Texas has added a new class(s) of electrical licenses!
** New Licenses - Residential Appliance Installers & Residential Appliance Installer Contractors **
Senate Bill 1222, which was passed during the 80th Legislative Session, has resulted in amendments to Chapter 1305 of the Texas Occupations Code
and new statewide requirements for residential appliance installers and contractors.
Beginning March 1, 2008, a person may not perform or offer to perform residential appliance installation or residential appliance installation
contracting work without the appropriate license. The new requirements establish minimum qualifications for these license holders and makes
them eligible to work anywhere in the state.
The law also established a “grand fathering period” which extends through June 1, 2008. The “grand fathering period” enables qualified
applicants (specifically those who have completed 4,000 hours of electrical work or residential appliance installation under the
supervision of a master electrician) to obtain a license without passing an exam. After the “grand fathering period” ends, all applicants will
need to present proof of having passed an exam approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR).
For more complete information go here; http://www.license.state.tx.us/electricians/elec.htm
For exam information check here; http://www2.iccsafe.org/contractor/dsp_state.cfm?state=TX
Reduced License Fees;
Texas Department Of Licensing And Regulation Fee Reduction Schedule
The Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation (Commission), TDLR’s governing body, has voted unanimously to reduce 21 licensing and registration fees in 8 of TDLR’s programs. Fee reductions range from 8 percent to as high as 80 percent. On an annual basis, the fee reductions are projected to exceed $1,300,000.“ We perform an annual review of our licensing fees to ensure that each program covers only the cost of operating it,” said William Kuntz, TDLR’s executive director. “As our efficiency improves, it is good news for our licensees.”“The same basic functions are required regardless of the type of license,” Kuntz said. “So it only makes sense to us to have the same people issuing all licenses rather than setting up a system of specialists for each type of license. This also gives us more flexibility to handle the regular ebbs and flows of licensing.
”Fee reductions include: Master electrician and master sign electrician licenses, $65 annually to $50, a 23 percent reduction;
A complete list of fee reductions is below.
Before the lower fees can become effective, TDLR’s rules will have to be amended.
Adjustment of rules involving 8 programs will take some time, but TDLR staff will begin modifying the rules immediately.
Effective May 15, 2008
Fee Reductions 2008
Electrical Contractor - From $125 to $115
Electrical Sign Contractor - From $125 to $115
Master Electrician - From $65 to $50
Master Sign Electrician - From $65 to $50
Journeyman Electrician - From $40 to $35
Journeyman Sign Electrician - From $40 to $35
Reciprocity Agreement;
Current agreements;
We already have an agreement with Louisiana.For Master Electricians.
Also - currently for Journeyman Electricians in Arkansas, and Washington.
Coming Soon!
The state of Texas has been working for three years towards a Journeyman Electrician reciprocity membership with a "Group" of 14 other states!
The included states are;
Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
In order to obtain membership in the "Group" Texas must be voted in by ALL of the states in this "Group". It is ALL or NONE!
As of October 1, 2007, ALL of the states had voted to accept Texas in a joint reciprocity agreement at one time or another...... HOWEVER!
The Governor of Minnesota has "re-structured" that states licensing agencies, and in doing so their legislature required them to reach back to January 1, 2007!
This predated that states vote to accept Texas into the "Group", thus stopping the entire reciprocity agreement with ALL of the other states, until Minnesota can complete their restructure, and vote again!
Once established, most of the states (other than Arkansas, & Washington) will accept ONLY those Journeymen who have taken, and passed the ICC test after 2003.
Grandfathered licenses, and the SBCCI exam will NOT be accepted for a reciprocal license.
UPDATE!
June 16th, 2008
The NEW electrical board of Minnesota voted NOT to accept Texas as a member of the reciprocity "group"!
Even though the original electrical board had previously voted to accept Texas, the NEW Minnesota electrical board has voted NOT to accept Texas.
This SINGLE negative vote effectively ends the hopes of Texas to obtain acceptance into the reciprocity "group" of states.
Therefore, Texas (TDLR) hopes to begin individual negotiations for reciprocity with all other states.
Texas is already negotiating with Alaska, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.
Master Electrician reciprocal agreements are in the works for;
Washington, Arkansas |
