An audiometer is a complex instrument that measures various aspects of a person's ability to hear. To measure hearing accurately, every audiometer must perform just like any other of its type.

To ensure that all audiometers perform consistently, Texas law requires that they be registered and calibrated. The law also requires people who use audiometers to be registered. (See Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 401.Texas Regulations for the Control of Infrasonic, Sonic, and Ultrasonic Radiation and Chapter 36.Special Senses And Communication Disorders.)

If you use equipment to test hearing in Texas, you must be registered with DSHS. To register, you must:

• be a licensed audiologist or speech-language pathologist,
• be licensed to fit and dispense hearing aids,
• be a licensed physician,
• complete six hours of audiology courses at an accredited university, or complete a hearing screening workshop sponsored by DSHS.

In addition, you must register all of the equipment that you use to evaluate hearing. Fill out a separate form for each piece of equipment.

By law, every audiometer in Texas must be calibrated annually by a qualified technician. Calibration is a way of checking sound emitting equipment to make sure that it is performing within set standards.

Minimum standards require a monthly biological calibration. You can do this by checking the threshold of three people with normal hearing, perhaps including yourself. If the audiometer fails this check, it must be corrected by a calibration technician. Audiometer Monthly Biological Calibration Check (Form M-45) [PDF 112KB]

Audiometers on loan. Any hearing screener who is registered in Texas and performs free screenings may borrow an audiometer for 30 to 90 days. A limited number of audiometers are available, so submit your application well in advance of your scheduled screening dates. Loan equipment is especially scarce during the fall semester, when schools conduct hearing screenings.

A loan application form (F05-06832) must be filled out to request an audiometer. The borrower also must fill out a monthly hearing screening report form (AL-16) indicating the number of children screened and submit with the audiometer. View both forms F05-06832 and AL-16. [PDF 509 KB]