Georgia Propane Training Requirements Under PEP — 2026 Guide
The short answer
Yes — Georgia names CETP directly in its rules, and the rule leaves a clear door open for PEP. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 120-3-16-.04 requires LP-gas industry workers to be certified by the Georgia State Fire Marshal's Office, and states that "the training curriculum shall be the Certified Employee Training Program (CETP) or equivalent program approved by the Georgia State Fire Marshal's Office." That "or equivalent" clause is the bridge for PEP — but approval is the State Fire Marshal's call, so confirm with that office that a PEP transcript is accepted before relying on it. Georgia also requires a minimum of 6 continuing-education hours every 3 years and issues a wallet card through the SFMO. PERC is phasing CETP out and replacing it with PEP nationally. Confidence: high on the in-law CETP reference (primary source); the PEP-equivalency approval is SFMO discretion you should confirm.
What does Georgia law say about propane training?
eorgia law actually says
Georgia regulates LP-gas safety and licensing through the Safety Fire Commissioner's Office (the Georgia State Fire Marshal's Office, SFMO) under O.C.G.A. Title 25 (fire protection and safety). Separately, the Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Propane (the "Georgia Propane Commission") promotes propane use and funds industry training — but it is a market-development body, not the licensing authority.
The operative training rule is Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 120-3-16-.04(1), which names CETP verbatim:
"Each Georgia liquefied petroleum gas industry worker… shall be trained in proper handling procedures and shall be certified by the Georgia State Fire Marshal's Office… The training curriculum shall be the Certified Employee Training Program (CETP) or equivalent program approved by the Georgia State Fire Marshal's Office to include employees engaged as delivery drivers and/or service and installation technicians."
The same rule requires "a minimum of six hours of Continuing Education Units (CEU) every three years," and the SFMO issues a wallet card on certification. (Authority: O.C.G.A. §§10-1-263, 25-2-3, 25-2-4, 25-2-16.)
The plain read: Georgia writes CETP into its rule by name — so this is a confirmed in-law state — but the "or equivalent program approved by the State Fire Marshal's Office" clause means PEP can qualify *if the SFMO approves it*. That makes Georgia a gentler transition than a rigid CETP-only cite: the door is already open in the rule's text; you just need the SFMO to confirm a PEP transcript walks through it.
Citation: Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 120-3-16-.04 (Cornell LII, retr. 2026-06-13); mirror at oci.georgia.gov.
What changed for Georgia operators?
Nationally: PERC is archiving CETP on a rolling basis (each module retires ~12 months after its PEP replacement releases). PEP is role-based and modular, issues a Learning Center transcript instead of a paper certificate, and replaces the proctored exam with module assessments plus OJT worksheets verified by a PEP-Recognized Field Trainer.
For GA, the rule already names CETP and leaves room for an approved equivalent — so the practical question is narrow: get the State Fire Marshal's Office to confirm a PEP transcript is an "equivalent program approved by" the SFMO under 120-3-16-.04. Separately, the Georgia Propane Commission has funded scholarships at SEPATEC (the Southeast Propane Alliance Technical Education Center, Graham, NC) for propane education and CDL-B training. That signals Georgia values workforce training — but it's a market-development act, not a licensing ruling, and whether SEPATEC's curriculum maps to CETP/PEP is a separate question from how the SFMO treats a PEP transcript. Keep the two distinct.
What is the Georgia compliance trap?
GA's trap is assuming the "or equivalent" clause auto-approves PEP. The rule names CETP and allows an "equivalent program approved by the State Fire Marshal's Office" — but the approval is the SFMO's to grant, so a PEP transcript isn't automatically the approved equivalent until that office says so. A second, separate trap: reading state recognition into the SEPATEC scholarship. The Georgia Propane Commission funding SEPATEC training isn't a licensing ruling, and it's unconfirmed whether SEPATEC's curriculum even maps to CETP/PEP. Don't collapse these: confirm PEP-as-approved-equivalent with the SFMO directly, and keep the SEPATEC question separate.
What should Georgia operators do now?
- Get SFMO approval of PEP in writing. The rule's "or equivalent program approved by the State Fire Marshal's Office" clause is your bridge — ask the SFMO to confirm a PERC PEP transcript qualifies as that approved equivalent, and keep the answer on file.
- Track your CEU hours. Georgia requires 6 CEU hours every 3 years; build that cadence into your records so certifications stay current and the wallet card stays valid.
- Treat SEPATEC and PEP as separate questions. Whether the scholarship-funded SEPATEC course maps to CETP/PEP is unconfirmed; verify before assuming one covers the other.
- Keep training on PEP. It's the recognized national successor to CETP and the credential the rule's "equivalent program" clause is built to absorb — useful regardless of how each detail resolves.
- Hold prior CETP certificates. They remain valid records in the PERC Learning Center.
Who regulates propane training in Georgia?
Georgia State Fire Marshal's Office / Safety Fire Commissioner (LP-gas licensing authority — O.C.G.A. Title 25; Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 120-3-16-.04) - oci.georgia.gov (Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire) — search "LP gas" / "liquefied petroleum gas" - Regional association: SEPA (Southeast Propane Alliance) — southeastpropane.org · (919) 787-8485 - Market-development body (not licensing): Georgia Propane Commission — gapropanecommission.org - Ask the State Fire Marshal specifically: *"Under Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 120-3-16-.04, the rule allows CETP 'or equivalent program approved by the State Fire Marshal's Office' — does a PERC PEP transcript qualify as that approved equivalent, and how should we document it and the 6-CEU-per-3-years requirement?"*
What should Georgia operators document?
- The PERC Learning Center transcript for each PEP-trained employee (PEP issues no paper certificate).
- Your 6-CEU-per-3-years continuing-education records and each employee's SFMO wallet card.
- SEPATEC course completion records for anyone trained there (a separate pathway; its CETP/PEP mapping is unconfirmed).
- Any prior CETP certificates — keep them; they remain valid records in the Learning Center.
- The State Fire Marshal's written answer confirming PEP qualifies as the rule's "approved equivalent" (the one detail the rule leaves to SFMO discretion).
- OJT worksheets and who verified them. PERC's Learning Center auto-tracks eLearning only; hands-on OJT is yours to track and retain.
Will my insurer accept PEP in Georgia?
Separate from GA licensing, your insurance carrier may have its own training-documentation expectations — and some carrier materials still reference "CETP" by name because they predate PEP. We do not know your carrier's position on PEP (or on the SEPATEC pathway), and no major propane carrier has published PEP-equivalency guidance. Verify directly with your carrier whether a PEP transcript — or a SEPATEC completion — satisfies whatever training documentation your policy or underwriter expects. Even with Georgia's "or equivalent" clause and an SFMO confirmation in hand, your carrier may set its own documentation bar — confirm it.
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*This is an information resource. Verify with your state authority before relying on this for licensing or employment decisions.*
Get your full Georgia PEP report — the 120-3-16-.04 "CETP or approved equivalent" rule, the State Fire Marshal contact, the 6-CEU/3-year cadence, and the scholarship-vs-recognition distinction — at the PEP Checker. And if tracking PEP transcripts, SEPATEC records, and OJT worksheets across your crew is the headache, see how TankSpotter's Training pillar tracks PEP completion and OJT verification in one place: book a demo at /demo-tankspotter.
Georgia — at a glance
CETP named in law
Yes
PEP recognized
Silent (no specific guidance)
Transition guidance published
No
Research confidence
High
Last verified
2026-06-13
Your regulator
Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Propane — market development; GA Safety Fire Commissioner — LP gas safety/licensing
Georgia: Statute names CETP; no PEP equivalency ruling yet. Verified 2026-06-13.
Verify with your regulator — always
State positions on PEP are changing. Even where we have a verdict, the operator with a dated written confirmation from their state authority is the one who’s protected. Ask your regulator: “Does PEP completion satisfy your state’s current training requirements for LP-gas licensing?” Get the answer in writing.
- Regulator: Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Propane — market development; GA Safety Fire Commissioner — LP gas safety/licensing
- PERC (training questions): 1-800-757-1554 · training.propane.com
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Disclaimer: This is an information resource maintained by Tank Spotter. It is not legal advice and does not constitute a compliance determination. Verify with your state regulator and your own insurer before relying on any information here for licensing or employment decisions.