WAC 296-46B-920
Electrical/telecommunications
license/certificate types and scope of work. (1) General
electrical (01): A general electrical license and/or
certificate encompasses all phases and all types of electrical
and telecommunications installations and minor plumbing under
RCW 18.106.150. For the purposes of RCW 18.106.150, the
like-in-kind replacement includes the appliance or any
component part of the appliance (e.g., such as, but not
limited to, the thermostat in a water heater).
(2)All specialties listed in this subsection may perform
the electrical work described within their specific specialty
as allowed by the occupancy and location described within the
specialty's scope of work. Except for residential (02), the
scope of work for these specialties does not include plumbing
work regulated under chapter 18.106 RCW. See RCW 18.106.150
for plumbing exceptions for the residential (02) specialty.
For the purposes of RCW 18.106.150, the like-in-kind
replacement includes the appliance or any component part of
the appliance (e.g., such as, but not limited to, the
thermostat in a water heater). Specialty (limited) electrical
licenses and/or certificates are as follows:
(a) Residential (02): Limited to the telecommunications,
low voltage, and line voltage wiring of one- and two-family
dwellings, or multifamily dwellings not exceeding three
stories above grade. All wiring is limited to nonmetallic
sheathed cable, except for services and/or feeders, exposed
installations where physical protection is required, and for
wiring buried below grade.
(i) This specialty also includes the wiring for ancillary
structures such as, but not limited to: Appliances,
equipment, swimming pools, septic pumping systems, domestic
water systems, limited energy systems (e.g., doorbells,
intercoms, fire alarm, burglar alarm, energy control,
HVAC/refrigeration, etc.), multifamily complex
offices/garages, site lighting when supplied from the
residence or ancillary structure, and other structures
directly associated with the functionality of the residential
units.
(ii) This specialty does not include wiring occupancies
defined in WAC 296-46B-900(1), or
commercial occupancies such as: Motels, hotels, offices,
assisted living facilities, or stores.
(iii) See RCW 18.106.150 for plumbing exceptions for the
residential (02) specialty.
(b) Pump and irrigation (03): Limited to the electrical
connection of circuits, feeders, controls, low voltage,
related telecommunications, and services to supply: Domestic
water systems and public water systems include but are not
limited to pumps, pressurization, filtration, treatment, or
other equipment and controls, and irrigation water pumps,
circular irrigating system's pumps and pump houses.
This specialty may also perform the work defined in (c)
of this subsection.
(c) Domestic pump (03A): Limited to the extension of a
branch circuit, which is supplied and installed by others, to
signaling circuits, motor control circuits, motor control
devices, and pumps which do not exceed 7 1/2 horsepower at 250
volts AC single phase input power, regardless of motor
controller output or motor voltage/phase, used in residential
potable water or residential sewage disposal systems. Domestic water systems and public water systems include but
are not limited to pumps, pressurization, filtration,
treatment, or other equipment and controls.
(d) Signs (04): Limited to placement and connection of
signs and outline lighting, the electrical supply, related
telecommunications, controls and associated circuit extensions
thereto; and the installation of a maximum 60 ampere, 120/240
volt single phase service to supply power to a remote sign
only. This specialty may service, maintain, or repair
exterior luminaires that are mounted on a pole or other
structure with like-in-kind components.
(i) Electrical licensing/certification is not required
to:
(A) Clean the nonelectrical parts of an electric sign;
(B) To form or pour a concrete pole base used to support
a sign;
(C) To operate machinery used to assist an electrician in
mounting an electric sign or sign supporting pole; or
(D) To assemble the structural parts of a billboard.
(ii) Electrical licensing/certification is required to:
Install, modify, or maintain a sign, sign supporting pole,
sign face, sign ballast, lamp socket, lamp holder, disconnect
switch, or any other part of a listed electric sign.
(e) Limited energy system (06): Limited to the
installation of signaling and power limited circuits and
related equipment. This specialty is restricted to
low-voltage circuits. This specialty includes the
installation of telecommunications, HVAC/refrigeration
low-voltage wiring, fire protection signaling systems,
intrusion alarms, energy management and control systems,
industrial and automation control systems, lighting control
systems, commercial and residential amplified sound, public
address systems, and such similar low-energy circuits and
equipment in all occupancies and locations.
(i) For the purposes of this section, when a line voltage
connection is removed and reconnected to a replacement
component located inside the control cabinet, the replacement
must be like-in-kind or replaced using the equipment
manufacturer's authorized replacement component. The line
voltage circuit is limited to 120 volts 20 amps maximum and
must have a means of disconnect.
(ii) The limited energy systems (06) specialty may repair
or replace line voltage connections terminated inside the
cabinet to power supplies internal to the low voltage
equipment provided there are no modifications to the
characteristics of the branch circuit/feeder load being
supplied by the circuit.
(iii) The limited energy systems (06) specialty may not
replace or modify the line voltage circuit or cabling or alter
the means of connection of the line voltage circuit to the
power supply or to the control cabinet.
Limited energy electrical contractors may perform all
telecommunications work under their specialty (06) electrical
license and administrator's certificate.
(f) HVAC/refrigeration systems:
(i) See WAC 296-46B-100 for specific HVAC/refrigeration
definitions.
(ii) For the purposes of this section when a component is
replaced, the replacement must be like-in-kind or made using
the equipment manufacturer's authorized replacement component.
(iii) The HVAC/refrigeration specialties described in
(f)(v) and (vi) of this subsection may:
(A) Install HVAC/refrigeration: Telecommunications,
Class 2 low-voltage control circuit wiring/components in all
residential occupancies;
(B) Install, repair, replace, and maintain line voltage
components within HVAC/refrigeration equipment. Such line
voltage components include product illumination luminaires
installed within and powered from the HVAC/refrigeration
system (e.g., reach-in beverage coolers, frozen food cases,
produce cases, etc.) and new or replaced factory authorized
accessories such as internally mounted outlets;
(C) Repair, replace, or maintain the internal components
of the HVAC/refrigeration equipment disconnecting means or
controller so long as the disconnecting means or controller is
not located within a motor control center or panelboard (see
Figure 920-1 and Figure 920-2);
(D) Install, repair, replace, and maintain short sections
of raceway to provide physical protection for low-voltage
cables. For the purposes of this section a short section
cannot mechanically interconnect two devices, junction boxes,
or other equipment or components; and
(E) Repair, replace, or maintain line voltage flexible
supply whips not over six feet in length, provided there are
no modifications to the characteristics of the branch
circuit/feeder load being supplied by the whip. There is no
limitation on the whip raceway method (e.g., metallic replaced
by nonmetallic).
(iv) The HVAC/refrigeration specialties described in
(f)(v) and (vi) of this subsection may not:
(A) Install line voltage controllers or disconnect
switches external to HVAC/refrigeration equipment;
(B) Install, repair, replace, or maintain:
• Integrated building control systems, other than
HVAC/refrigeration systems;
• Single stand-alone line voltage equipment or components
(e.g., heat cable, wall heaters, radiant panel heaters,
baseboard heaters, contactors, motor starters, and similar
equipment) unless the equipment or component:
Is exclusively controlled by the HVAC/refrigeration
system and requires the additional external connection to a
mechanical system(s) (e.g., connection to water piping, gas
piping, refrigerant system, ducting for the HVAC/refrigeration
system, gas fireplace flume, ventilating systems, etc. (i.e.,
as in the ducting connection to a bathroom fan)). The
external connection of the equipment/component to the
mechanical system must be required as an integral component
allowing the operation of the HVAC/refrigeration system; or
Contains a HVAC/refrigeration mechanical system(s) (e.g.,
water piping, gas piping, refrigerant system, etc.) within the
equipment (e.g., "through-the-wall" air conditioning units,
self-contained refrigeration equipment, etc.);
• Luminaires that serve as a building or structure
lighting source, even if mechanically connected to a
HVAC/refrigeration system (e.g., troffer luminaire used as a
return air device, lighting within a walk-in cooler/freezer
used for personnel illumination);
• Raceway/conduit systems;
• Line voltage: Service, feeder, or branch circuit
conductors. However, if a structure's feeder/branch circuit
supplies HVAC/refrigeration equipment containing a
supplementary overcurrent protection device(s), this specialty
may install the conductors from the supplementary overcurrent
device(s) to the supplemental HVAC/refrigeration equipment if
the supplementary overcurrent device and the
HVAC/refrigeration equipment being supplied are located within
sight of each other (see Figure 920-2); or
• Panelboards, switchboards, or motor control centers
external to HVAC/refrigeration system.
(v) HVAC/refrigeration (06A):
(A) This specialty is not limited by voltage, phase, or
amperage.
(B) No unsupervised electrical trainee can install,
repair, replace, or maintain any part of a HVAC/refrigeration
system that contains any circuit rated over 600 volts whether
the circuit is energized or deenergized.
(C) This specialty may:
• Install HVAC/refrigeration: Telecommunications, Class
2 low-voltage control circuit wiring/components in other than
residential occupancies:
That have no more than three stories on/above grade; or
Regardless of the number of stories above grade if the
installation:
• Does not pass between stories;
• Is made in a previously occupied and wired space; and
• Is restricted to the HVAC/refrigeration system;
• Repair, replace, and maintain HVAC/refrigeration:
Telecommunications, Class 2 low-voltage control circuit
wiring/components in all occupancies regardless of the number
of stories on/above grade.
• Install a bonding conductor for metal gas piping to an
existing accessible grounding electrode conductor or grounding
electrode only when terminations can be made external to
electrical panelboards, switchboards, or other distribution
equipment.
(D) This specialty may not install, repair, replace, or
maintain: Any electrical wiring governed under article(s)
500, 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, 510, 511, 513, 514, 515, or 516
NEC (i.e., classified locations) located outside the
HVAC/refrigeration equipment.
(vi) HVAC/refrigeration - restricted (06B):
(A) This specialty may not perform any electrical work
where the primary electrical power connection to the
HVAC/refrigeration system exceeds: 250 volts, single phase,
or 120 amps.
(B) This specialty may install, repair, replace, or
maintain HVAC/refrigeration: Telecommunications, Class 2
low-voltage control circuit wiring/components in other than
residential occupancies that have no more than three stories
on/above grade.
(C) This specialty may not install, repair, replace, or
maintain:
• The allowed telecommunications/low-voltage
HVAC/refrigeration wiring in a conduit/raceway system; or
• Any electrical work governed under article(s) 500, 501,
502, 503, 504, 505, 510, 511, 513, 514, 515, or 516 NEC (i.e.,
classified locations).
(g) Nonresidential maintenance (07): Limited to
maintenance, repair and replacement of like-in-kind existing
electrical equipment and conductors. This specialty does not
include maintenance activities in residential dwellings
defined in (a) of this subsection for the purposes of
accumulating training experience toward qualification for the
residential (02) specialty electrician examination.
This specialty may perform the work defined in (h), (i),
(j), (k), and (l) of this subsection.
(h) Nonresidential lighting maintenance and lighting
retrofit (07A): Limited to working within the housing of
existing nonresidential luminaires for work related to repair,
service, maintenance of luminaires and installation of energy
efficiency lighting retrofit upgrades. This specialty
includes replacement of lamps, ballasts, sockets and the
installation of listed lighting retrofit reflectors and kits. All work is limited to the luminaire body, except remote
located ballasts may be replaced or retrofitted with approved
products. This specialty does not include installing new
luminaires or branch circuits; moving or relocating existing
luminaires; or altering existing branch circuits.
(i) Residential maintenance (07B): This specialty is
limited to residential dwellings as defined in WAC 296-46B-920
(2)(a), multistory dwelling structures with no commercial
facilities, and the interior of dwelling units in multistory
structures with commercial facilities. This specialty may
maintain, repair, or replace (like-in-kind) existing
electrical utilization equipment, and all permit exempted work
as defined in WAC 296-46B-901.
This specialty is limited to equipment and circuits to a
maximum of 250 volts, 60 amperes, and single phase maximum.
This specialty may disconnect and reconnect low-voltage
control and line voltage supply whips not over six feet in
length provided there are no modifications to the
characteristics of the branch circuit or whip.
For the purpose of this specialty, "electrical equipment"
does not include electrical conductors, raceway or conduit
systems external to the equipment or whip. This specialty
cannot perform any plumbing work regulated under chapter 18.106 RCW.
(j) Restricted nonresidential maintenance (07C): This
specialty may maintain, repair, or replace (like-in-kind)
existing electrical utilization equipment, and all permit
exempted work as defined in WAC 296-46B-901
except for the replacement or repair of circuit breakers.
This specialty is limited to equipment and circuits to a
maximum of 277 volts and 20 amperes for lighting branch
circuits only and/or maximum 250 volts and 60 amperes for
other circuits.
The replacement of luminaires is limited to in-place
replacement required by failure of the luminaire to operate. Luminaires installed in suspended lay-in tile ceilings may be
relocated providing: The original field installed luminaire
supply whip is not extended or relocated to a new supply
point; or if a manufactured wiring assembly supplies luminaire
power, a luminaire may be relocated no more than eight feet
providing the manufactured wiring assembly circuiting is not
changed.
This specialty may disconnect and reconnect low-voltage
control and line voltage supply whips not over six feet in
length provided there are no modifications to the
characteristics of the branch circuit. For the purpose of
this specialty, "electrical equipment" does not include
electrical conductors, raceway or conduit systems external to
the equipment or whip.
This specialty may perform the work defined in (h) and
(i) of this subsection.
This specialty cannot perform any work governed under
Article(s) 500, 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, 510, 511, 513, 514,
515, or 516 NEC (i.e., classified locations). This specialty
cannot perform any plumbing work regulated under chapter 18.106 RCW.
(k) Appliance repair (07D): Servicing, maintaining,
repairing, or replacing household appliances, small
commercial/industrial appliances, and other small electrical
utilization equipment.
(i) For the purposes of this subsection:
(A) The appliance or electrical utilization equipment
must be self-contained and built to standardized sizes or
types. The appliance/equipment must be connected as a single
unit to a single source of electrical power limited to a
maximum of 250 volts, 60 amperes, single phase.
(B) Appliances and electrical utilization equipment
include, but are not limited to: Ovens, office equipment,
vehicle repair equipment, commercial kitchen equipment,
self-contained hot tubs and spas, grinders, and scales.
(C) Appliances and utilization equipment do not include
systems and equipment such as: Alarm/energy
management/similar systems, luminaires, furnaces/heaters/air
conditioners/heat pumps, sewage disposal equipment,
door/gate/similar equipment, or individual components
installed so as to create a system (e.g., pumps, switches,
controllers, etc.).
(ii) This specialty includes:
(A) The in-place like-in-kind replacement of the
appliance or equipment if the same unmodified electrical
circuit is used to supply the equipment being replaced. This
specialty also includes the like-in-kind replacement of
electrical components within the appliance or equipment;
(B) The disconnection and reconnection of low-voltage
control and line voltage supply whips not over six feet in
length provided there are no modifications to the
characteristics of the branch circuit; and
(C) The installation of an outlet box and outlet at an
existing appliance or equipment location when converting the
appliance from a permanent electrical connection to a plug and
cord connection. Other than the installation of the outlet
box and outlet, there can be no modification to the existing
branch circuit supplying the appliance or equipment.
(iii) This specialty does not include:
(A) The installation, repair, or modification of branch
circuits conductors, services, feeders, panelboards,
disconnect switches, or raceway/conductor systems
interconnecting multiple appliances, equipment, or other
electrical components.
(B) Any work governed under Article(s) 500, 501, 502,
503, 504, 505, 510, 511, 513, 514, 515, or 516 NEC (i.e.,
classified locations).
(C) Any plumbing work regulated under chapter 18.106 RCW.
See RCW 19.28.095 for the equipment repair scope of work
and definitions. This specialty cannot perform any plumbing
work regulated under chapter 18.106 RCW.
(m) Telecommunications (09): Limited to the
installation, maintenance, and testing of telecommunications
systems, equipment, and associated hardware, pathway systems,
and cable management systems.
(i) This specialty includes:
(A) Installation of open wiring systems of
telecommunications cables.
(B) Surface nonmetallic raceways designated and used
exclusively for telecommunications.
(C) Optical fiber innerduct raceway.
(D) Underground raceways designated and used exclusively
for telecommunications and installed for additions or
extensions to existing telecommunications systems not to
exceed fifty feet inside the building.
(E) Incidental short sections of circular or surface
metal raceway, not to exceed ten feet, for access or
protection of telecommunications cabling and installation of
cable trays and ladder racks in telecommunications service
entrance rooms, spaces, or closets.
(F) Audio or paging systems where the amplification is
integrated into the telephone system equipment.
(G) Audio or paging systems where the amplification is
provided by equipment listed as an accessory to the telephone
system equipment and requires the telephone system for the
audio or paging system to function.
(H) Closed circuit video monitoring systems if there is
no integration of line or low-voltage controls for cameras and
equipment. Remote controlled cameras and equipment are
considered (intrusion) security systems and must be installed
by appropriately licensed electrical contractors and certified
electricians.
(I) Customer satellite and conventional antenna systems
receiving a telecommunications service provider's signal. All
receiving equipment is on the customer side of the
telecommunications network demarcation point.
(ii) This specialty does not include horizontal cabling
used for fire protection signaling systems, intrusion alarms,
access control systems, patient monitoring systems, energy
management control systems, industrial and automation control
systems, HVAC/refrigeration control systems, lighting control
systems, and stand-alone amplified sound or public address
systems. Telecommunications systems may interface with other
building signal systems including security, alarms, and energy
management at cross-connection junctions within
telecommunications closets or at extended points of
demarcation. Telecommunications systems do not include the
installation or termination of premises line voltage service,
feeder, or branch circuit conductors or equipment. Horizontal
cabling for a telecommunications outlet, necessary to
interface with any of these systems outside of a
telecommunications closet, is the work of the
telecommunications contractor.
(n) Door, gate, and similar systems (10): This specialty
may install, service, maintain, repair, or replace
door/gate/similar systems electrical operator wiring and
equipment.
(i) For the purposes of this subsection,
door/gate/similar systems electrical operator systems include
electric gates, doors, windows, awnings, movable partitions,
curtains and similar systems. These systems include, but are
not limited to: Electric gate/door/similar systems operators,
control push buttons, key switches, key pads, pull cords, air
and electric treadle, air and electric sensing edges, coil
cords, take-up reels, clocks, photo electric cells, loop
detectors, motion detectors, remote radio and receivers,
antenna, timers, lock-out switches, stand-alone release device
with smoke detection, strobe light, annunciator, control
panels, wiring and termination of conductors.
(ii) This specialty includes:
(A) Low-voltage, NEC Class 2, door/gate/similar systems
electrical operator systems where the door/gate/similar
systems electrical operator system is not connected to other
systems.
(B) Branch circuits originating in a listed
door/gate/similar systems electric operator control panel that
supplies only door/gate/similar systems system components
providing: The branch circuit does not exceed 600 volts, 20
amperes and the component is within sight of the listed
door/gate/similar systems electric operator control panel.
(C) Reconnection of line voltage power to a listed
door/gate/similar systems electric operator control panel is
permitted provided:
• There are no modifications to the characteristics of
the branch circuit/feeder;
• The circuit/feeder does not exceed 600 volts, 20
amperes; and
• The conductor or conduit extending from the branch
circuit/feeder disconnecting means or junction box does not
exceed six feet in length.
(iii) This specialty does not include any work governed
under Article(s) 500, 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, 510, 511, 513,
514, 515, or 516 NEC (i.e., classified locations). This
specialty may not install, repair, or replace branch circuit
(line voltage) conductors, services, feeders, panelboards, or
disconnect switches supplying the door/gate/similar systems
electric operator control panel.
(3) A specialty electrical contractor, other than the
(06) limited energy specialty electrical contractor, may only
perform telecommunications work within the equipment or
occupancy limitations of their specialty electrical
contractor's license. Any other telecommunications work
requires a telecommunications contractor's license.
