No person shall do electrical work, as defined
in the Caroline County Electrical Code, unless properly licensed as
herein set forth.
A.
The provisions of this article of the Caroline County
Electrical Code shall not apply to the following:
[Amended 6-12-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-3]
(1)
Any electric light or power company, any railway company,
any telegraph or telephone company or any cable television company
nor to any persons performing electrical work for any such company
when such work is a part of the plant or services used by the company
in rendering its authorized service to the public.
(2)
Anyone performing repairs, maintenance or other servicing
of electrical equipment in factories.
(3)
Work by owners of single-family dwellings; work on
farm premises.
(a)
Any person doing electrical work in or on a
single-family dwelling house or its curtilage, which curtilage shall
include but not be limited to, accessory buildings located on the
same tract or parcel of land as the single-family dwelling house,
including agricultural-related structures, provided that the person
so doing is the bona fide owner and residential occupant of such residential
dwelling house; or
(b)
Any person (including employees thereof) doing
electrical work on farm premises, structures, or systems on a parcel
or tract of land owned or leased by that person.
(4)
Any employee of any person, firm or corporation engaged
in the business of doing electrical work, any general electrician
or any limited electrician, when under the supervision of a master
electrician, general electrician or limited electrician.
(5)
Any person holding a first- or second-class radio-telephone
license issued by the Federal Communications Commission doing electrical
work, as defined herein, directly relating to the powering, installation
and use of radio-telephone equipment.
B.
The provisions of this article shall not be construed
to apply to any person or business entity engaged in the repair, maintenance
or other servicing of heating and cooling equipment or electrical
household appliances.
There shall be three classes of electricians
and licenses, namely master electrician, general electrician and limited
electrician.
A.
Master electrician. In order to qualify for a license,
a master electrician must:
(2)
Have been engaged or employed regularly and principally
in providing electrical services for all types of electrical equipment
and apparatus for at least seven years while under the direction and
supervision of a master electrician. The Board may allow an applicant
up to three years of credit toward the experience required if the
Board determines that the applicant has completed a formal course
of study or professional training in electrical installation comparable
to the required experience as permitted by the Maryland Uniform Electrical
Licensing Examination Committee, Inc.
B.
General electrician. In order to qualify for a license,
a general electrician must:
(2)
Have had at least two years of practical experience in the electrical work set forth under the definition of "general electrician" in § 98-2 of this chapter. Schooling or training in a technical school or college relating to said work may be substituted, month for month, for not more than one year of said two years of practical experience.
A.
A.
General regulations.
[Amended 6-12-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-3]
(1)
Examinations shall be based on the Electrical Code
as defined herein.
(2)
Examinations shall be conducted from time to time
as scheduled by the Board.
(3)
License examinations shall be conducted on a quarterly
schedule determined by the Board.
(4)
Applicants may make use of the Electrical Code for
reference during examinations.
(5)
The Board may disapprove the application of any applicant
who makes use of unauthorized materials or assistance during the examination.
(6)
The achievement of a grade of 70% or more of the possible
point credits in the examination shall constitute successful completion.
B.
Reexaminations.
(1)
An applicant who does not successfully complete an
examination may request, in writing, a reexamination. The first reexamination
may be requested at any time. Subsequent reexaminations may not be
requested for a period of three months after the date of the last
unsuccessful examination.
[Amended 7-9-1985 by Ord. No. 85-005; 2-8-2005 by 2005-1]
The County Commissioners shall establish a schedule
of fees and a collection procedure for licenses, late renewals, reinstatements
and examinations. The schedule of fees may be amended from time to
time by resolution of the County Commissioners.
[Amended 2-8-2005 by Bill No. 2005-1]
Prior to the issuance or renewal of any license,
the applicant shall deliver to the Board proof of general liability
insurance in the amount of $300,000 and property damage insurance
in the amount of $100,000. Notice of cancellation of the insurance
shall be forwarded to the Board within 10 days of cancellation.
[Amended 2-8-2005 by Bill No. 2005-1; 6-12-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-3]
A.
Expiration of license. All licenses shall expire on
the last day of June not less than 13 months and no more than 25 months
following the date of issuance.
B.
Conditions of license renewal.
(1)
Licenses may be renewed for a two-year term at any
time during the month of June by payment of the renewal fee.
(2)
Licenses not renewed on or before the last day of
the month of June will not be renewed until the licensee completes
an application for a new license.
(3)
Ten hours of continuing education credits are required
in order to renew a general or master electrician license. The credits
must have been taken within the two years prior to renewal.
Reciprocity shall be granted as follows:
A.
Eligibility requirements for licenses with licenses
issued by examination. A reciprocal electrical license of the same
class or for the same type of work performed, if available, shall
be issued by the Board, without examination, to any eligible applicant
who has obtained his license by an examination in a jurisdiction within
this state and who has held a license in that jurisdiction for a period
of at least one year immediately prior to applying. A licensee whose
principal place of business is legally established in this state or
who is a resident of this state is eligible under the reciprocity
system. Reciprocity shall be granted the licensee to obtain only the
initial reciprocal license in Caroline County. A licensee whose license
is suspended or revoked or who has a record of violations of the regulations
in any one jurisdiction within this state at the time of applying
may not be eligible under the reciprocity system. The Board shall
request the following information from the Electrical Board of the
jurisdiction where the applicant was licensed by examination:
B.
[1]Fees and insurance requirements. All applicants for a reciprocal
license under this reciprocity system shall be subject to the payment
of the prescribed fees and to the furnishing of proof of general liability
insurance to the Board.
[Amended 2-8-2005 by Bill No. 2005-1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection B, Eligibility
requirements for licensees with licenses issued without examination,
was repealed 6-12-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-3. This bill also redesignated
former Subsection C as Subsection B.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 98-25, Grandfather
clause; criteria for applicability, was repealed 6-12-2007 by Ord.
No. 2007-3.
[Amended 2-8-2005 by Bill No. 2005-1; 6-12-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-3]
A.
Any master electrician, general electrician or limited
electrician may shelve his or her license in inactive status. Thereupon,
the licensee may not engage in any electrical work governed by this
chapter.
B.
A shelved license shall be reactivated upon written
request by the licensee to the Board and payment of the ordinary renewal
license fee for the applicable class.
C.
A shelved license must be activated every two renewal
periods, during the month of June, by application for renewal and
payment of an inactive license fee, except for inspectors of approved
inspection agencies in Caroline County. A shelved license shall become
null and void if not so renewed.
The provisions of this section are administrative
in nature and shall not affect the right of any person to bring a
civil action or criminal charges in any court.
A.
Filing charges; notification.
(1)
Any person may charge a licensee with:
(a)
Doing electrical work or permitting electrical
work to be done which does not conform to the standards of the Electrical
Code when the licensee has been notified of such nonconformity and
has failed to correct the nonconformity within 15 days of notice.
(b)
Fraud or deceit in obtaining a license under
this chapter.
(c)
Being incompetent to perform the work for which
the licensee is licensed.
(2)
Such charges shall be made under oath and filed, in
writing, with the Secretary-Treasurer of the Board.
(3)
Upon the filing of such charges, the Board shall furnish
a copy of the charges to the licensee in person or by certified mail.
(4)
The licensee shall be ordered by the Board to appear
at a hearing not sooner than 30 days and not later than 60 days after
notice.
(5)
The mailing of a notice by certified mail to the last
known address of the licensee shall be deemed to be actual notice.
B.
Hearing. At the hearing, the licensee shall have the
right to appear with and be represented by counsel, to cross-examine
witnesses and to be heard.
C.
License suspension and/or revocation.
(1)
If the licensee fails to appear, his license shall
be revoked forthwith, unless the Board finds substantial justification
for the licensee's failure to appear.
(2)
If the Board, by majority vote of a quorum, finds
that the charges have been proved beyond a reasonable doubt, then
the Board may suspend or revoke the license of the licensee, as it
may deem appropriate; otherwise, the charges shall be dismissed.
D.
Reinstatement.
(1)
Upon expiration of the suspension period, the license
shall be reinstated upon payment of the reinstatement fee.
[Amended 2-8-2005 by Bill No. 2005-1]
(2)
A revoked license shall not be reinstated, but a new
license may be issued upon application and examination as required
for original licensure. Such application shall not be accepted, however,
for a period of at least six months from the date of revocation. The
foregoing notwithstanding, the Board may set aside a revocation based
on failure of the licensee to appear if the Board finds substantial
justification for such failure to appear. In such case, the Board
shall set the case for a hearing and proceed to adjudicate the charges
as set forth above.
[Amended 9-11-2012 by Bill No. 2012-6]
Any person violating the provisions of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, is subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000 or to imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both. Any person who violates a provision of this chapter shall, upon citation issued pursuant to Chapter 92 of the Code of Public Local Laws of Caroline County be deemed to have committed a Class A civil infraction and shall pay to the County the amount prescribed. In addition to fines as provided for herein, the County may seek an abatement order from an appropriate court and may immediately remedy any situation or condition at any time which threatens the immediate safety of persons or other structures.
