(1) The application for an instructor's license shall document the applicant's fitness, knowledge, skills, and abilities to teach the classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction portions of a driver training education program in a commercial driver training school.
(2) An applicant shall be eligible to apply for an original instructor's certificate if the applicant possesses and meets the following qualifications and conditions:
(a) Has been licensed to drive for five or more years and possesses a current and valid Washington driver's license or is a resident of a jurisdiction immediately adjacent to Washington state and possesses a current and valid license issued by such jurisdiction, and does not have on his or her driving record any of the violations or penalties set forth in (a)(i), (ii), or (iii) of this subsection. The director shall have the right to examine the driving record of the applicant from the department of licensing and from other jurisdictions and from these records determine if the applicant has had:
(i) Not more than one moving traffic violation within the preceding twelve months or more than two moving traffic violations in the preceding 24 months;
(ii) No drug or alcohol-related traffic violation or incident within the preceding three years. If there are two or more drug or alcohol-related traffic violations in the applicant's driving history, the applicant is no longer eligible to be a driving instructor; and
(iii) No driver's license suspension, cancellation, revocation, or denial within the preceding two years, or no more than two of these occurrences in the preceding five years;
(b) Is a high school graduate or the equivalent and at least 21 years of age;
(c) Has completed an acceptable application on a form prescribed by the director;
(d) Has satisfactorily completed a course of instruction in the training of drivers acceptable to the director that is no less than 60 hours in length and includes instruction in classroom and behind-the-wheel teaching methods and supervised practice behind-the-wheel teaching of driving techniques; and
(e) Has paid an examination fee as set by rule of the department and has successfully completed an instructor's examination.
(3) The department may develop rules to establish alternative pathways to licensure to substitute for subsection (2) of this section provided the alternative pathways enable the department to assess the applicant's fitness, knowledge, skill, and ability to teach the classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction portions of a driver training education program, and provided behind-the-wheel instructor certification include behind-the-wheel teaching methods and supervised practice behind-the-wheel teaching of driving techniques.
