature.
Improper Conduct
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Registrants or Certificate Holders shall not
reveal confidential facts, data or
information obtained in a professional
capacity without prior written consent of
the client or employer except as authorized
or required by law.
Improper Conduct
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After a hearing, the Board can take action
against a Registrant if another jurisdiction
took action for a reason that would have
been a violation of a statute or rule in
Idaho.
Rule Infractions
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Any person may file a written affidavit
with the Executive Director of the Board
alleging a statute or rule violation. The
Board has six (6) months in which to either
hold an administrative hearing or dismiss
the charges as unfounded or trivial.
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The Board may, at its own discretion,
initiate an investigation of alleged or
possible rule infractions that have come to
its attention.