Pennsylvania Propane Training Requirements Under PEP — 2026 Guide
The short answer
Yes — and Pennsylvania carries the single clearest compliance trap in the country. PA Act 61 of 2002 (the "Propane and Liquefied Petroleum Gas Act," 35 P.S. §§1329.1–1329.19) mandates employee training through a department-approved program developed in consultation with the Pennsylvania Propane Gas Association (PAPGA) — and PAPGA is the recognized delivery channel for that program. Note the mechanism: Act 61 requires a *department-approved* program; it does not say "CETP" by name. PAPGA delivers that approved program (currently transitioning CETP→PEP), so PEP is fully in play — but only through PAPGA's instructor-led delivery. PAPGA's own course materials warn, verbatim, that students enrolling in PAPGA-sponsored PEP "MUST NOT enroll and/or start the PEP pathway online." Completing PEP on your own through the PERC online portal does not satisfy Act 61, because Act 61 compliance runs through the department-approved PAPGA program, not through self-enrollment. Confidence: high — this is sourced to the 2002 statute text and PAPGA's published course descriptions.
What does Pennsylvania law say about propane training?
ennsylvania law actually says
Pennsylvania's training mandate flows from the Act of June 19, 2002, P.L. 421, No. 61 — the "Propane and Liquefied Petroleum Gas Act," 35 P.S. §§1329.1–1329.19 (with regulations at 34 Pa. Code Ch. 13). Section 7 (Operator training) states verbatim:
"No individual shall transfer LPG unless the individual is an authorized attendant. Each LPG facility operator shall develop and submit to the department a program of training which is in accordance with standards approved by the department. The department shall consult with the Advisory Board and the Pennsylvania Propane Gas Association in the development of an approved training program."
So the statute names a department-approved program developed with PAPGA — *not* "CETP" literally. PAPGA delivers that approved program instructor-led (historically CETP, now transitioning to PEP). PAPGA classes are specifically built to meet Act 61 requirements — and PAPGA is explicit that its classes and the standalone online PERC pathways are not the same thing.
*(A note on the date: this is Act 61 of 2002, not 1992. The 1951 act, 35 P.S. §§1321–1329, was repealed and replaced in 2002; "1992" in some materials refers to the NFPA 54/58 edition years the 2002 Act adopts as interim standards — not the Act's enactment year.)*
Citation: PA Act 61 of 2002, 35 P.S. §§1329.1–1329.19, §7 (legis.state.pa.us, retr. 2026-06-13); regs at 34 Pa. Code Ch. 13.
From PAPGA's published course descriptions (papropane.com/training/course-descriptions/), verbatim:
"PAPGA classes are intended to meet Pennsylvania training requirements per Act 61 regulations are not complete pathways developed by PERC and are not advertised by as such."
And the critical warning:
"Students that enroll in PAPGA sponsored PEP training programs MUST NOT enroll and/or start the PEP pathway online."
Citation: papropane.com/training/course-descriptions/ (verified verbatim 2026-06-12); 2026 course descriptions PDF (March 2026 edition).
The plain read: in PA, *how* you take PEP is as legally significant as *whether* you take it. Act 61 §7 requires the program to be approved by the department and developed with PAPGA — so compliance runs through PAPGA's instructor-led delivery, not through self-enrollment, and not because the statute names "CETP." An employee who self-enrolls in the online PERC PEP pathway — even completing every module — may have a transcript that does not establish Act 61 compliance, because that transcript didn't come through the department-approved PAPGA program; and starting the pathway online can disqualify them from the PAPGA-sponsored version.
What changed for Pennsylvania operators?
PERC is archiving CETP on a rolling basis — each module retires roughly 12 months after its PEP replacement releases. There's no single national cutoff and no PERC-published module-by-module calendar. PEP is role-based and modular, issues a Learning Center transcript instead of a paper CETP certificate, and swaps the proctored CETP exam for module assessments plus an OJT worksheet verified by a PEP-Recognized Field Trainer.
PAPGA has moved fully to PEP delivery and offers Act 61-structured PEP courses (Basic PEP, Bobtail Delivery PEP, and electives). What changed for PA operators specifically is the *enrollment discipline*: under CETP the delivery channel mattered less; under PEP, PAPGA had to draw a hard line because the online PERC portal lets anyone self-enroll — and self-enrollment breaks the Act 61 pathway. That's why the "MUST NOT enroll online" warning now appears in PAPGA's own materials.
What is the Pennsylvania compliance trap?
This is the marquee PA trap and the clearest one in the 50-state picture: online-only PEP does not satisfy Act 61. Two ways operators get burned. (1) A new hire eager to get started self-enrolls in the online PERC PEP pathway, completes it, and shows you a transcript — but it doesn't establish Act 61 compliance, and starting it online may bar them from the PAPGA version. (2) You hire an experienced driver from out of state who "already did PEP," assume they're covered, and put them on a PA route — when they may need PAPGA training to be Act 61 compliant here. The fix for both: route through PAPGA, and verify before you rely on any out-of-state PEP record.
What should Pennsylvania operators do now?
- Route all PA training through PAPGA. For any employee whose role triggers Act 61 training, enroll through PAPGA's instructor-led PEP — not the online PERC portal.
- Brief new hires before they touch the portal. Tell employees not to self-start a PEP pathway online if they're slated for PAPGA training. Starting it online can disqualify them from the PAPGA-sponsored version.
- Audit out-of-state hires hard (see the trap below). Anyone who completed PEP online in another state may need PAPGA training to be Act 61 compliant in PA.
- Confirm the current course list with PAPGA. Course offerings and module mappings shift as PERC archives CETP — verify which PAPGA courses cover your roles.
Who regulates propane training in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania Propane Gas Association (PAPGA) - 908 N. 2nd Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102 · 717.441.6040 · papropane.com - Training: papropane.com/training/ - Ask specifically: *"For a [bobtail driver / service tech / new hire] who needs Act 61 compliance, which PAPGA-delivered PEP course do they take, and does any online PEP completion they already have count — or do they need to start over with PAPGA?"*
PAPGA is the most transparent state association in the country on this issue. Use them as your primary authority for PA.
What should Pennsylvania operators document?
- The PAPGA-delivered course each employee completed (not just "PEP" — the delivery channel is the compliance fact in PA).
- The PERC Learning Center transcript for each employee (PEP issues no paper certificate).
- Any prior CETP certificates — keep them; they remain valid 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 Pennsylvania?
Separate from Act 61, 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 (and specifically PAPGA-delivered PEP) satisfies whatever training documentation your policy or underwriter expects. Treat this as its own checklist item, independent of PAPGA and Act 61.
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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 Pennsylvania PEP report — the Act 61 / PAPGA-only delivery rule, the verbatim "MUST NOT enroll online" warning, and the out-of-state-hire checklist — at the PEP Checker. And if tracking which employees took PAPGA-delivered PEP, the OJT worksheets, and your out-of-state hires' credentials is the headache, see how TankSpotter's Training pillar tracks PEP completion and OJT verification in one place: book a demo at /demo-tankspotter.
Pennsylvania — 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
PA PUC (Public Utility Commission) — LP gas safety; PA Dept. of Agriculture — LP gas dealer licensing; PAPGA coordinates training per Act 61
Pennsylvania: 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: PA PUC (Public Utility Commission) — LP gas safety; PA Dept. of Agriculture — LP gas dealer licensing; PAPGA coordinates training per Act 61
- 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.