TCOLE L-3 Psychological Health Declaration: Filing, Timing, and Confidentiality

The TCOLE L-3 form is the Licensee Psychological and Emotional Health Declaration that a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist signs to confirm an applicant is mentally fit to serve as a Texas peace officer, county jailer, telecommunicator, or school marshal. The hiring agency or academy — not the applicant — selects the examiner, provides the required background documents, and submits the completed form to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.¹ Without an L-3 on file, TCOLE will not issue a license or approve an appointment.

Who Needs an L-3

Texas Occupations Code Section 1701.306 bars TCOLE from issuing a license unless a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist has examined the applicant and declared them in satisfactory psychological and emotional health for the role sought.² The declaration is required for four license types: peace officer, county jailer, telecommunicator, and school marshal.

The form comes into play in two situations. The first is enrollment in a basic licensing academy. The second is appointment to a licensed position with an agency. If a currently licensed person has been separated from any agency for more than 180 days, the appointing agency must obtain a new L-3 before the appointment takes effect.³

Who Picks the Examiner and What the Exam Covers

The agency or academy chooses the examiner, who must hold a current license from the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists or the Texas Medical Board. In exceptional circumstances the agency can ask TCOLE in writing to approve a qualified licensed physician instead, but that approval has to be in hand before the evaluation takes place.¹

Before the examination, the agency must give the practitioner three things: the job description for the position sought, the applicant’s completed Personal History Statement, and any background investigation documents.⁴ That’s an agency responsibility, not the applicant’s.

Under 37 TAC 217.1(b)(12) the examination itself has three required components:

A standardized personality trait instrument.
A standardized psychopathology instrument.
A face-to-face interview, conducted only after both instruments have been scored so the examiner can follow up on anything the tests flagged.

Remote-only testing doesn’t satisfy the rule. The interview has to happen in person after the test results come back.⁵

How to Fill Out the Form

Download the current version from the Forms and Applications page at tcole.texas.gov. The L-3 has fields completed by the agency, by the applicant, and by the examining practitioner.

Applicant and Agency Information

Enter the applicant’s TCOLE Personal Identification number (PID), last name, and first name at the top. If the applicant doesn’t yet have a PID, the agency must submit a C-1 PID Assignment form first to create the record in TCOLE’s system; without that, there is nothing to attach the L-3 to.⁶

Then check the correct set of boxes. If the applicant is enrolling in an academy, check the license type sought: peace officer, county jailer, telecommunicator, or school marshal. If the applicant already holds a license and is being appointed, check the appointment type box instead. The two sets of boxes are not interchangeable, and checking the wrong one causes delays.¹ Enter the academy or agency name in the designated field.

Practitioner Information and Signature

The examiner enters their last name, first name, and state license number, and records the date the examination was performed in field 33. The practitioner must then sign the form. The L-3 states explicitly that it is only valid if signed by the appropriate practitioner, so a typed or printed name alone will not do.¹

The declaration is the examiner’s professional judgment that the applicant either is or is not in satisfactory psychological and emotional health for the specific role checked on the form. Even when the finding is unfavorable, the form still has to be completed and submitted.

Submitting the Form and Timing Windows

The hiring agency or academy is responsible for submission. Under Section 1701.306(b), the agency prepares a report of the declaration and keeps a copy on file in a format readily accessible to the commission.²

For a passing result, the agency submits the L-3 data to TCOLE as part of the appointment or enrollment process. The examination must have been completed within 180 days before the date of appointment. If more than 180 days have passed since the examination, or since graduation from a basic licensing course for an initial appointee, the agency has to obtain a fresh L-3 before finalizing the appointment.⁵

School marshal applicants face a tighter window. For that role the L-3 is valid for only 90 days from the date the practitioner signs it.¹

If the Applicant Fails

A negative finding doesn’t go away quietly. The training coordinator or agency chief administrator must submit the failed L-3 to TCOLE within 30 days. Failed forms go by email to fitforduty@tcole.texas.gov.⁷

Under TCOLE’s model policy, a failure becomes final when the practitioner recommends no treatment and no further examination is requested, when the applicant fails or refuses to complete a recommended treatment program, when the applicant separates after an unremedied failure, or when all appeals and further examinations have been exhausted without resolving the issue.⁷

Confidentiality

A psychological declaration filed under Section 1701.306 is not public information.² The agency keeps the original signed form, but the contents are shielded from open records requests. Detailed test findings and interview notes stay with the examining practitioner. The L-3 itself records only the ultimate pass-or-fail conclusion along with the applicant’s identifying information.

Common Mistakes That Delay Processing

Agencies that process L-3s regularly see the same errors repeat. The most obvious is a missing practitioner signature, which makes the form invalid on its face. Subtler problems are just as common:

Checking “license type sought” when the person already holds a license and is seeking an appointment.
Leaving the TCOLE PID blank because the agency forgot to file the C-1 first.
Submitting an examination performed more than 180 days before the appointment date.
Letting the examiner conduct the evaluation without first receiving the Personal History Statement and background documents from the agency.

That last one matters because an examination done without those materials doesn’t comply with 37 TAC 217.1(b)(12), and TCOLE can require a new one.⁵ Getting the paperwork to the practitioner before the appointment avoids repeating the whole process.

1
Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. Licensee Psychological and Emotional Health Declaration (L-3)
2
Texas Public Law. Texas Occupations Code Section 1701.306 – Psychological and Physical Examination
3
Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. Adopted Amended Rule 37 TAC 217.7 – Reporting Appointment and Separation of a Licensee
4
Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. Technical Assistance Bulletin – Amended Process and Reporting Requirements for Medical and Psychological Examinations
5
Law.cornell.edu. 37 Texas Administrative Code 217.1 – Minimum Standards for Enrollment
6
Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. PID Assignment (C-1)
7
Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. Model Policy Guidance – Section: Medical and Psychological Examination of a Licensee