General content for journeyman and master electrician's examinations
How many times an applicant can take examinations
When certificates of competency have to be renewed
Continuing education requirements
Who can obtain temporary permits
How and why a certificate of competency is revoked
RCW
19.28.201
Examination -- Times -- Certification of results -- Contents --
Fees.
The department, in
coordination with the board, shall prepare an examination to be administered to
applicants for master journeyman electrician, journeyman electrician, master
specialty electrician, and specialty electrician certificates of competency.
The department, with the consent of the board, may enter into a contract with a
professional testing agency to develop, administer, and score electrician
certification examinations. The department may set the examination fee by
contract with the professional testing agency.
The department must, at least four times
annually, administer the examination to persons eligible to take it under
RCW 19.28.191. The fee must cover, but not exceed, the costs of preparing and
administering the examination.
The department
must certify the results of the examination upon the terms and after such a
period of time as the department, in cooperation with the board, deems necessary
and proper.
(1)(a) The master electrician's certificates of competency
examinations must include questions from the following categories to ensure
proper safety and protection for the general public:
(i) Safety;
(ii) the state electrical code; and
(iii) electrical theory.
(b)
A person may take the master electrician
examination as many times as necessary without limit. All applicants
must, before taking the examination, pay the required examination fee to the
agency administering the examination.
(2) The journeyman electrician and
specialty electrician examinations shall be constructed to determine:
(a) Whether the applicant possesses varied general knowledge of the technical
information and practical procedures that are identified with the status of
journeyman electrician or specialty electrician; and
(b) Whether the applicant is sufficiently familiar with the applicable
electrical codes and the rules of the department pertaining to electrical
installations and electricians.
A person may take the examination as
many times as necessary without limit. All applicants must, before taking
the examination, pay the required examination fee to the agency administering
the examination.
RCW 19.28.211
Certificate of competency -- Issuance -- Renewal -- Continuing education -- Fees
-- Effect.
(1) The department shall issue a certificate of competency to all applicants who have passed the examination provided in RCW 19.28.201, and who have complied with RCW 19.28.161 through 19.28.271 and the rules adopted under this chapter. The certificate shall bear the date of issuance, and shall expire on the holder's birthday.
The certificate shall be renewed every
three years, upon application, on or before the holder's birthdate. A fee shall
be assessed for each certificate and for each annual renewal.
(2) If the certificate holder demonstrates to the department that he or she has
satisfactorily completed an annual eight-hour continuing education course, the
certificate may be renewed without examination by appropriate application unless
the certificate has been revoked, suspended, or not renewed within ninety days
after the expiration date.
(a) The contents and
requirements for satisfactory completion of the continuing education course
shall be determined by the director and approved by the board.
(b) The department shall accept proof of a certificate holder's satisfactory
completion of a continuing education course offered in another state as meeting
the requirements for maintaining a current Washington state certificate of
competency if the department is satisfied the course is comparable in nature to
that required in Washington state for maintaining a current certificate of
competency.
(3)
If the certificate is not renewed before
the expiration date, the individual shall pay twice the usual fee. The
department shall set the fees by rule for issuance and renewal of a certificate
of competency. The fees shall cover but not exceed the costs of issuing the
certificates and of administering and enforcing the electrician certification
requirements of this chapter.
(4)
The certificates of competency and
temporary permits provided for in this chapter grant the holder the right to
work in the electrical construction trade as a master electrician, journeyman
electrician, or specialty electrician in accordance with their provisions
throughout the state and within any of its political subdivisions without
additional proof of competency or any other license, permit, or fee to engage in
such work.
RCW 19.28.221
Persons engaged in trade or business on July 16, 1973.
No examination shall be required of any applicant for a certificate of competency who, on July 16, 1973, was engaged in a bona fide business or trade as a journeyman electrician in the state of Washington. Applicants qualifying under this section shall be issued a certificate by the department upon making an application as provided in RCW 19.28.181 and paying the fee required under RCW 19.28.201: PROVIDED, That no applicant under this section shall be required to furnish such evidence as required by RCW 19.28.181.
RCW 19.28.231
Temporary permits.
The department is authorized to grant and issue temporary permits in lieu of certificates of competency whenever an electrician coming into the state of Washington from another state requests the department for a temporary permit to engage in the electrical construction trade as an electrician during the period of time between filing of an application for a certificate as provided in RCW 19.28.181 and the date the results of taking the examination provided for in RCW 19.28.201 are furnished to the applicant.
The department is authorized to enter into reciprocal agreements with other states providing for the acceptance of such states' journeyman and speciality electrician certificate of competency or its equivalent when such states requirements are equal to the standards set by this chapter.
No temporary permit shall be
issued to:
(1) Any person who has failed to pass the examination for a
certificate of competency, except that any person who has failed the examination
for competency under this section shall be entitled to continue to work under a
temporary permit for ninety days if the
person is enrolled in a journeyman electrician refresher course and shows
evidence to the department that he or she has not missed any classes.
The person, after completing
the journeyman electrician refresher course, shall be eligible to retake the
examination for competency at the next scheduled time.
(2) Any applicant
under this section who has not furnished the department with such evidence
required under RCW 19.28.181.
(3) To any apprentice electrician.
RCW 19.28.241
Revocation of certificate of competency -- Grounds -- Procedure.
(1) The department may
revoke any certificate of competency upon the following grounds:
(a) The certificate was obtained through error or fraud;
(b) The holder thereof is judged to be incompetent to work in the electrical
construction trade as a journeyman electrician or specialty electrician;
(c) The holder thereof has violated any of the provisions of RCW 19.28.161
through 19.28.271 or any rule adopted under this chapter; or
(d) The holder thereof has committed a serious violation of this chapter or any
rule adopted under this chapter. A serious violation is a violation that
presents imminent danger to the public.
(2)
The department may deny an
application for a certificate of competency for up to two years if the
applicant's previous certificate of competency has been revoked.
(3)
Before any certificate of competency shall be revoked, the holder shall be given
written notice of the department's intention to do so, mailed by registered
mail, return receipt requested, to the holder's last known address. The notice
shall enumerate the allegations against the holder, and shall give the holder
the opportunity to request a hearing before the board. At the hearing, the
department and the holder may produce witnesses and give testimony. The hearing
shall be conducted in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW. The board shall render
its decision based upon the testimony and evidence presented, and shall notify
the parties immediately upon reaching its decision. A majority of the board
shall be necessary to render a decision.
(4) The department shall
immediately suspend the license or certificate of a person who has been
certified pursuant to RCW 74.20A.320 by the department of social and health
services as a person who is not in compliance with a support order. If the
person has continued to meet all other requirements for reinstatement during the
suspension, reissuance of the license or certificate shall be automatic upon the
department's receipt of a release issued by the department of social and health
services stating that the licensee is in compliance with the order.
Key Points
- The department must, at least four times annually, administer the examination to persons eligible to take it under RCW 19.28.191.
- The master electrician's certificates of competency examinations must include questions from the following categories to ensure proper safety and protection for the general public:
(i) Safety;
(ii) the state electrical code; and
(iii) electrical theory.
- The certificate shall be renewed every three years, upon application, on or before the holder's birthdate. A fee shall be assessed for each certificate and for each annual renewal.
- If the certificate holder demonstrates to the department that he or she has satisfactorily completed an annual eight-hour continuing education course, the certificate may be renewed without examination.
- The department is authorized to grant and issue temporary permits in lieu of certificates of competency whenever an electrician coming into the state of Washington from another state requests the department for a temporary permit to engage in the electrical construction trade as an electrician during the period of time between filing of an application for a certificate as provided in RCW 19.28.181 and the date the results of taking the examination provided for in RCW 19.28.201 are furnished to the applicant.
- The department may revoke any certificate of competency upon the following grounds:
(a) The certificate was obtained through error or fraud;
(b) The holder thereof is judged to be incompetent to work in the electrical construction trade as a journeyman electrician or specialty electrician;
(c) The holder thereof has violated any of the provisions of RCW 19.28.161 through 19.28.271 or any rule adopted under this chapter; or
(d) The holder thereof has committed a serious violation of this chapter or any rule adopted under this chapter. A serious violation is a violation that presents imminent danger to the public.
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