​​Blaster Licensing and Certification

License holders: Please notify the Department of any changes in your employment or contact information.

This program applies to individuals who are interested in initially securing a blaster's license for surface operations or for adding an additional classification to an existing surface license. A person may not detonate explosives or supervise blasting activities unless the person has obtained a PA Blaster’s License in the classification required for the work they are doing. Blaster’s licenses must be renewed every three years.

The Department’s Bureau of Mining Programs is responsible for blaster’s licensing and certification. We accomplish this in part by holding licensing and certification classes several times each year during which we relate Commonwealth regulations as they relate to current blasting technology and common techniques. This program applies to individuals who are interested in initially securing a blaster's license for surface operations or for adding an additional classification to an existing surface license.

The regulations regarding blaster’s licensing in Pennsylvania are found in Title 25 PA Code, Chapter 210.

In general, anyone who wishes to obtain a PA Blaster’s License must:

• Be 21 years of age or older.
• Have a current ATF clearance as an employee possessor, responsible party, or ATF explosives license or permit holder, unless they are exempt from federal licensing.
• Submit an application with the appropriate fee.
• Have one year of verifiable experience in the classification being sought.
• Have taken the Department’s licensing and certification class at least once. (It is not necessary for a blaster to retake the class when adding an additional classification to a license.)
• Have successfully passed the Department’s examination(s) for a PA Blaster’s License in the classification(s) being sought.

In general, anyone wishing to renew a PA Blaster’s License must:

• Have had a minimum of 8 hours of continuing education in Department-approved courses related to blasting and safety within the 3-year period of the license.
• Be no more than one year after the date of expiration on their license.
• Submit their renewal form along with the appropriate fee.

Additional qualifications may be added to an existing blasting license at any time by making arrangements with the Department to set up an exam date and location, submitting a completed license application, demonstrating verifiable experience in the classification being sought, and passing the appropriate license category exam.

If someone wishes to renew their license more than one year after the expiration date of their license they must apply for a new license.

Further information on Blaster’s License Renewal may be found at the bottom of this page.

Pennsylvania currently has the following Blaster’s License classifications:

• General Surface Blaster: Covers all types of above ground blasting except demolition of manmade structures. This certification requires taking and passing the Department’s General Knowledge Blaster’s Exam, the Surface Mining Blaster’s Exam, the Trenching and Construction Surface Blaster’s Exam, and the Industrial Processes Limited Blaster’s Exam.
  
  
• Surface Excavation Blaster – Surface Mining: Covers all types of above ground blasting for surface mining operations. This certification requires taking and passing the Department’s General Knowledge Blaster’s Exam and the Surface Mining Blaster’s Exam.
  
  
• Surface Excavation Blaster - Trenching & Construction: This license is for surface blasting for excavation not related to mining. Covers all types of above ground blasting for construction purposes, except for demolition of manmade structures. This certification requires taking and passing the Department’s General Knowledge Blaster’s Exam, the Surface Mining Blaster’s Exam, the Trenching and Construction Surface Blaster’s Exam, and the Industrial Processes Limited Blaster’s Exam.
  
  
• Surface Excavation Blaster – Dimension Stone: Covers blasting activities specifically for the cutting of dimensional stone. It does not cover surface blasting of mass overburden materials, which would require a surface mining blaster’s license. This certification requires taking and passing the Department’s General Knowledge Blaster’s Exam and the Surface Mining Dimension Stone Blaster’s Exam.
  
  
• Surface Excavation Blaster – Black powder/Propellant: Covers all types of above ground blasting using propellants and low explosives, except for demolition blasting of manmade structures. This certification requires taking and passing the Department’s General Knowledge Blaster’s Exam and the Surface Black powder/Propellant Blaster’s Exam.
  
  
• Surface Excavation Blaster: Ground preparation work: This used to be known as Pole Line Blaster. This license covers small scale blasting for the purpose of clearing an area or preparing an area for excavation, including blasting boulders, stumps, and rock pinnacles. This certification requires taking and passing the Department’s General Knowledge Blaster’s Exam and the Surface Ground Preparation Blaster’s Exam.
  
  
• Limited Blaster – Industrial Processes/Other: Covers the use of explosives for work such as industrial diamond production, explosive welding of metals, boiler cleaning, explosive disposal, and explosive cable cutting. This classification is also used to license those conducting blasting for testing, research and development, and the production of artistic works. This certification requires taking and passing the Department’s General Knowledge Limited Blaster’s Exam and the Industrial Process/Other Blaster’s Exam.
  
  
• Limited Blaster – Law Enforcement Certification: Covers the use of explosives by law enforcement officers acting in the line of duty. This certification requires taking and passing the Department’s General Knowledge Limited Blaster’s Exam.
  
  
• Limited Blaster – Seismic Exploration: Covers the use of explosives for seismic exploration activities. This certification requires taking and passing the Department’s General Knowledge Limited Blaster’s Exam and the Seismic Exploration Blaster’s Exam.
  
  
• Limited Blaster – Well Perforation Services: Covers the use of explosives for conducting well perforation services for the stimulation of gas, oil, or water wells. This certification requires taking and passing the Department’s General Knowledge Limited Blaster’s Exam and the Well Perforation Blaster’s Exam.
  
  
• Specialist Blaster – Demolition: Covers the use of explosives for conducting the demolition of buildings or other manmade structures with explosives. This certification requires taking and passing the Department’s standalone Demolition Blaster’s License Exam.
  
  
• Specialist Blaster – Mine Opening: Covers the use of explosives for the construction of shafts, drifts, slopes, and tunnels from the surface down to the mineral to be extracted by underground mining. This certification requires taking and passing the Department’s standalone Mine Opening Blaster’s License Exam which combines elements of both underground and surface blasting knowledge.
  
  
• Underground Industrial Minerals: License for those conducting blasting underground for the excavation of mineral resources. This certification requires taking and passing the Department’s standalone Mine Opening Blaster’s License Exam which combines elements of both underground and surface blasting knowledge.

Class and Exam Dates and Locations for New Blaster Licenses

Pennsylvania Blaster’s Licensing and Certification Classes are for all types of PA Blaster's Licenses. The classes are offered at least three times each year depending on interest. Classes may be cancelled if there are too few applications received. In the case of cancellation an applicant may choose to attend the next available class without having to resubmit their application and payment.

The licensing and certification class is offered in-person in a classroom setting but may be live streamed online, if necessary. Those who wish to attend the Licensing & Certification Class virtually must have access to a computer or other device capable of running Microsoft Teams and a quality internet connection. The exam will still be given in person.

For review purposes and to prepare for the class it is recommended that class materials be downloaded early in the process. A printed manual will be provided for those participating in person. The exam is taken in person at a physical location.

Contact the Bureau of Mining Programs at 717.783.9592 or email RA-EPBLASTER@pa.gov to request information or to begin the process of enrolling in a class. Once you have enrolled in a class you may submit an application package for the type of license you wish to obtain.

2025 Licensing and Certification Class Dates and Locations

General and Limited Blaster’s License classes and exams are offered three times each year at one of three different DEP Office locations. The Underground & Mine Opening classes and exams are offered two times per year and are given at the Deep Mine Safety / Cambria District Office in Ebensburg, PA. General, surface blaster, and demolition blaster’s license classes run Wednesday through Friday with the exam being held on the morning of the last day. The Limited, mine opening, and underground blasting license classes run all day on Wednesday with the exam being held on Thursday morning. The dates for 2025 are:

General, Demolition, Limited, Underground, and Mine Opening Licenses – Cambria District Mining Office (Ebensburg, PA) – March 5 through 7, 2025.

General, Demolition, and Limited Licenses – DEP’s South Central Regional Office (Harrisburg, PA) – July 9 through 11, 2025.

General, Demolition, Limited, Underground, and Mine Opening Licenses – Cambria District Mining Office (Ebensburg, PA) – October 22 through 24, 2025.

A printable PDF of our 2025 Blaster’s Licensing and Certification Class Calendar may be downloaded here (PDF)

Applications for Blaster’s Licensing and Certification

Download Application for Blaster Licensing Certification & Examination (PDF)

A completed application includes:

• A completed application.
• A notarized letter verifying at least one year of verifiable experience under a licensed blaster including a detailed description of the type of blasting performed. Please note, you are expected to have appropriate experience to qualify for a PA Blaster’s License. We reserve the right to verify the information you provide on your application.
• A $100 check or money order made payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ($50 class and exam fee + $50 cost of materials)

Note: You may test for multiple license categories in the same day, If you should happen to fail an exam you may work with a member of the Department’s blasting inspection staff to schedule a time and location to retake the exam. There is a separate reduced fee for retaking the exam. Your letter of reference must demonstrate that you are adequately experienced in whatever certifications you wish to receive.

Please submit a completed application no later than two weeks prior to the examination date. Late applications may be scheduled for the next available session. Applications the day of the session will not be accepted.

Mailing Address:
Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Mining Programs
Division of Permitting and Compliance
P.O. Box 8461
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8461

Street address for overnight mail:
Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Mining Programs
Division of Permitting and Compliance
Attn: Blaster Licensing
400 Market St., 5th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17105

Please Note: Seating may be limited (usually 25 to 40 seats per class). Applications may be returned or scheduled for a later session upon reaching seating capacity. If the number of students registered is low, DEP reserves the right to cancel the class.

Taking the Licensing and Certification Classes

It is recommended that you download the PA Blaster’s Licensing Class Manual (PDF) early in your preparation for the Licensing and Certification Class. In addition to this manual, you will be provided with printed booklets (electronically provided if taking class virtually) containing the classroom presentation materials.

The Limited License Class presentation consists of one 8-hour classroom day with the exam given the following morning. The General License Class presentation consists of two 8-hour days of classroom with the exam given on the morning of the third day. The presentations include, but not are not limited to the following:

• Discussion and clarification of new and existing blasting regulations.
• Instruction on calculations regarding scaled distance and blast design.
• Instruction on proper use of seismic monitoring instruments.
• Discussion of various explosive materials, blast initiation systems, and blasting machines.
• Instruction in the requirement and proper use of forms and reports as required by regulations.

Class Starting Times:

• The hours for each classroom session will be from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• The hours for examination will be from 8:00 a.m. to approximately 12:00 noon.
• Each applicant should bring a scientific calculator they are familiar with using and must bring a photo identification card. Cell phone use is not permitted during the exam.
• Confirmation for each class session will be mailed to each applicant.

Renewal of a Current PA Blaster’s License

As noted in the Blaster’s Continuing Education Training section above, Commonwealth regulations require that a licensed blaster have at least 8 hours of relevant continuing education during the three-year life of their current license in order to qualify for license renewal. A renewal notice will be mailed to the mailing address on record, so it is vital that each blaster report any changes of mailing address or changes of employer to the Department by calling 717-783-9592.

A completed renewal includes:

• A completed renewal notice.
• A certificate of continued education from an approved provider. (Up to four hours may be from a Department blasting compliance and competency seminar. All other hours must come from an approved conference or other training provider.)
• A current photo. Head and shoulders photographs may be electronic and emailed photo to RA-EPBMRPHOTO@pa.gov. A passport sized photo may be sent via mail. Photo must be taken without a head covering, tinted glasses, or face mask, and must have a plain background.
• A $30 check or money order made payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

License photo information:

The easiest way to submit your photo is to email a digital photo to RA-EPBMRPHOTO@pa.gov. We also accept color photos stored on compact disc and sent by mail. The photo format should be in tiff (.tif), jpeg (.jpg) or bitmap (.bmp). Please use the BL# and full name in the subject line of emailed photos. If you are unable to provide a digital photo of yourself, please contact the Department to make arrangements to have your photo taken by emailing the link above or calling 717-783-9592.

Blaster’s Continuing Education Training Hours

You must have at least 8 hours of continued education from an approved provider to renew your Pennsylvania Blaster’s License. A limit of up to four hours may be obtained by attending one of the Department’s blasting compliance and competency workshops. These may be used to supplement continuing education hours, however all of the continuing education hours may not be obtained from these workshops. The workshops are intended to go over both technical and compliance aspects of each topic with an open informal question and answer period in which you will be able to interact with Department representatives. All workshops for 2025 will be held at the Environmental Learning Center at Bald Eagle State Park in Centre County, Pennsylvania (149 Main Park Rd, Howard, PA 16841). Registration is required by contacting the Bureau of Mining Programs at 717.783.9592 or email RA-EPBLASTER@pa.gov. The topics and dates for 2025 are:

Seismograph Compliance & Competency Workshop: April 28, June 9, & Sept. 22, 2025

Magazine Keeper Compliance & Safety Workshop: April 29, June 10, & Sept. 23, 2025

(Registration deadline, approximately 1 month prior to event date)

You may also obtain some or all of your continuing education hours through attending an approved conference or one of the third-party providers on this list:

Blaster Continuing Education Courses Providers List (PDF)

If you offer blaster’s continuing education and wish to have your course approved for Pennsylvania licensed blasters, please contact RA-EPEXPLOSIVES@pa.gov for approval. In general, any third-party training should meet the requirements provided in this document.
 

Upcoming Conferences & Events for Continuing Education

International Society of Explosives Engineers (ISEE) Blaster Training Webinars

The ISEE is now offering webinars that qualify for continued education credit, but you must be aware that not all of their courses are 8 hours. You may have to take more than one ISEE course to accumulate the total number of hours needed. If you would like to enroll attend the ISEE training, please visit their website. You will find webinars there and may purchase each series at the indicated price. Follow this link to download the training brochure: ISEE Webinar Brochure (PDF).

Jan 21-26, 2025 – International Society of Explosives Engineers 51^st Annual Conference

The ISEE will be holding their annual conference on explosives and blasting technique at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, Cherokee, NC. The conference features speakers on technical topics related to blasting. The event will include blaster’s training, some or all of which may be used for continuing education hours for license renewal. Visit https://www.isee.org/conference.

February 19-20, 2025 – MSHA Annual Blaster Training Seminar

MSHA will be hosting their annual blaster training seminar at their national training headquarters in Beaver, WV. This event features multiple speakers presenting on technical topics related to blasting and explosives. The hours obtained at this event may be used to fulfill the requirements for continuing education training hours for license renewal. Visit https://www.msha.gov/news-media/events/2025/02/19/msha-mine-blasting-safety-and-application-seminar for more information.

November 13-14, 2025 – 21^st Biannual Pennsylvania Drilling and Blasting Conference

The Pennsylvania Drilling and Blasting Conference is for underground and surface blasters, engineers, suppliers, and other professionals associated with drilling, blasting, and explosives. This conference is approved for up to 10 hours of classroom instruction and meets Pennsylvania continuing education requirements for blaster’s license renewal. (If you are seeking renewal credits outside of Pennsylvania, please check on the specific requirements for your state.). For more information visit https://blasting.outreach.psu.edu/. We hope to see you there!