The Operator's Guide to the CETP → PEP Training Transition
What changed, what it means for your company, the four compliance gaps nobody is closing, and what to do this week.
Maintained by Tank Spotter · Primary sources: PERC Propane Learning Center, NPGA, NJ DCA, PAPGA, insurance-carrier loss-control guidance, BPN/Butane-Propane News, and state regulators. Maintained and re-verified monthly. Last updated: July 13, 2026.
TL;DR — What is happening with CETP and PEP?
The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is replacing its old Certified Employee Training Program (CETP) with a new Propane Education Program (PEP), starting in 2025. CETP is not “gone” — it is being phased out one module at a time, with each CETP module archived roughly 12 months after PERC releases the PEP version that replaces it. PEP is a modernization: it is role-based instead of one-size-fits-all, awards IACET-accredited continuing-education units, and records completion as a transcript entry in PERC’s online Learning Center instead of a paper certificate.
All of your existing CETP completions remain valid and on record — nothing you already earned expired or disappeared. And contrary to a common belief, notall 50 states write “CETP” into their laws — we have confirmed only nine statesthat reference CETP or the PERC training program directly in their primary law or rule (Idaho, Maine, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Colorado, Utah, Georgia, West Virginia, and Maryland — with West Virginia naming the “PERC Training Program” rather than “CETP” by name, and Maryland naming the National Propane Gas Association program in its Propane Gas Fitter statute); most states simply require training without naming a specific program.
The real work for operators is no longer passing a proctored exam — it is tracking who has completed which modules and which on-the-job skills, and confirming your own state and insurer accept PEP.
The box above is the canonical answer. Everything below is the detail behind it. Maintained and re-verified monthly — each state verdict carries its own “verified as of” date.
Want your own state’s status in writing?
Look up any of the 50 states (plus DC), get a saved copy you can forward to your owner or insurer, and go on PEP Watch — we’ll email you when your state changes its position. Free.
What changed between CETP and PEP?
CETP and PEP differ in four ways: PEP is role-based instead of one-size-fits-all, replaces the proctored exam with module assessments plus OJT worksheets, records completion as a Learning Center transcript instead of a paper certificate, and awards IACET-accredited CEUs. The training bar is unchanged. (Source: PERC, 2026.)
For about three decades, CETPwas the propane industry’s national training standard. You enrolled an employee, they sat a proctored exam, a Skills Evaluator signed off on hands-on work, and PERC issued a paper certificate. PEP keeps the rigor and modernizes the delivery.
| Feature | CETP (being phased out) | PEP (replacing it) |
|---|---|---|
| Who takes what | One-size-fits-all — tested on the whole curriculum | Role-based and modular — only the modules your role needs |
| The test | Proctored written exam + hands-on Skills Evaluator | Module assessments (no proctored exam) + OJT Worksheets |
| The proof | A paper certificate per module | A transcript entry in PERC's Learning Center (no certificate) |
| Hands-on sign-off | Certified CETP Skills Evaluator | OJT Worksheet verified by a PEP-Recognized Field Trainer (or Skills Evaluator) |
| Continuing ed | None (proprietary credential) | IACET-accredited CEUs — recognized continuing-education credit |
| Records | PERC central certification database | PERC Learning Center — with employer admin view |
Three things this table does NOT mean:
- Old CETP certificates did NOT expire. Every prior completion stays on record.
- Training did NOT get easier — the hands-on requirement moved shape, not away.
- “Archived” does NOT mean invalid — it means no new enrollments.
Which compliance gaps does PEP leave open?
PEP leaves four gaps outside any training provider’s control: state law (only a handful of states name CETP in statute), local AHJ inspection (NFPA 58 names neither program), insurance (carrier language still cites CETP), and OJT tracking (the Learning Center records eLearning only). Each is the operator’s to close. (Verified June 2026.)
PERC built and runs a modern training program — that part works. But four practical gaps sit outside what any training provider can do for you. These are where operators get stuck.
Gap 1 — The State-Law Gap
We have confirmed nine states that reference CETP or the PERC training program directly in their primary law or rule: Idaho, Maine, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Colorado, Utah, Georgia, West Virginia, and Maryland. Three carry a wording nuance worth knowing: West Virginia’srule names the “PERC Training Program” generically rather than “CETP” by name; Pennsylvania’sAct 61 requires a department-approved program developed with the state propane association — not “CETP” verbatim; and Maryland’sstatute (Bus. Occ. & Prof. §12-302(f)) names the “National Propane Gas Association Certified Training Program” for its Propane Gas Fitter certificate. Every other state requires training but does not write CETP into statute. The widely-repeated claim that “all 50 states require CETP” is simply not accurate.
Maine, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Georgia, and Maryland have a working path to PEP (Georgia via its rule’s “or equivalent program approved by the State Fire Marshal” clause; West Virginia because its rule names the PERC program on its face; Maryland via its statute’s “at least equivalent” clause). Idaho, Colorado, and Utah name CETP but have issued no PEP equivalency ruling — highest uncertainty. Maryland is the newest confirmation, and it carries the subtlest trap: its plumbing-code rule that named CETP (COMAR 09.20.01.07) was repealed effective November 24, 2025 — but that repeal did nottouch the statute. Bus. Occ. & Prof. §12-302(f) still names the National Propane Gas Association program for the state Propane Gas Fitter certificate, with an “at least equivalent” clause that is the PEP path. The Board of Plumbing has issued no formal PEP ruling, so confirm PEP acceptance with it in writing. Separately, Vermont has put in writing that it accepts PEP and carries CETP credit forward. The Pennsylvania trap: PAPGA has warned that students must not start PEP enrollment online — it can invalidate the Act 61 pathway.
Gap 2 — The AHJ / Local-Inspection Gap
Your local fire marshal or code inspector interprets requirements locally. NFPA 58 — whichever edition your state has adopted (commonly 2021 or 2024) — does not reference CETP or PEP by name. Two operators in the same state can face different expectations from different local inspectors. No national rule resolves it. Confirm proactively with your local AHJ — document the answer.
Gap 3 — The Insurance Gap
Insurer training language has not caught up. At least one major propane carrier’s loss-control guidance still recommends CETP explicitly — last updated 2021, before PEP existed, with no update since. Across major carriers: zero published PEP-equivalency guidance. This is an open question. Call your own carrier and ask in writing.
Gap 4 — The OJT-Tracking Gap
PEP’s hands-on requirement is the OJT Worksheet, verified by a PEP-Recognized Field Trainer. The PERC Learning Center transcript auto-tracks eLearning modules only— it does not record OJT Worksheet completion. Hands-on tracking is employer-managed. Most operators discover this only when an underwriter or inspector asks for hands-on records the Learning Center doesn’t have.
Tank Spotter’s Training pillar is built for exactly this: a single per-employee record that tracks training completion, renewal dates, and OJT documentation together. Book a demo →
Where does each state stand on PEP?
There is no single national answer. Nine states reference CETP or the PERC training program in primary law — Idaho, Maine, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Colorado, Utah, Georgia, West Virginia, and Maryland. Maine, NJ, PA, West Virginia, Georgia, and Maryland have a working PEP path; Idaho, Colorado, and Utah are silent on PEP. Maryland’s plumbing-code CETP rule was repealed in November 2025, but its Propane Gas Fitter statute still names the program — so it stays confirmed-in-law. Most states require training without naming a program. Texas runs its own Railroad Commission system. (Verified July 2026.)
That’s the whole point of the State-Law gap. Pick your state and get a plain verdict: whether your state names CETP in law, whether it has recognized PEP, who the regulator is, and a “verified as of” date.
Status legend
PEP recognized
State has formally accepted PEP
CETP in law / silent on PEP
Statute names CETP; no PEP ruling yet
Silent
Requires training; no program named
RRC special (TX)
RRC system — PEP/CETP do not apply
What should propane operators do about PEP this week?
This week: set up PERC Learning Center admin access (1-800-757-1554), map each role to its required PEP modules, identify a PEP-Recognized Field Trainer, start tracking OJT worksheets, verify your state’s position in writing, and ask your insurer whether PEP satisfies their training requirement. None requires a lawyer to start.
A concrete checklist. None of this requires a lawyer or a consultant to start — it’s the no-regrets baseline for any operator in any state.
- 1
Set up your PERC Learning Center admin access
PERC's own recommended first step. Lets you assign learning and pull transcripts for your whole team. PERC support: 1-800-757-1554 · training.propane.com.
- 2
Map your roles to learning paths
List your job roles (driver, service tech, bulk-plant operator, etc.) and assign each the PEP modules it requires. PEP is modular — build the path once.
- 3
Identify a PEP-Recognized Field Trainer
Or confirm your existing CETP Skills Evaluator can still sign off hands-on work. Without a qualified verifier, OJT Worksheets don't close.
- 4
Start tracking OJT Worksheets today
Alongside your Learning Center transcripts, in whatever system you'll actually keep up. The hands-on records are yours to maintain.
- 5
Verify your state
Use the checker above, then — especially if your state names CETP but is silent on PEP — call your state regulator and get the equivalency answer in writing.
- 6
Call your insurance carrier
Ask directly whether they accept PEP in place of CETP, and put the answer in your file. Don't wait for renewal to find out.
- 7
Confirm nothing you already earned is at risk
It isn't — existing CETP completions remain on record — but pulling a current transcript for your roster is a good way to prove it and find gaps.
Frequently asked questions
Do my employees' old CETP certificates still count?
Yes. Every prior CETP completion remains valid and stays on record in the PERC Learning Center transcript. Nothing you already earned expired or vanished. This is the single most common worry, and the answer is the reassuring one.
Is there still a test and a certificate?
There's still an assessment — but it changed shape. PEP uses module knowledge assessments plus hands-on OJT Worksheets instead of a single proctored exam. PEP does not issue a paper certificate; completion is recorded as a transcript entry in the Learning Center. Still rigorous, no certificate, no proctored exam.
Is PEP easier or weaker than CETP?
No. PEP is a modernization, not a downgrade. It's role-based (you take only what your job needs), it awards IACET-accredited CEUs that CETP didn't, and it keeps a hands-on requirement (now the OJT Worksheet, verified by a qualified field trainer). Different delivery, same bar.
What does my driver / service tech actually need to do now?
Take the modules their specific role requires, complete the online assessments, and complete the hands-on OJT Worksheets verified by a PEP-Recognized Field Trainer or CETP Skills Evaluator. Their completions appear on their Learning Center transcript.
Will my insurer accept PEP?
This is an open question across the industry — and we won't guess at your carrier's answer. Published carrier training language still references CETP. Ask your own carrier directly and get the answer in writing. It's the one item nobody can verify for you.
Does my state require CETP — or PEP?
Depends entirely on the state. We have confirmed nine states that reference CETP or the PERC training program in primary law (Idaho, Maine, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Colorado, Utah, Georgia, West Virginia, and Maryland — with West Virginia naming the “PERC Training Program” rather than “CETP” by name, Pennsylvania requiring a department-approved program rather than “CETP” verbatim, and Maryland naming the “National Propane Gas Association Certified Training Program” in its Propane Gas Fitter statute, Bus. Occ. & Prof. §12-302(f)). Most states require training without naming a program. Several (Maine, NJ, PA, West Virginia, Georgia, Maryland) have a working PEP path via an equivalency clause; some that name CETP (Idaho, Colorado, Utah) are silent on PEP. Maryland is the newest confirmation — its plumbing-code rule (COMAR 09.20.01.07) was repealed effective November 24, 2025, but its statute still names the program and offers an “at least equivalent” path, so confirm PEP acceptance with the Board of Plumbing in writing. Vermont has separately published that it accepts PEP. Texas is a special case — it uses the Railroad Commission's own system, and PEP does not satisfy Texas licensing.
What is 'archiving' — does it mean a module became invalid?
No. 'Archived' means a CETP module is retired from new enrollment because its PEP replacement is now live. Training people already completed under that module still counts. Archived ≠ invalid.
Who verifies the hands-on portion now?
A PEP-Recognized Field Trainer (a credential earned through an online PERC course) — or, still, a CETP Skills Evaluator. The Learning Center records your online modules automatically; the hands-on OJT Worksheet is tracked by your company.
Where do I even start?
Set up Learning Center admin access (PERC: 1-800-757-1554), map your roles to modules, identify a field trainer, start tracking OJT Worksheets, and verify your state and your insurer. The checklist above is the full version.
How Tank Spotter helps
PERC gives the training. Your state and your insurer decide whether it counts. And the one thing nobody else tracks — who verified each tech’s hands-on OJT worksheet — is exactly what Tank Spotter’s Training pillar records, per employee, audit-ready: the eLearning transcript, the OJT sign-off, and the renewal dates in one place you can hand an inspector or an underwriter.
Book a demo →Get your state’s PEP status — and stay ahead of the changes
Pick your state, get a saved report you can forward to your owner or insurer, and go on PEP Watch so you hear the moment your state’s position shifts. It’s free, and it takes about a minute.
Check your state →Maintained by Bill Stomp, founder of Propane Insider — a combat veteran who operated propane delivery companies for 25+ years, growing from one location to 87 branch offices across 12 states.
Disclaimer: This is an information resource maintained by Tank Spotter. It is not legal advice and does not constitute a compliance determination. State positions, insurer language, and local inspection practices are changing month to month. Verify with your state regulator and your own insurer before relying on any information here for licensing or employment decisions. We are the navigator, not the authority of record.
Last updated: July 13, 2026 · Maintained by Tank Spotter · 112 Holby Lane, Pottstown PA 19465