CHAPTER 5

ELECTRICAL LICENSING

 

Section 1. Authority. These rules and regulations are promulgated by the Wyoming Electrical Board pursuant to their authority under W.S. 35-9-124(a)(i).

 

 Section 2. Electrical Contractors, Low Voltage Electrical Contractors and Limited Electrical Contractors.

 

(a) All work done by an electrical contractor subject to the National Electrical Code shall be under the direction and supervision of a licensed journeyman electrician or a licensed master electrician

 

(i) An electrical contractor may employ licensed low voltage technicians, licensed limited technicians, or apprentice technicians. The scope of work for low voltage and limited technicians and apprentice technicians working for electrical contractors shall be limited by the type of technician license or apprentice technician registration held. Low voltage or limited electrical work may be supervised by a licensed low voltage or limited technician of the proper category.

 

(b) All work done by a low voltage or limited electrical contractor subject to the National Electrical Code must be within the category of low voltage or limited electrical contractor's license held and shall be under the direction and supervision of a licensed low voltage or limited technician of the proper category.

 

(i) A low voltage or limited electrical contractor may employ licensed journeyman or licensed master electricians. The scope of work for journeyman or master electricians working for low voltage or limited electrical contractors shall be limited by the category of low voltage or limited electrical contractor's license held by the contractor.

 

(c) Electrical contractors, low voltage electrical contractors, and limited electrical contractors shall ensure that all their electrical installations comply fully with the current edition of the National Electrical Code and amendments thereto, unless written permission for an exception is issued by the Board. Such permission is limited by the requirements set forth in Article 90 of The National Electrical Code.

 

(d) An electrical contractor who has lost their master of record may have up to but not more than thirty (30) days to register a new master of record.

 

(i) During the time that an electrical contractor is without a master of record they shall submit to the Electrical Safety Division each Monday a list of all licensed employees that worked on projects the previous week in Wyoming. The list must show which projects the electricians were working on and number of hours worked. The list shall include each apprentice, the year of registration, their on-the-job supervisor and how many hours the supervisor was available on the project.

 

(e) A low voltage electrical contractor or limited electrical contractor who has lost their technician of record may have up to but not more than thirty (30) days to register a technician of record.

 

(i) During the time that a low voltage electrical contractor or limited electrical contractor is without a technician of record they shall submit to the Electrical Safety Division each Monday a list of all licensed employees that worked on projects the previous week in Wyoming. The list must show which projects the technicians were working on and number of hours worked. The list shall include each apprentice, the year of registration, their on-the-job supervisor and how many hours the supervisor was available on the project.

 

(f) Low Voltage - Licensing categories of systems of under ninety (90) volts by low voltage electrical contractors shall be as follows:

 

(i) LV-G Low Voltage General - Installation and repair or remodel of all systems under ninety (90) volts.

 

(ii) LV-A Low Voltage Alarms - Installation and repair or remodel of burglar alarms, fire alarms, and other alarm signaling systems.

 

(iii) LV-L Low Voltage Lawn Sprinklers - Installation and repair or remodel of lawn sprinkler systems under (90) volts.

 

(iv).  LV-CATV Low voltage communications, sound, TV, and control - Installation and repair or remodel of the included systems, and installation of, and repair and maintenance of fiber optic cable installations.

 

(g) Limited - Licensing categories of limited electrical work by limited electrical contractors shall be as follows:

 

(i) LM-E Elevators - Installation and repair or remodel of elevator systems limited to wiring on the load side of the equipment disconnect.

 

(ii) LM-LS Signs and light fixtures- Installation and repair or remodel of electrical sign systems limited to wiring on the load side of the equipment disconnect and routine checking and repair of light fixtures limited to replacement of lamps, ballasts, and fixture parts located in buildings and their premises.

 

(iii) LM-W Water Wells and Irrigation Systems - Installation and repair or remodel of water well and irrigation systems limited to electrical wiring on the load side of the equipment disconnect.

 

(iv) LM-H - Installation and repair or remodel of heating, ventilating, air conditioning, refrigeration, and HVAC energy management systems limited to electrical wiring on the load side of the equipment disconnect.

 

 Section 3. Master Electricians, Journeyman Electricians, Low Voltage Technicians and Limited Technicians.

 

(a) An applicant for a journeyman electrician license by exam must present evidence of a four (4) year (8,000 hour) apprenticeship or experience in the electrical wiring industry. The 8,000 hours of experience must have been obtained during a time frame of no less than four (4) years. Work shall have been governed by the minimum standards of the NEC, under the direct supervision of a licensed journeyman or licensed master electrician. Electrical work experience is to consist of installation in residential, commercial, and industrial. No more than 75 percent of time may be in any one category. However, in special circumstances, the Board may waive this requirement. Up to two (2) years (4,000 hours) credit toward work history requirements shall be given for the number of hours of study in an accredited electrical school exceeding the 576 hours of electrically related classroom instruction required in Section 5(a)(i).

 

(i) An applicant for a journeyman electrician or master electrician license must also present evidence of 144 hours per year, or 576 hours over a four year apprenticeship, of successfully completed electrically related classroom instruction obtained through approved electrical apprenticeship training programs. If 576 hours of classroom instruction cannot be provided, an applicant may qualify for the exam if evidence of 10 years and 20,000 hours of on the job training experience as a licensed journeyman or master electrician is provided and approved by the Chief Electrical Inspector.

 

(ii) Applicants who have a current journeyman or master electrician's license, in good standing, from a city, county or state which has requirements equal to or greater than the requirements of the State of Wyoming shall be able to use that license as proof of on the job training hours to qualify to take the examination.

 

(iii) All properly documented work experience obtained while working for an exempt entity in the State of Wyoming as defined in W.S. 35-9-123 (a)(ii) through (v) will be acceptable. Such work shall have been governed by the minimum standards of the NEC, under the direct supervision of a licensed journeyman or licensed master electrician. Applicants with acceptable work history obtained while working for an exempt entity must also document an equal number of hours of related classroom instruction as required for apprentice electricians enrolled in approved electrical apprenticeship training programs.

 

(b) An applicant for a master electrician license by exam must present evidence of eight (8) years (16,000 hours) experience in the electrical wiring industry and having held a journeyman electrician license for a minimum of four (4) years. The 16,000 hours of "Documented Evidence of Work Experience" means notarized letters from employees (past and present), notarized letters from IBEW local union or a copy of a current electrical license from

another state licensing board which has work history requirement equal to or greater than the State of Wyoming.

 

(c) An applicant for a low voltage license must present evidence of the required experience that meets minimum standards of the NEC for the category of license indicated on the application. Classroom instruction is not required for a low voltage license. Experience requirements for the various categories of a low voltage license are as follows:

 

(i) LV-G Low Voltage General - 4,000 hours during a period of not less than two (2) years for any category of low voltage license not specifically addressed below.

 

(ii) LV-A Low Voltage Alarms - 3,000 hours during a period of not less than two (18) months.

 

(iii) LV-L Low Voltage Lawn Sprinklers - 80 hours during a period of not less than two (2) months.

 

(iv) LV-CATV Low Voltage communications, sound, TV, control. 2000 hours during a period of not less than one (1) year

 

(d) An applicant for a limited technician license must present evidence of the required experience that meets minimum standards of the NEC for the category of license indicated on the application. Classroom instruction is not required for a limited technician license. Experience requirements for the various categories of a limited technician license are as follows:

 

(i) LM-LS Signs and Light Fixtures - 1,000 hours during a period of not less than six (6) months.

 

(ii) All other limited technician categories - 4,000 hours during a period of not less than two (2) years.

 

(e) Master electrician applicants shall receive a passing grade of 75 percent on the examination. Journeyman electrician applicants shall receive a passing grade of 70 percent on the examination. Low voltage technician and limited technician applicants shall receive a passing grade of 70 percent on the examination.

 

(f) Anyone who has tested (and failed) for an electrical license within the State of Wyoming is not eligible for a reciprocal license until they have held the license from that state for a period of (3) years and also must show proof of an approved continuing education seminar of sixteen (16) hours on electrical code which is currently enforced in the State of Wyoming.

 

 Section 5. Reciprocal Licensing.

 

(a) "Reciprocal Licensing" is a master, journeyman, low voltage, and limited technician license that has been reciprocated into the State of Wyoming from a state that has a reciprocal agreement with the State of Wyoming. In order to receive a master or journeyman, low voltage, and limited technician reciprocal license the applicant must have obtained their license by examination. A journeyman, low voltage, or limited technician must have a score of 70% or greater. A master must have a score of 75% or greater. The applicant must have held their license for at least one year in the state the applicant is reciprocating from and the license must be active and in good status with no violations. Proof of the current license must be shown/verified from the state issuing the license. To apply for a reciprocal license you must fill out the appropriate application and pay the appropriate fees and have obtained that license by the same requirements as are required to obtain a license in the State of Wyoming.

 

 Section 6. Apprentice Electricians, Apprentice Electrician Training Programs and Apprentice Technicians.

 

(a) An apprentice electrician is any person working as an apprentice for a licensed electrical contractor and under the direct supervision of a licensed journeyman electrician, or a licensed master electrician.

 

(i) Apprentice electricians renewing their registration with the Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety will be required to provide proof of the following:

 

(A) The total number of hours of on-the-job electrical work experience obtained during the twelve (12) month period from July 1 of the previous year to June 30 of the current year. Work shall have been governed by the minimum standards of the NEC, under the direct supervision or attestation of a licensed journeyman or licensed master electrician. A breakdown indicating number of hours obtained in residential, commercial, and industrial work categories shall be included. Documentation of work history shall be through notarized letters on company letterhead from past or present employer.

 

(B) The total number of hours of successfully completed electrically related classroom instruction obtained through accredited schools or through approved apprenticeship programs during the twelve (12) month period from July 1 of the previous year to June 30 of the current year. Documentation of all electrically related classroom instruction, time spent in electrical school, and time spent in approved on-line classroom instruction shall be through transcripts from an accredited school or classroom training records from an approved electrical apprenticeship program.

 

(ii) Apprentice electricians will not be advanced to the next year of apprenticeship training until proof of one (1) year (2,000 hours) of on-the-job electrical work experience and 144 hours of successfully completed electrically related classroom instruction or approved on-line classroom instruction, obtained through an approved electrical apprenticeship program, can be documented for the current year of their apprenticeship registration.

 

(iii) Each apprentice electrician shall be supervised by a licensed master or journeyman electrician during his entire training period.

 

(A) First (1st) year apprentice who has less than 2,000 hours on-the-job training and less than 144 hours related classroom training shall be supervised 100 percent of the workday by a licensed master or licensed journeyman, who must be present on the job.

 

(B) Second (2nd) year apprentice who has at least 2,000 hours on-the- job training and 144 hours of related classroom training but less than 4,000 on- the-job-training or 288 hours of related training shall be supervised 100 percent of the workday by a licensed master or licensed journeyman, who must be present on the job.

 

(C) Third (3rd) year apprentice who has at least 4,000 hours on-the-job training and at least 288 hours of related classroom training, but less than 6,000 hours on-the­ job-training or 432 hours of related training shall be supervised at least 50 percent of the workday by a licensed master or licensed journeyman, who must be present on the job.

 

(D) Fourth (4th) year apprentice who has at least 6,000 hours on-the- job training and 432 hours of related classroom training but less than 8,000 hours on-the-job­ training or 576 hours of related training shall be supervised 25 percent of the workday by a licensed master or licensed journeyman, who must be present on the job.

 

(E) Fifth (5th) year apprentice who has at least 8,000 hours on- the- job-training and 576 hours of related training shall be supervised 25 percent of the workday by a licensed master or licensed journeyman, who must be present on the job.

 

(F) An apprentice who has at least 10,000 hours on-the-job- training regardless of hours of related training shall be supervised 100 percent of the workday by a licensed master or licensed journeyman, who must be present on the job.

 

(b) Electrical contractors employing apprentice electricians in the State of Wyoming must have an electrical apprenticeship training program to provide classroom instruction for all apprentice electricians in their employ. Requirements for apprenticeship training programs shall be as follows:

 

(i) The training program must provide at least 144 hours per year, 576 hours over a four (4) year apprenticeship program, of a structured and comprehensive sequence of instruction in subjects, such as electrical theory, the National Electrical Code, and other technical subjects related to the electrical trade.

 

(ii) Classes for electrical apprenticeship training programs must be conducted on a regular pre scheduled basis with enough scheduled classes to accommodate the 144 hour per year requirement.

 

(iii) Instructors for electrical apprenticeship training programs must be licensed journeyman electricians, licensed master electricians, or other persons with adequate electrical expertise as determined by the Department.

 

(iv) Apprenticeship course hours must be approved by the Chief Electrical inspector.