Maryland Propane Training Requirements Under PEP — 2026 Guide
The short answer
Maryland still names the National Propane Gas Association's training program in its law — in the statute, not just in a regulation — and that is the headline. A lot of secondhand summaries (ours included, in an earlier draft) concluded that Maryland had dropped CETP, because one rule that named it was repealed. That is only half the story. Maryland named the program in two places, and only one was repealed. The plumbing-code regulation — COMAR 09.20.01.07, which required CETP Areas 1.0, 4.1, and 4.2 — was repealed effective November 24, 2025 (52:23 Md. R. 1138). But the statute — Md. Code, Business Occupations & Professions §12-302(f) — was untouched, and it still requires an applicant for Maryland's statewide Propane Gas Fitter certificate to hold "certification of completion of the National Propane Gas Association Certified Training Program for Distribution Systems Operations," or to demonstrate qualifications "at least equivalent" to it. We confirmed this verbatim against the current statute text on the Maryland General Assembly's own site (mgaleg.maryland.gov) on 2026-07-13. So Maryland is a confirmed CETP-in-law state — with an "at least equivalent" clause that is the natural path for PEP. The Board of Plumbing has not published a formal ruling that PEP satisfies §12-302(f), so confirm PEP acceptance with the Board in writing before you rely on it. Confidence: high on the statute; open on the formal PEP equivalency.
What does Maryland law say about propane training?
aryland law actually says
Here is the precise, sourced picture as of 2026-07-13:
- The statute names the program — and it survived. Md. Code, Bus. Occ. & Prof. §12-302(f) governs the state Propane Gas Fitter certificate, which Maryland's Board of Plumbing (Department of Labor, Occupational & Professional Licensing) issues to non-plumbers who provide propane gas services statewide. Verbatim, an applicant shall: (1) "hold a current certification of completion of the National Propane Gas Association Certified Training Program for Distribution Systems Operations"; (2) hold a county/municipal gas fitters license under a program in existence before July 1, 1995 that is acceptable to the Board; or (3) "otherwise demonstrate qualifications that are satisfactory to the Board and that are at least equivalent to the qualifications required by the National Propane Gas Association Certified Training Program for Distribution Systems Operations." (Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov, current statute text, verified 2026-07-13.)
- **The repealed rule was a *regulation*, not the statute. COMAR 09.20.01.07 — a State Plumbing Code modification to NFPA 58 that named "Certification Areas 1.0, 4.1, and 4.2 of the Certified Employee Training Program (CETP) of the National Propane Gas Association" — was repealed effective November 24, 2025** (52:23 Md. R. 1138), and that COMAR chapter now incorporates the model codes (including NFPA 58) by reference. Repealing a regulation does not, and here did not, change the statute above it.
- What that means for the training question. Maryland *does* still name the NPGA program in current law, through the statute. The statute's "at least equivalent" clause (§12-302(f)(3)) is the equivalency door PEP would come through — the same shape as Georgia's "or equivalent program approved by" language. What Maryland has *not* done is publish a Board ruling saying "PEP satisfies §12-302(f)." So the named-program requirement is settled; PEP equivalency is the open item to confirm.
Sources: Md. Code, Bus. Occ. & Prof. §12-302(f), current text on mgaleg.maryland.gov (verified 2026-07-13); Maryland Board of Plumbing administrative history, COMAR Subtitle 20 (regs.maryland.gov), confirming COMAR 09.20.01.07 repealed effective November 24, 2025 (52:23 Md. R. 1138).
What changed for Maryland operators?
Two changes are happening at once, and it matters to keep them separate:
- The national change. PERC is archiving CETP on a rolling basis and replacing it with PEP (role-based, modular, a Learning Center transcript instead of a paper certificate, OJT worksheets verified by a PEP-Recognized Field Trainer). That is true everywhere.
- The Maryland-specific picture. One Maryland citation people used to point to — the COMAR 09.20.01.07 plumbing-code rule — was repealed in November 2025. But the load-bearing citation, the statute (§12-302(f)), is still on the books and still names the NPGA program for the Propane Gas Fitter certificate. So Maryland did not drop the requirement; it just lost the redundant regulatory copy of it.
For training delivery, MAPGA (Mid-Atlantic Propane Gas Association) remains the active channel running both PEP and still-active CETP courses through the transition. The question Maryland has not answered in writing is whether a PEP transcript satisfies the statute's "at least equivalent" test — which is exactly what to confirm with the Board.
What is the Maryland compliance trap?
Maryland's trap is the reverse of how it looks. Because COMAR 09.20.01.07 was repealed effective November 24, 2025 — and because that repeal was widely noted — it's easy (we did it ourselves in an earlier pass) to conclude "Maryland no longer names CETP." It still does: the statute, Md. Code, Bus. Occ. & Prof. §12-302(f), independently names the National Propane Gas Association program for the Propane Gas Fitter certificate and was not repealed. Don't stop at the COMAR headline — read the statute. The opposite mistake is just as costly: don't assume the statute's named program blocks PEP. The "at least equivalent" clause in §12-302(f)(3) is the equivalency door — but the Board of Plumbing hasn't ruled PEP in through it yet, so a PEP transcript is a strong-but-unconfirmed record until you get that answer in writing.
What should Maryland operators do now?
- Rely on the statute, not the repealed regulation. The current requirement lives in Md. Code, Bus. Occ. & Prof. §12-302(f). Don't cite COMAR 09.20.01.07 — it was repealed effective 11/24/2025. Don't read that repeal as "Maryland dropped training," either.
- Confirm PEP equivalency with the Board — in writing. Because §12-302(f) names the NPGA program and offers an "at least equivalent" path but no Board ruling confirms PEP, ask the Board of Plumbing directly whether a PERC PEP transcript satisfies §12-302(f)(3), and get the answer in writing.
- Use MAPGA as your training channel. It runs both PEP and the CETP modules still in service. Either record is a reasonable thing to hold while you confirm the Board's position on PEP.
- Hold prior CETP certificates and PEP transcripts both. They remain valid completion records in the PERC Learning Center. A complete training record is your best protection while the equivalency question is open.
Who regulates propane training in Maryland?
Confirm with the authority that actually governs the certificate — and get the answer in writing:
- Maryland Board of Plumbing — Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational & Professional Licensing (issues the Propane Gas Fitter certificate under §12-302(f)): labor.maryland.gov — search "Board of Plumbing" / "propane gas fitter."
- Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal — for LP-gas safety and installation oversight that may carry its own expectations: mdsp.maryland.gov/Pages/OSFM.
- Maryland Public Service Commission — for gas-utility-safety questions (separate track).
- Training channel: MAPGA — mapga.org · 250 West Main Street, Suite 100, Charlottesville, VA 22902.
Ask the Board specifically: *"Md. Code, Bus. Occ. & Prof. §12-302(f) names the National Propane Gas Association Certified Training Program for Distribution Systems Operations, with an 'at least equivalent' clause. Does a PERC PEP transcript satisfy §12-302(f)(3) for the Propane Gas Fitter certificate?"*
What should Maryland operators document?
- The Board's written answer on whether a PEP transcript satisfies the "at least equivalent" clause of §12-302(f) — the single most useful record to obtain right now.
- The PERC Learning Center transcript for each PEP-trained employee (PEP issues no paper certificate).
- Any prior CETP certificates — they remain valid completion records in the Learning Center.
- 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 Maryland?
Separate from Maryland 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 (or a legacy CETP certificate) satisfies whatever training documentation your policy or underwriter expects. In Maryland, expect the Board of Plumbing (for the certificate) *and* your carrier (for coverage) to be the two people who can actually answer "what counts" — confirm with both, in writing.
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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 Maryland PEP report — how §12-302(f) still names the NPGA program (and how it survived the COMAR 09.20.01.07 repeal of November 24, 2025), the "at least equivalent" PEP path, the Board of Plumbing question to ask, and the open equivalency item — at the PEP Checker. Maryland is a live example of why PEP Watch exists: the citation you rely on can move even when the requirement doesn't, and the operator with a dated, regulator-confirmed record is the one who's protected. And if tracking which employees earned PEP transcripts versus CETP certificates, plus 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.
Maryland — at a glance
CETP named in law
Yes
PEP recognized
Silent (no specific guidance)
Transition guidance published
No
Research confidence
High
Last verified
2026-07-13
Your regulator
Maryland Dept. of Labor — Board of Plumbing / occupational licensing; Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal — LP-gas safety; Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) — gas utility safety oversight
Maryland: Statute names CETP; no PEP equivalency ruling yet. Verified 2026-07-13.
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: Maryland Dept. of Labor — Board of Plumbing / occupational licensing; Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal — LP-gas safety; Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) — gas utility safety oversight
- 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.