CHAPTER 502
ELECTRICIAN AND ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR LICENSING PROGRAM—LICENSING REQUIREMENTS, PROCEDURES, AND FEES
661—502.1(82GA,ch197) License categories and licenses required.
	502.1(1) The following categories of license are established:
	a. 	Electrical contractor.
	b. 	Master electrician, class A.
	c. 	Master electrician, class B.
	d. 	Journeyman electrician, class A.
	e. 	Journeyman electrician, class B.
	f. 	Apprentice electrician.
	g. 	Special electrician.
	h. 	Unclassified person.
	502.1(2) A person who holds any class of license issued by the board, other than a class B license, may perform the work authorized by that license anywhere within the state of Iowa. A person who holds a special electrician license may perform the work which is authorized by that license endorsement. A person who holds a class B license may perform the work authorized by that license except in a political subdivision which, by local ordinance, has restricted or barred such work by a person who holds a class B license.
	502.1(3) A person who does not have a current valid license shall not perform work as an electrician or as an unclassified person. A person shall not perform work which requires licensing and which is not specifically authorized under the license issued.
Exception 1:  A person who holds a current valid license issued by a political subdivision may perform work as an electrician or unclassified person within the corporate limits of the political subdivision which issued the license.
Exception 2:  A person who has submitted a completed application and the applicable fee to the board may perform work authorized by the license applied for, provided (a) that the person is not clearly unqualified for the license applied for, (b) that the person has, prior to January 1, 2008, been performing work equivalent to work authorized under the license being applied for, and (c) that, prior to the actual issuance of licenses by the board, a person may not perform work in a political subdivision which issues electrician licenses unless the person holds a current and valid license issued by that political subdivision.
Note:  Exception 2 is temporary and will be rescinded when licenses are issued by the board. The rescission may occur as early as April 1, 2008, and is expected to occur no later than July 1, 2008.
Exception 3:  A person may work for up to 100 continuous days as an unclassified person prior to obtaining a license. Any documented time during which a person has worked as an unclassified person prior to January 1, 2008, or any time during which a person has worked as a licensed unclassified person shall be credited to any applicable experience requirement. Any time during which a person works as an unclassified person without a license on or after January 1, 2008, shall not be counted toward any such experience requirement, except that a person may receive credit for time worked as an unclassified person on or after January 1, 2008, without a license if the person has applied for a license.
661—502.2(82GA,ch197) License requirements.
	502.2(1) An electrical contractor license may be issued to a person who submits to the board the required application with the applicable fee, who holds a master electrician license, who is registered as a contractor with the labor services division of the Iowa department of workforce development, and who is not disqualified pursuant to rule 661—502.4(82GA,ch197). An electrical contractor license issued to a person who holds a class B master electrician license is subject to the same restriction of use as is the class B master electrician license.
	502.2(2) A class A master electrician license may be issued to a person who submits to the board a completed application with the applicable fee, who is not disqualified from holding a license pursuant to rule 661—502.4(82GA,ch197), and who meets one of the following requirements:
	a. 	Has completed one year of experience as a licensed journeyman electrician, and has passed a supervised written examination for master electrician approved by the board with a score of 75 or higher; or
	b. 	As of December 31, 2007, held a current valid license as a master electrician issued by a political subdivision in Iowa, the issuance of which required passing a supervised written examination approved by the board, and one year of experience as a journeyman electrician; or
	c. 	Holds a current class B master electrician license and has passed a supervised written examination for master electrician approved by the board with a score of 75 or higher.
	502.2(3) A class B master electrician license may be issued to a person who submits to the board a completed application with the applicable fee, who is not disqualified from holding a license pursuant to rule 661—502.4(82GA,ch197), who presents credible evidence of having worked for a total of eight years (16,000 hours of cumulative experience) as a master electrician since 1989, and whose experience as a master electrician began on or before December 31, 1989.
	502.2(4) A class A journeyman electrician license may be issued to a person who submits to the board a completed application with the applicable fee, who is not disqualified from holding a license pursuant to rule 661—502.4(82GA,ch197), and who meets one of the following requirements:
	a. 	Has successfully completed an apprenticeship program registered by the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training of the United States Department of Labor, has passed a supervised written examination for journeyman electrician approved by the board with a score of 75 or higher, and has completed four years of experience as an apprentice electrician; or
	b. 	As of December 31, 2007, held a current valid license as a journeyman electrician issued by a political subdivision in Iowa, the issuance of which required passing a supervised written examination approved by the board, and has completed a registered apprenticeship program and four years of experience as an apprentice electrician; or
	c. 	Holds a current class B journeyman electrician license and has passed a supervised written examination for journeyman electrician approved by the board with a score of 75 or higher.
	502.2(5) A class B journeyman electrician license may be issued to a person who submits to the board a completed application with the applicable fee, who is not disqualified from holding a license pursuant to rule 661—502.4(82GA,ch197), who presents credible evidence of having worked for a total of eight years (16,000 hours of cumulative experience) as a journeyman or master electrician since 1989, and whose experience as a journeyman or master electrician began on or before December 31, 1990.
	502.2(6) A special electrician license may be issued to a person who submits to the board a completed application with the applicable fee, who is not disqualified from holding a license pursuant to rule 661—502.4(82GA,ch197), and who meets the qualifications for any endorsement entered on the license. Each special electrician license shall carry one or more endorsements as specified in paragraphs “a” through “d.”
	a. 	Endorsement 1, “Irrigation System Wiring,” shall be included on a special electrician license if the licensee requests it and has passed a supervised examination approved by the board or has completed two years, or 4,000 hours, of documented experience in the wiring of irrigation systems.
	b. 	Endorsement 2, “Disconnecting and Reconnecting Existing Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Systems,” shall be included on a special electrician license if the licensee requests it and has passed a supervised examination approved by the board or has completed two years of documented experience in the disconnecting and reconnecting of existing air conditioning and refrigeration systems.
	c. 	Endorsement 3, “Sign Installation,” shall be included on a special electrician license if the licensee requests that it be included. This endorsement does not authorize a licensee to connect power to a sign that has a voltage greater than 220V and an ampere rating greater than 20 amps. Initial installation or upgrading of the branch circuits supplying power to the sign shall be completed by a licensed master electrician or by a licensed journeyman electrician under the supervision of a master electrician.
	d. 	Endorsement 4, “Residential Electrician,” shall be included on a special electrician license if the licensee requests it and has passed a supervised written examination approved by the board or has completed four years of documented experience performing residential electrical work. A political subdivision may, by enactment of an ordinance filed with the board prior to its effective date, require that a special electrician performing work authorized by this endorsement be supervised by a master electrician.
	502.2(7) An apprentice electrician license may be issued to a person who submits a completed application to the board with the applicable fee, who is not disqualified pursuant to rule 661—502.4(82GA,ch197) and who is participating in an apprenticeship training program that is registered with the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training of the United States Department of Labor. A person may hold an apprentice electrician license for no more than six years from the original date on which an apprentice electrician license is granted, except that a person may apply to the board for an exception to this limitation based upon a documented hardship. “Documented hardship” includes, but is not limited to, an interruption in service as an apprentice electrician for active military duty or for an extended illness.
	502.2(8) A license as an unclassified person may be issued to a person who submits a completed application to the board with the applicable fee, who is not disqualified pursuant to rule 661—502.4(82GA,ch197) and who is employed by a licensed electrical contractor.
661—502.3(82GA,ch197) License terms and fees. The following table sets out the length of term of each license and the fee for the license.

License Type	Term	Fee	
Electrical Contractor	3 years	$375	
Master Electrician, Class A	3 years	$375	
Master Electrician, Class B	3 years	$375	
Journeyman Electrician, Class A	3 years	$75	
Journeyman Electrician, Class B	3 years	$75	
Special Electrician	3 years	$75	
Apprentice Electrician	1 year	$25	
Unclassified Person	1 year	$20	
	502.3(1) Fees are payable in advance with the application, by check or warrant to the Department of Public Safety. The memo area of the check should read “Electrician Licensing Fees.”
	502.3(2) Notice of renewal shall be provided to each licensee no less than 30 days prior to the expiration of the current license.
661—502.4(82GA,ch197) Disqualifications for licensure. An application for a license shall be denied if any of the following apply:
	502.4(1) The applicant fails to meet the requirements for the license for which the applicant has applied or the applicant fails to provide adequate documentation of any requirement.
	502.4(2) The applicant has previously had a license revoked or suspended by the board, and the circumstances which formed the basis of the revocation or suspension have not been corrected. If a license was revoked or suspended and conditions were imposed for the restoration of the license, licensure shall be denied unless those conditions have been met.
	502.4(3) The applicant has been denied, for cause, a license to work, or a license as an electrician has been revoked, for cause, in any other state or political subdivision and the applicant has not subsequently received a license from the state or political subdivision which denied or revoked the license. An applicant who has been denied a license pursuant to this provision may apply to the board for a license and, upon a showing of evidence satisfactory to the board that the condition or conditions which led to the denial or revocation no longer apply, the board may grant the license to the applicant.
	502.4(4) The applicant falsifies or fails to provide any information requested in connection with the application or falsifies any other information provided to the board in support of the application.
	502.4(5) The applicant may be denied a license if the applicant has previously been convicted of a criminal offense involving, but not limited to, fraud, misrepresentation, arson or theft, or if the applicant is currently delinquent in paying employment taxes to the state of Iowa or the United States. If the denial is based upon conviction of a criminal offense, the board shall examine the specific circumstances of the offense and may grant the license if, in the judgment of the board, sufficient time has passed since the conviction and there is no further evidence of criminal conduct on the part of the applicant.
661—502.5(82GA,ch197) License application. Any person seeking a license from the board shall submit a completed application to the board accompanied by the applicable fee payable by check, money order, or warrant to the Iowa Department of Public Safety. The memo area of the check should read “Electrician Licensing Fees.” The application shall be submitted on the form prescribed by the board, which may be obtained from the board office.
661—502.6(82GA,ch197) Restriction of use of class B licenses by political subdivisions. A political subdivision may disallow or restrict the use of a class B license to perform electrical work within the geographic limits of that subdivision through adoption of a local ordinance. A copy of any such ordinance shall be filed with the board office prior to the effective date of the ordinance.
Exception 1:  An ordinance restricting or disallowing electrical work by holders of class B licenses shall not apply to work which is not subject to the issuance of permits by the political subdivision.
Exception 2:  An ordinance restricting or disallowing electrical work by holders of class B licenses which was passed prior to January 1, 2008, shall be filed with the board as soon as practicable and, in any case, no later than April 1, 2008.
661—502.7(82GA,ch197) Financial responsibility. Any holder of an electrical contractor license or any holder of an electrician license who is not employed by a licensed electrical contractor and who contracts to provide electrical work which requires a license issued pursuant to 661—Chapters 500 through 503 shall, at all times, maintain insurance coverage as provided in this rule.
	502.7(1) The licensee shall maintain general and complete operations liability insurance in the amount of at least $1 million for all work performed which requires licensing pursuant to 661—Chapters 500 through 503.
	a. 	The carrier of any insurance coverage maintained by the licensee to meet this requirement shall notify the board 30 days prior to the effective date of cancellation or reduction of the coverage.
	b. 	The licensee shall cease operation immediately if the insurance coverage required by this rule is no longer in force and other insurance coverage meeting the requirements of this rule is not in force. A licensee shall not initiate any electrical work which cannot reasonably be expected to be completed prior to the effective date of the cancellation of the insurance coverage required by this rule and of which the licensee has received notice, unless new insurance coverage meeting the requirements of this rule has been obtained and will be in force upon cancellation of the prior coverage.
	502.7(2) Reserved.
These rules are intended to implement 2007 Iowa Acts, chapter 197.
[Filed emergency 12/17/07—published 1/16/08, effective 1/1/08]