The Licence Itself · 7 min
The exam, the badge, and losing the licence
Why this matters
You are about to sit these exams, so it is worth knowing what the regulation says they will cover. And the back end of the licence, the badge and the revocation process, is the part that decides what happens on your worst day.
By the end of this lesson you will be able to
- List the subjects 197.6 puts on the general exam and on each activity exam
- State what identification a guide must carry and wear
- Walk through the revocation process and its deadlines
What 197.6 says the exam covers
The regulation is explicit that the examination "will test separately each of the designated guiding activities plus general knowledge of subjects applicable to all guiding in New York State." That is why there is a Basic Requirements exam and then one exam per activity.
General knowledge, per 197.6(b): laws and regulations and environmental considerations pertaining to guiding and outdoor recreation, trip planning and preparation, land navigation, basic meteorology, survival and outdoor safety. Those six phrases are the syllabus for nine of this course's units.
| Activity | Subject areas, 197.6(c) |
|---|---|
| Hunting | Laws and regulations, meat and trophy care, game identification, hunter safety, hunting techniques |
| Fishing | Laws and regulations, fishing safety, fish identification, fishing techniques, fish and trophy care |
| Camping | Philosophy of camping, campsite consideration, waste disposal, fire building, camp cleanliness, camping impact |
| Hiking | Planning trips, equipment selection and use, timetable construction, minimising environmental impact |
| Whitewater | Equipment, terminology, navigation, river rescue. Plus a practical demonstration or documented experience |
| Rock and ice climbing | Ropes, knots, belays, anchors, rappelling, climbing techniques, rescue techniques. Plus a practical or documented experience |
In practice DEC now runs these online on published dates, allots 90 minutes for Basic Requirements and 30 minutes for each activity exam, and requires 70% on each. You get one attempt per exam date. For the hunting and fishing exams you may consult the current DEC regulations guide during the exam, which is a skill in itself: know how the guide is organised before the clock starts.
The badge
ECL 11-0533(6): "Every licensed guide while engaging in guiding shall wear in plain sight identification furnished by the department." Under 197.7 the department issues three things at licensing: a licence certificate, a wallet-size licence card, and a metal badge to be worn while guiding. Whitewater and climbing guides get additional identification which must also be worn.
The badge is not decoration. It is the visible half of a regulatory scheme, and it is what a ranger looks for first.
Losing it
Two routes. The statute, ECL 11-0533(7), says a guide who violates any provision of the chapter or makes a false statement on the application must immediately surrender the licence, and it may be revoked for up to one year from surrender.
The regulation, 197.8, adds process. If DEC determines a guide violated the ECL, Title 6, or any DEC permit:
- DEC notifies the guide of the finding and the revocation by registered or certified mail
- The guide delivers badge, certificate and card within five calendar days to the Regional Ranger for the area where they live, or to the Superintendent of Forest Protection and Fire Management if there is no Regional Ranger or they live out of state
- The guide may request a hearing within 30 days of receiving the notice
- Not requesting one in writing waives it, and the penalty takes effect on day 31
- After a hearing, the commissioner issues a written decision within 30 days of the hearing closing
- Revocation cannot exceed one year, and afterwards DEC returns the identification, provided the licence has not expired and everything in 197.3 is current
Note the trigger. It is not "convicted of a crime". It is any violation of the Environmental Conservation Law, of Title 6 of the codes, or of any DEC permit. A camping violation on a guided trip is squarely inside that.
From the field
A ranger finds your party of eleven camped on State land without a permit. That is a Part 190 violation, which is a Title 6 violation, which is a ground for revocation under 197.8. The client's fine is the smaller problem. The letter arrives by certified mail and you have five days to hand in the badge.
This lesson is part of the NYS Licensed Guide Exam course. Open it in the course to answer the retrieval checks that go with it, track what you have read, and quiz the whole unit. Lessons, quizzes and the glossary are free.