Senate Bill 674 (2017) amended the statutory requirements for practitioners seeking a hardship exemption.  Applicants seeking an exemption under Section 601.203(b)(1) of the Texas Occupations Code, claiming the inability to attract or retain a MRT, LMRT or NCT, must now be located in a Texas county with a population of 50,000 or less.   

Applicants applying for any hardship exemption under Section 601.203(b) will be required to submit sufficient documentation demonstrating the hardship, as determined by the Board. If you currently have an active hardship exemption that was issued prior to September 1, 2017, and will no longer qualify under the statutory and rule changes, you will be allowed to renew your hardship one additional time under the previous exemptions. Upon expiration of the final hardship exemption individuals who are not appropriately trained as a MRT, LMRT or NCT will no longer be allowed to perform radiologic procedures.  Information about available training programs and the requirements for certification as a MRT, LMRT or NCT can be found on this website.

• A hospital, federally qualified health center (FQHC) or practitioner may apply for a hardship exemption from employing an MRT, LMRT, or NCT.
• The applicant must demonstrate a hardship in employing an MRT, LMRT, or NCT, as described in Texas Administrative Code Title 25, Part 1, Chapter 194, Subchapter A, Rule 194.16.
• The hardship exemption applicant shall not allow a person who is not an MRT, LMRT, or NCT to perform a radiologic procedure until a hardship exemption is granted.
• The hospital, FQHC, or a practitioner must reapply annually for the exemption and meet the then current requirements for a hardship exemption. Please note that a hospital, FQHC, or a practitioner who does not reapply for an exemption shall not allow a person to perform a radiologic procedure unless the person is a practitioner, MRT, LMRT, or NCT.
• No more than seven individuals will be allowed to perform radiologic procedures under the hardship exemption, if granted. Fingerprinting and criminal background checks are required by statute (Senate Bill 202) for all persons performing radiologic procedures in the State, including those that are performing the procedures under a Hardship Exemption.  Instructions on the fingerprint process can be found under the Fingerprints tab below.  Criminal history will be taken into consideration as part of the approval process and could potentially result in denial of the request for a Hardship Exemption.  
  

Hardship Exemption Application

Please note that at this time the Hardship Exemption application is available in hard copy only.

Communication with the Board

Additional information and supplemental forms may be submitted using the US Postal Service or a private overnight delivery service. Board staff will communicate with applicants by e-mail, if an address is provided, or by letter using the US Postal Service.