WAC 296-46B-945   Qualifying for master, journeyman, specialty electrician examinations.  Qualifying for master, journeyman, specialty electrician examinations.

     (1) All applicants must be at least sixteen years of age.


Qualifying for the master electrician examination.


     (2) An individual may take the master electrician's certificate of competency examination if the individual meets the requirements described in RCW 19.28.191 (1)(d) or (e).


Qualifying for the master electrician examination from out-of-state.


     (3) No credit may be applied from out-of-state toward qualifying for a master electrician certificate of competency examination.


Qualifying for the journeyman electrician competency examination.


     (4) An individual may take the journeyman electrician's certificate of competency examination if the individual held a current electrical training certificate and has worked for an employer who employs at least one certified master electrician, journeyman, or specialty electrician on staff and the individual:

     (a) Has been employed, in the electrical construction trade, under the direct supervision of a master electrician, journeyman electrician or specialty electrician working in the appropriate specialty in the proper ratio, per RCW 19.28.161, for four years (eight thousand hours). Of the eight thousand hours:

     (i) At least two years (four thousand hours) must be in new industrial and/or new commercial electrical installation (excluding all work described for specialty electricians or technicians) under the direct supervision of a master journeyman electrician or journeyman electrician while working for a general electrical contractor; and

     (ii) Not more than a total of two years (four thousand hours) may be for work described as an electrical specialty in WAC 296-46B-920(2).

     (b) Has completed a four-year apprenticeship program in the electrical construction trade that is registered with the state apprenticeship council while working under the direct supervision of a master journeyman or journeyman electrician in the proper ratio, per RCW 19.28.161; or

     (c) Has completed a two-year electrical construction training program as described in RCW 19.28.191 for journeyman electricians, and two years (four thousand hours) of work experience in new industrial and/or new commercial electrical installations (excluding work described for specialty electricians or electrical technicians) under the direct supervision of a journeyman electrician while working for a general electrical contractor in the proper ratio, per RCW 19.28.161. See WAC 296-46B-971 for additional training school information.

     Electrical construction training hours gained in specialties requiring less than two years (i.e., four thousand hours) will not be credited towards qualification for journeyman electrician.

     The trainee and their employer and/or apprenticeship training director must attest to the accuracy of all information contained on affidavits of experience and apprenticeship graduation certificates used to verify eligibility for the examination.


Qualifying for the journeyman/specialty electrician competency examination when work was performed in a state requiring electrician certification.


     (5) An individual may take the journeyman/specialty electrician's competency examination when the appropriate state having authority certifies to the department that:

     (a) The work was legally performed under the other state's licensing and certification requirements;

     (i) For journeyman applicants who meet the minimum hour requirements described in WAC 296-46B-945(4).

     (ii) For specialty applicants who meet the minimum hour requirements described in WAC 296-46B-945(9).

     (b) The other state's certificate of competency was obtained by examination.

     Electrical construction training hours gained in specialties requiring less than two years (i.e., four thousand hours) may not be credited towards qualification for journeyman electrician.


Qualifying for the journeyman/specialty electrician competency examination when work was performed in a state that does not require electrician certification.


     (6) If the other state requires electrical contractor licensing:

     (a) An individual may take the journeyman/specialty electrician's competency examination when an appropriately licensed electrical contractor(s), registered apprenticeship training director, or nationally recognized contractor or labor organization files a notarized letter of experience with the department accompanied by payroll documentation which certifies and shows that:

     (i) For journeyman applicants: The individual meets the minimum hour requirements described in WAC 296-46B-945(4).

     (ii) For specialty applicants: The individual meets the minimum hour requirements described in WAC 296-46B-945(9).

     (b) An individual may take the journeyman/specialty electrician's competency examination when an employer(s), acting under a property owner exemption, files a notarized letter of experience from the property owner with the department accompanied by payroll documentation which certifies and shows that:

     (i) For journeyman applicants: The individual meets the minimum hour requirements described in WAC 296-46B-945(4).

     (ii) For specialty applicants: The individual meets the minimum hour requirements described in WAC 296-46B-945(9).

     (7) If the other state does not require electrical contractor licensing or registration: An individual may take the journeyman/specialty electrician's competency examination when the individual's employer(s), registered apprenticeship training director, or nationally recognized contractor or labor organization files a notarized letter(s) of experience with the department accompanied by payroll documentation which certifies and shows that:

     (a) For journeyman applicants: The individual meets the minimum work requirements described in WAC 296-46B-945(4).

     (b) For specialty applicants: The individual meets the minimum work requirements described in WAC 296-46B-945(9).

     (8) The letter of experience described in subsections (6) and (7) of this section should include a complete list of the individual's usual duties with percentages attributed to each.


Qualifying for a specialty electrician certificate of competency or examination.


     (9) An individual may qualify for a specialty electrician's examination and certificate of competency if the individual held a current electrical training certificate, and has worked for an employer who employs at least one certified master journeyman electrician, journeyman electrician, appropriate master specialty electrician, or appropriate specialty electrician on staff and the individual:

     (a) Has been employed, in the electrical construction trade, under the direct supervision of an appropriate electrician in the appropriate specialty as follows:

Table 945-1 Experience Hours

Specialty	Minimum Hours of Work Experience Required to be Eligible for Examination(4)(5)	Minimum Hours of Work Experience Required for Certification
Residential certificate (02)	4,000(3)	4,000
Pump and irrigation certificate (03)	4,000(3)	4,000
Domestic pump certificate (03A)	720(1)(2)	2,000(6)
Signs certificate (04)	4,000(3)	4,000
Limited energy system certificate (06)	4,000(3)	4,000
HVAC/refrigeration system certificate (06A)	4,000(3)	4,000(7)
HVAC/refrigeration - restricted (06B)	1,000(1)(2)	2,000(6)
Nonresidential maintenance certificate (07)	4,000(3)	4,000
Nonresidential lighting maintenance and lighting retrofit certificate (07A)	720(1)(2)	2,000(6)
Residential maintenance certificate (07B)	720(1)(2)	2,000(6)
Restricted nonresidential maintenance certificate (07C)	1,000(1)(2)	2,000(6)
Appliance repair certificate (07D)	720(1)(2)	2,000(6)
Equipment repair certificate (07E)	1,000(1)(2)	2,000(6)
Door, gate, and similar systems certificate (10)	720(1)(2)	2,000(6)

Notes:	(1)Until the examination is successfully completed, the trainee must work under one hundred percent supervision. Once the appropriate examination is successfully completed, the modified supervision trainee may work under zero percent supervision.
	(2)The trainee may have only one zero percent supervision certificate in a specialty (valid for no more than two years). If the trainee has not gained the required work experience by the time the zero percent supervision certificate has expired, the trainee must get a seventy-five percent supervision certificate and work under supervision until all required work experience hours are gained and credited towards the minimum work experience requirement.
	(3)This specialty is not eligible for unsupervised trainee status as allowed in chapter 19.28 RCW.
	(4)The trainee and their employer and/or apprenticeship training director must attest to the accuracy of all information contained on affidavits of experience used to verify eligibility for the examination.
	(5)Neither previous work experience credit nor training school credit is allowed as a substitute for the initial hours of minimum work experience required to be eligible for examination unless the trainee's work experience hours under direct supervision are provided as required in RCW 19.28.191 (1) (g)(ii).
	(6)Electrical construction training hours gained in specialties requiring less than two years for certification may not be credited towards qualification for journeyman electrician.
	(7)The 2,000 minimum hours of work experience required for certification as a HVAC/refrigeration-restricted (06B) specialty electrician may be credited as 2,000 hours towards the 4,000 minimum hours of work experience required for certification as a HVAC/refrigeration (06A) specialty electrician. Hours of work experience credited from the HVAC/refrigeration-restricted (06B) specialty cannot be credited towards qualification for taking the general electrician (01) examination or minimum work experience requirements.
	(8)Experience hours may be coincidentally credited towards qualifying for electrician and plumber certifications. See RCW 19.28.191 (1)(g)(v).

     (b) Or has completed an appropriate two-year apprenticeship program in the electrical construction trade that is registered with the state apprenticeship council while working under the direct supervision of an electrician in the appropriate specialty in the proper ratio, per RCW 19.28.161.


Qualifying for a certificate of competency when the Washington electrical work experience is exempt from certification requirements in RCW 19.28.261.


     (10) To receive credit for electrical work experience that is exempted in RCW 19.28.261, an individual must provide the department with verification from the employer or owner according to WAC 296-46B-965 (i.e., affidavit(s) of experience). For the purposes of this section, exempt work does not include work performed on property owned by the individual seeking credit.

     (11) All exempt individuals learning the electrical trade must obtain an electrical training certificate from the department and renew it biennially in order to receive credit for hours worked in the trade according to WAC 296-46B-965.

     (12) The department may require verification of supervision in the proper ratio from the certified supervising electrician(s).

     (13) Telecommunications work experience:

     (a) Credit may be verified only by employers exempted by RCW 19.28.261, general electrical (01) contractors, and limited energy system (06) electrical contractors for limited energy experience for telecommunications work done:

     (i) Under the supervision of a certified journeyman or limited energy electrician; and

     (ii) In compliance with RCW 19.28.191.

     (b) Individuals who want to obtain credit for hours of experience toward electrician certification for work experience doing telecommunications installations must:

     (i) Obtain an electrical training certificate;

     (ii) Renew the training certificate biennially in order to receive credit for hours worked in the trade according to WAC 296-46B-965.

     (c) Telecommunications contractors may not verify telecommunications work experience toward electrician certification.



[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. 09-20-032, § 296-46B-945, filed 9/29/09, effective 10/31/09; 08-24-048, § 296-46B-945, filed 11/25/08, effective 12/31/08; 06-24-041, § 296-46B-945, filed 11/30/06, effective 12/31/06; 06-05-028, § 296-46B-945, filed 2/7/06, effective 5/1/06; 05-10-024, § 296-46B-945, filed 4/26/05, effective 6/30/05. 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-945, 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-945, filed 4/22/03, effective 4/22/03.]