Maine Propane Training Requirements Under PEP — 2026 Guide
The short answer
Yes — Maine writes the requirement into statute. Maine Revised Statutes Title 32, §18135 requires a propane and natural gas technician to pass a board-approved exam and complete "the certified employee training program of a national propane gas association" — the functional definition of CETP. PERC is now phasing CETP out module by module and replacing it with the Propane Education Program (PEP), and Maine's Fuel Board has already opened the door to the successor: its rules adopted May 26, 2023 recognize the PERC Learning Center transcript as a qualifying pathway. So PEP can satisfy the Maine requirement — but no consumer-facing Fuel Board notice spells that out, so confirm your specific license category before you rely on it. Confidence: high on the statute and the 2023 rule update; verify the exact transcript language with the Board.
What does Maine law say about propane training?
aine law actually says
Maine regulates propane technicians through the Maine Fuel Board, housed in the Office of Professional & Occupational Regulation (Department of Professional & Financial Regulation). The statutory basis is Title 32, Chapter 139, and the operative professional-qualifications section is §18135.
The statute, verbatim:
"Each applicant for a propane and natural gas technician license must pass an examination approved by the board and meet one of the following qualifications: Successful completion of the certified employee training program of a national propane gas association; or Successful completion of a board-approved propane or natural gas course at a Maine community college, career and technical education center or career and technical education region or a comparable institute of this State or another state and passage of an examination approved by the board."
Citation: ME Rev. Stat. Title 32, §18135 (PL 2009, c. 344, Pt. C, §3; PL 2017, c. 210, Pt. I, §2 AMD). Verified at legislature.maine.gov, 2026-06-12.
The plain read: Maine never names "CETP" or "PEP" by acronym. It uses a deliberately generic description — "the certified employee training program of a national propane gas association." That generic wording is *good* for PEP acceptance: a program doesn't have to be named "CETP" to qualify, it has to be the national association's certified employee training program, which PEP now is. Maine recognizes five separate license authorities (appliance connection/service, delivery, large-equipment connection/service, plant operation, and tank setting/outside piping), so which training maps to your employee depends on the license category.
What changed for Maine operators?
PERC is archiving CETP on a rolling basis — each module retires roughly 12 months after its PEP replacement releases. There is no single national cutoff date and no PERC-published module-by-module calendar. PEP, the successor, is role-based and modular: employees complete only the learning paths their job requires, the credential is a Learning Center transcript entry instead of a paper CETP certificate, and the proctored CETP exam is replaced by module knowledge assessments plus an OJT (on-the-job training) worksheet verified by a PEP-Recognized Field Trainer.
For Maine, the meaningful event is the Fuel Board's May 26, 2023 rulemaking, which addressed the PERC Learning Center transcript as a qualifying pathway for the Board examination. That predates the PEP launch but is exactly the hook PEP needs: if the Board accepts a PERC Learning Center transcript, a PEP completion recorded in that transcript is on solid footing. The gap is communication, not law — the Board has issued no plain-language notice telling operators "PEP counts," so many won't know it does.
What is the Maine compliance trap?
Maine's trap is the silent regulator. The law is favorable (generic wording that PEP fits) and the 2023 rule update already recognizes the PERC transcript — but because no Fuel Board notice says "PEP satisfies §18135," operators assume they're non-compliant, or worse, assume nothing changed and don't confirm their license category. The second landmine is the two-part requirement: §18135 demands the training pathway *and* a board-approved exam. Completing PEP's online assessments does not automatically clear the Maine Fuel Board exam. Confirm both legs for each license category before you treat an employee as fully credentialed.
What should Maine operators do now?
- Keep training on PEP. It is PERC's current program and the direct successor to the "certified employee training program" the statute names. Completing it is the right move.
- Confirm the transcript pathway for your license category. Ask the Fuel Board directly whether a PERC Learning Center transcript showing PEP completion satisfies §18135 for the specific authority your employee needs (delivery, plant operation, etc.).
- Hold onto prior CETP certificates. They remain valid records in the PERC Learning Center — keep them.
- Track the board exam separately. Maine requires a board-approved exam *in addition* to the training pathway. PEP's module assessments are not the same thing as the Maine Fuel Board exam.
Who regulates propane training in Maine?
Maine Fuel Board, Office of Professional & Occupational Regulation (Department of Professional & Financial Regulation) - Professional licensing: maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/ - Ask specifically: *"Does a PERC Learning Center transcript showing PEP completion satisfy the 'certified employee training program of a national propane gas association' requirement in 32 M.R.S. §18135 for a [delivery / plant operation / appliance service] license?"*
Get the answer in writing if you can. Maine has issued no consumer-facing PEP notice, so a direct confirmation is the only authoritative answer available today.
What should Maine operators document?
- The completion date and PERC Learning Center transcript for each PEP-trained employee (PEP issues no paper certificate — the transcript is the record).
- Any prior CETP certificates — keep them; they stay in the Learning Center as valid history.
- The board exam pass for each licensed technician (separate from the training pathway).
- 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 Maine?
Separate from state 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, and no major propane carrier has published PEP-equivalency guidance. Verify directly with your carrier whether a PEP transcript satisfies whatever training documentation your policy or underwriter expects. Treat this as its own checklist item, independent of the Maine Fuel Board.
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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 Maine PEP report — the regulator contact, the exact §18135 citation, and the transcript-pathway question for your license category — at the PEP Checker. And if tracking PEP completion, the board exam, 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.
Maine — at a glance
CETP named in law
Yes
PEP recognized
Yes
Transition guidance published
Yes
Research confidence
High
Last verified
2026-06-12
Your regulator
Maine Fuel Board (Office of Professional & Occupational Regulation, Dept. of Professional & Financial Regulation)
Maine: PEP is recognized for state training requirements. Verified 2026-06-12.
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: Maine Fuel Board (Office of Professional & Occupational Regulation, Dept. of Professional & Financial Regulation)
- PERC (training questions): 1-800-757-1554 · training.propane.com
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Email me the Maine report →Tracking PEP completion and OJT worksheets for your crew?
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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.