WAC 296-46B-925   Electrical/telecommunications contractor's license.  General.

     (1) The department will issue an electrical/telecommunications contractor's license that will expire twenty-four months following the date of issue to a person, firm, partnership, corporation or other entity that complies with requirements for such license in chapter 19.28 RCW. An electrical/telecommunications contractor's license will not be issued to or renewed for a person, firm, or partnership unless the Social Security number, date of birth, and legal address of the individual legal owner(s) are submitted with the application. The department may issue an electrical/telecommunications contractor's license for a period greater or less than twenty-four months for the purpose of equalizing the number of electrical contractor's licenses that expire each month. The department may prorate the electrical/telecommunications contractor's license fee according to the license period.

     (2) Combination specialty contractor's license. The department may issue a combination specialty contractor's license to a firm that qualifies for more than one specialty electrical contractor's license. The assigned administrator must be certified in all specialties applicable to the combination specialty contractor's license. The license will plainly indicate the specialty licenses' codes included in the combination license. An administrator assigned to a telecommunications contractor must be certified as a telecommunications administrator. A combination license will not be issued for telecommunications (09).

     (3) See RCW 19.28.041(1) for a contractor doing domestic pumping work as defined in RCW 18.106.010 (10)(c).

     (4) The department may deny renewal of an electrical/telecommunications contractor's license if a firm, an owner, partner, member, or corporate officer owes money as a result of an outstanding final judgment(s) to the department.


Electrical/telecommunications contractor bond, cash or securities deposit.


     (5) Bond, cash, or securities deposit.

     (a) The electrical/telecommunications contractor may furnish the department with a cash or security deposit to meet the bond requirements in lieu of posting a bond. A cash or security deposit assigned to the department for bond requirements will be held in place for one year after the contractor's license is expired, revoked, or the owner notifies the department in writing that the company is no longer doing business in the state of Washington as an electrical/telecommunications contractor. Upon written request, the cash or security deposit will then be released by the department providing there is no pending legal action against the contractor under chapter 19.28 RCW of which the department has been notified.

     (b) See RCW 19.28.041(7) for a contractor doing domestic pumping work as defined in RCW 18.106.010 (10)(c).


Telecommunications contractor insurance.


     (6) To obtain a telecommunications contractor's license, the applicant must provide the department with an original certificate of insurance naming the department of labor and industries, electrical section as the certificate holder. Insurance coverage must be no less than twenty thousand dollars for injury or damages to property, fifty thousand dollars for injury or damage including death to any one person, and one hundred thousand dollars for injury or damage including death to more than one person. The insurance will be considered a continuing obligation unless canceled by the insurance company. The insurance company must notify the department in writing ten days prior to the effective date of said cancellation or failure to renew.

     (7) The telecommunications contractor may furnish the department with an assigned account to meet the insurance requirements in lieu of a certificate of insurance. An account assigned to the department for insurance requirements will be held in place for three years after the contractor's license is expired, revoked, or the owner notifies the department in writing that the company is no longer doing business in the state of Washington as a telecommunications contractor. Upon written request, the account then will be released by the department providing there is no pending legal action against the contractor under chapter 19.28 RCW of which the department has been notified.


Electrical/telecommunications contractor exemptions.


     (8) The following types of systems and circuits are considered exempt from the requirements for licensing and permitting described in chapter 19.28 RCW. The electrical failure of these systems does not inherently or functionally compromise safety to life or property.

     Low-voltage thermocouple derived circuits and low-voltage circuits for:

     (a) Built-in residential vacuum systems;

     (b) Underground landscape sprinkler systems;

     (c) Underground landscape lighting; and

     (d) Residential garage doors.

     For these types of systems and circuits to be considered exempt, the following conditions must be met:

     (e) The power supplying the installation must be derived from a listed Class 2 power supply;

     (f) The installation and termination of line voltage equipment and conductors supplying these systems is performed by appropriately licensed and certified electrical contractors and electricians;

     (g) The conductors of these systems do not pass through fire-rated walls, fire-rated ceilings or fire-rated floors in other than residential units; and

     (h) Conductors or luminaires are not installed in installations covered by the scope of Article 680 NEC (swimming pools, fountains, and similar installations).

     (9) Firms who clean and/or replace lamps in luminaires are not included in the requirements for licensing in chapter 19.28 RCW. This exemption does not apply to electric signs as defined in the NEC.

     (10) Firms who install listed plug and cord connected utilization equipment are not included in the requirements for licensing in chapter 19.28 RCW. The plug and cord must be a single listed unit consisting of a molded plug and cord and not exceeding 250 volt 60 ampere single phase. The plug and cord can be field installed per the manufacturer's instructions and the product listing requirements. The utilization equipment must be a single manufactured unit that does not require any electrical field assembly except for the installation of the plug and cord.

     (11) Firms regulated by the Federal Communications Commission or the utilities and transportation commission, supplying telecommunications service to an end-user's property, are not required to be licensed as a telecommunications contractor under chapter 19.28 RCW for telecommunications installations made ahead of the telecommunications network demarcation point.

     (12) Unregulated firms, supplying telecommunications service to an end-user's property, are not required to be licensed as a telecommunications contractor under chapter 19.28 RCW for telecommunications installations made ahead of the telecommunications network demarcation point.

     (13) Leaseholders. For electrical installations, maintenance, or alterations to existing buildings only, any person, firm, partnership, corporation, or other entity holding a valid, signed lease from the property owner authorizing the leaseholder to perform electrical work, on the property the leaseholder occupies, will be allowed to purchase an electrical permit(s) and do electrical work on or within the property described in the lease. The lessee and/or his or her regularly employed employees must perform the electrical installation, maintenance and alteration.

     The lessee who performs the electrical maintenance or installation work must be the sole occupant of the property or space. Property owners or leaseholders cannot perform electrical work on new buildings for rent, sale, or lease, without the proper electrical licensing and certification. Refer to RCW 19.28.261 for exemptions from licensing and certification.

     (14) Assisting a householder. A friend, neighbor, relative, or other person (including a certified electrician) may assist a householder, at his/her residence in the performance of electrical work on the condition that the householder is present when the work is performed and the person assisting the householder does not accept money or other forms of compensation for the volunteer work. For the purposes of this subsection, a residence is a single-family residence.

     (15) Volunteering to do electrical work. There are no exceptions from the electrical contractor's license or electrician certification requirements to allow persons to perform volunteer electrical work for anyone other than a householder or a nonprofit organization as allowed by RCW 19.28.091(7). For the purpose of this section, volunteer means that there is no remuneration or receiving of goods or services in return for electrical installations performed.

     (16) Farms or place of business. See RCW 19.28.261 for licensing/certification exemptions allowed for the owner(s) of a farm or other place of business and for the employees of the owner.


Exemptions - electrical utility and electrical utility's contractor.


     (17) Electrical utility system exemption. Neither a serving electrical utility nor a contractor employed by the serving electrical utility is required to have an electrical contractor's license for work on the "utility system" or on service connections or on meters and other apparatus or appliances used to measure the consumption of electricity.

     (a) Street lighting exemption. A serving electrical utility is not required to have an electrical contractor's license or electrical permit to work on electrical equipment used in the lighting of streets, alleys, ways, or public areas or squares.

     Utilities are allowed to install outside area lighting on privately owned property where the lighting fixture(s) is installed on a utility owned pole(s) used to support utility owned electric distribution wiring or equipment designed to supply electrical power to a customer's property.

     Utilities are allowed to install area lighting outside and not attached to a building or other customer owned structure when the areas are outside publicly owned buildings such as: Publicly owned/operated parking lots, parks, schools, play fields, beaches, and similar areas; or the areas are privately owned where the public has general, clear and unrestricted access such as: Church parking lots, and commercial property public parking areas and similar areas.

     Utilities are not allowed to install area lighting when the area is privately owned and the public does not have general, clear, and unrestricted access such as industrial property, residential property and controlled commercial property where the public's access is otherwise restricted.

     Utilities are not allowed to install area lighting where the lighting is supplied from a source of power derived from a customer owned electrical system.

     (b) Customer-owned equipment exemption. A serving electrical utility is not required to have an electrical contractor's license to work on electrical equipment owned by a commercial, industrial, or public institution customer if:

     (i) The utility has not solicited such work; and

     (ii) Such equipment:

     (A) Is located outside a building or structure; and

     (B) The work performed is on the primary side of the customer's transformer(s) which supplies power at the customer's utilization voltage.

     (c) Exempted equipment and installations. No person, firm, partnership, corporation, or other entity is required to have an electrical contractor's license for work on electrical equipment and installations thereof that are exempted by RCW 19.28.091.

     (d) Exemption from inspection.

     (i) The work of a serving electrical utility and its contractors on the utility system is not subject to inspection. The utility is responsible for inspection and approval for the installation.

     (ii) Work exempted by NEC 90.2 (B)(5), 1981 edition, is not subject to inspection.


Exemptions - electrical utility telecommunications transition equipment installations, maintenance and repair.


     (18) No license, inspection or other permit will be required by the department of any electric utility or, of any person, firm, partnership or corporation or other entity employed or retained by an electric utility or its contractor, because of work in connection with the installation, maintenance, or repair of telecommunications transition equipment located ahead of the utility's telecommunications network demarcation point on the outside of a building or other structure when the work is performed by a qualified person consistent with the requirements of the National Electric Code (NEC) except as provided in (a) and (b) of this subsection:

     (a) The following exceptions to the NEC shall be permitted:

     (i) An additional service disconnect supplying power to the transition equipment can be connected on the supply side of the main service disconnect supplying general power to the building;

     (ii) Service entrance disconnects may be separated when clearly labeled;

     (iii) The service disconnect used for supplying power to the transition equipment must be connected to the grounding electrode system using:

     (A) # 8 AWG copper or larger grounding electrode conductor if protected from physical damage; or

     (B) # 6 AWG copper or larger grounding electrode conductor if not protected from physical damage;

     (iv) Use of equipment or materials that have been listed/field evaluated by a recognized independent testing laboratory or the department;

     (v) Low-voltage circuits do not require a separate disconnecting means and may be grounded to the transition equipment grounding system;

     (vi) Any other variance to the NEC must be approved by the department.

     (b) A variance recommended by a joint utility standards group composed of representatives of both public and private utilities or certified by a professional engineer will be approved by the department unless the recommendation is inconsistent with meeting equivalent objectives for public safety.

     (c) For the purposes of this section, a qualified worker is employed by a utility or its contractor and is familiar with the construction or operation of such lines and/or equipment that concerns his/her position and who is proficient with respect to the safety hazards connected therewith, or, one who has passed a journey status examination for the particular branch of the electrical trades with which he/she may be connected or is in a recognized training or apprenticeship course and is supervised by a journey level person.

     (d) Although the utility is responsible for inspection and approval of the installation, including the selection of material and equipment, the department reserves the right to audit worker qualifications and inspect such installations semiannually for conformance with the requirements of (a), (b) and (c) of this subsection but shall not collect a permit fee for such inspection or audit.

     (e) If a utility fails to meet the requirements of this section, the department may require the utility to develop and submit a remedial action plan and schedule to attain compliance with this section which may be enforced by the department.

     (f) This exemption shall be in addition to any other exemption provided in chapter 19.28 RCW, this chapter or other applicable law.


Exemptions - independent electrical power production equipment exemption.


     (19) An independent electrical power production entity is not required to have an electrical contractor's license to work on electrical equipment used to produce or transmit electrical power if:

     (a) The entity is:

     (i) The owner or operator of the generating facility is regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC);

     (ii) A municipal utility, or other form of governmental electric utility, or by an electrical cooperative or mutual corporation; or

     (iii) The owner or operator of the generating facility is an independent electrical power producer and the facility generates electrical power only for sale to one or more:

     (A) Electrical utilities regulated by FERC, municipal utility, or other form of governmental utility, or to an electric cooperative or mutual corporation; and

     (B) The electrical power generated by the facility is not used for self-generation or any other on- or off-site function other than sale to one or more utilities regulated by FERC or by one or more state public utilities commissions, or to a PUD, municipal utility, or other form of governmental electric utility, or to an electric cooperative or mutual corporation.

     (b) The entity must supply the chief electrical inspector a valid master business license issued by the department of licensing, state of Washington so that the entity's status as a revenue generating business can be confirmed.

     (c) The entity has entered into an agreement to sell electricity to a utility or to a third party; and

     (d) The electrical equipment is used to transmit electricity from the terminals of an electrical generating unit located on premises to the point of interconnection with a utility system.

     (e) The electrical power production facility's generation capacity exceeds 115 KVA.

     (f) Notwithstanding that a generating facility may be granted an exemption pursuant to this section, the facility will be subject to all the requirements of chapter 19.28 RCW if the facility at any time in the future ceases to comply with the requirements for exemption. All site facilities not exclusively and directly required to generate and/or distribute the electrical power generated on the site are subject to all the licensing and inspection requirements of chapter 19.28 RCW. All facility services, feeders, and circuits not exclusively and directly required to generate and/or distribute the electrical power (e.g., lights, outlets, etc.) must comply with all requirements of chapter 19.28 RCW for licensing and inspection. Facility circuits supplied to equipment required for the function of generation equipment (e.g., block heaters, power supplies, etc.) must comply with all requirements of chapter 19.28 RCW for licensing and inspection up to and including the equipment termination point.


Exemptions - telegraph and telephone utility and telegraph and telephone utility's contractor.


     (20) Telegraph and telephone utility exempted equipment and installations. No person, firm, partnership, corporation, or other entity is required to have an electrical contractor's license for work on electrical equipment and installations thereof that are exempted by RCW 19.28.151. For the purposes of this exemption, "building or buildings used exclusively for that purpose" may mean any separate building or space of a building where the space is separated from the remainder of the building by a two-hour fire wall. The telecommunications or telegraph equipment within such a space must supply telephone or telegraph service to other customer's buildings (i.e., telecommunications or telegraph equipment cannot solely supply the building containing the telephone/telegraph space).


Exemptions - manufacturers of electrical/telecommunications products.


     (21) Manufacturers of electrical/telecommunications systems products will be allowed to utilize a manufacturer's authorized factory-trained technician to perform initial calibration, testing, adjustment, modification incidental to the startup and checkout of the equipment, or replacement of components within the confines of the specific product, without permit or required licensing:

     (a) Provided the product:

     (i) Has not been previously energized;

     (ii) Has been recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission;

     (iii) Is within the manufacturer's written warranty period; or

     (iv) The manufacturer is working under the written request and supervision of an appropriately licensed electrical contractor.

     (b) Modifications to the equipment, as designated above, must not include any changes to the original intended configuration nor changes or contact with external or field-connected components or wiring.

     (c) The manufacturer will be responsible for obtaining any required reapproval/recertification from the original listing or field evaluation laboratory.

     (d) The manufacturer must notify the department if any modifications have been made or reapproval/recertification is required.


Premanufactured electric power generation equipment assemblies and control gear.


     (22) Premanufactured electric power generation equipment assemblies and control gear.

     (a) Manufacturers of premanufactured electric power generation equipment assemblies and control gear will be allowed to utilize a manufacturer's authorized factory-trained technician to perform initial calibration, testing, adjustment, modification incidental to the startup and checkout of the equipment, or replacement of components within the confines of the specific product, without permit or required licensing, provided:

     (i) For transfer equipment, the product has not been previously energized or is within the manufacturer's written warranty period;

     (ii) Modifications to the equipment, as designated above, must not include any changes to the original intended configuration nor changes or contact with external or field-connected components or wiring;

     (iii) The manufacturer will be responsible for obtaining any required reapproval/recertification from the original listing or field evaluation laboratory; or

     (iv) The manufacturer must notify the department if any modifications have been made or reapproval/recertification is required.

     (b) Premanufactured electric power generation equipment assemblies are made up of reciprocating internal combustion engines and the associated control gear equipment. Control gear equipment includes control logic, metering, and annunciation for the operation and the quality of power being generated by the reciprocating internal combustion engine and does not have the function of distribution of power.

     (c) Modifications of a transfer switch must not include changes to the original intended configuration or changes or contact with externally field-connected components.

     (d) For the purposes of this subsection, the following work on premanufactured electric power generation equipment assemblies is not exempt from the requirements of chapter 19.28 RCW:

     (i) Installation or connection of conduit or wiring between the power generation unit, transfer switch, control gear;

     (ii) Installation of the transfer switch;

     (iii) Connections between the power generation unit, transfer switch, control gear, and utility's transmission or distribution systems;

     (iv) Connections between the power generation unit, transfer switch, control gear, and any building or structure; or

     (v) Test connections with any part of:

     (A) The utility's transmission or distribution system; or

     (B) The building or structure.

     (23) The installation, maintenance, or repair of a medical device deemed in compliance with chapter 19.28 RCW is exempt from licensing requirements under RCW 19.28.091, certification requirements under RCW 19.28.161, and inspection and permitting requirements under RCW 19.28.101. This exemption does not include work providing electrical feeds into the power distribution unit or installation of conduits and raceways. This exemption covers only those factory engineers or third-party service companies with equivalent training who are qualified to perform such service.

     (24) Coincidental electrical/plumbing work. See RCW 19.28.091(8) for the plumber exemption.

     (25) Nothing in this section will alter or amend any other exemptions from or requirement for licensure or inspection, chapter 19.28 RCW or this chapter.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 19.28.006, 19.28.010, 19.28.031, 19.28.041, 19.28.061, 19.28.101, 19.28.131, 19.28.161, 19.28.171, 19.28.191, 19.28.201, 19.28.211, 19.28.241, 19.28.251, 19.28.281, 19.28.311, 19.28.321, 19.28.400, 19.28.420, 19.28.490, 19.28.551. 06-24-041, § 296-46B-925, filed 11/30/06, effective 12/31/06; 06-05-028, § 296-46B-925, filed 2/7/06, effective 5/1/06; 05-10-024, § 296-46B-925, filed 4/26/05, effective 6/30/05. Statutory Authority: Chapter 19.28 RCW. 04-21-086, § 296-46B-925, filed 10/20/04, effective 11/22/04. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.28.006, 19.28.010, 19.28.031, 19.28.041, 19.28.061, 19.28.101, 19.28.131, 19.28.161, 19.28.171, 19.28.191, 19.28.201, 19.28.211, 19.28.241, 19.28.251, 19.28.271, 19.28.311, 19.28.321, 19.28.400, 19.28.420, 19.28.490, 19.28.551, 2003 c 399, 2003 c 211, 2003 c 78, and 2003 c 242. 04-12-049, § 296-46B-925, filed 5/28/04, effective 6/30/04. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.28.006, 19.28.010, 19.28.031, 19.28.041, 19.28.061, 19.28.101, 19.28.131, 19.28.161, 19.28.171, 19.28.191, 19.28.201, 19.28.211, 19.28.241, 19.28.251, 19.28.271, 19.28.311, 19.28.321, 19.28.400, 19.28.420, 19.28.490, 19.28.551, 2002 c 249, chapters 34.05 and 19.28 RCW. 03-09-111, § 296-46B-925, filed 4/22/03, effective 4/22/03.]