Colorado Continuing Competentcy Exam

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texie

Senior Member
Location
Fort Collins, Colorado
Occupation
Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
For you fellow Colorado licensees...it is renewal time again. Took the CC exam today. 26 questions/60 minutes. Guess I was a good boy as I was not assigned any PDUs and was cleared to renew. Suggest doing it before Aug 15 as it gets more expensive the longer you wait and it gets harder to get a test date in time for renewal.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
what are your renewal requirements? Never heard of needing to take an exam for basic renewal before - though I am not necessarily opposed to such a suggestion. Here if you do let your license expire you do have to take the same exam that any other first time applicant has to take before you can get it back. Otherwise all you need is proof of proper CEU's and the renewal fee before expiration - which is Dec 31 of odd numbered years - everyone's license expires at same time every two years. They start allowing renewals to take place usually in Oct to give everyone sufficient time to get it done.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
In Colorado you take a test each code cycle. If you score high enough you don't take any CEUs. We call them Personal Development Units though.

I guess some may like that. I personally usually like to take classes that cover changes in a new code edition as part of my CEU's, it helps get me up to speed on the new code and takes care of licensing requirements at same time.

Last one I went to was given by three current state electrical inspectors and one retired one, we not only get code info but some information from them about things they commonly see when inspecting.
 

ActionDave

Chief Moderator
Staff member
Location
Durango, CO, 10 h 20 min from the winged horses.
Occupation
Licensed Electrician
I have not had to take any classes yet. I would enjoy aattending them. Part of the problem is my town is on the west side of the Rockies, so it is a bit isolated and smaller population base than the eastern slope. Not many instructors want to travel over for a class where only four people show up.

Heck, I have to go to New Mexico to take my test.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
I have not had to take any classes yet. I would enjoy aattending them. Part of the problem is my town is on the west side of the Rockies, so it is a bit isolated and smaller population base than the eastern slope. Not many instructors want to travel over for a class where only four people show up.

Heck, I have to go to New Mexico to take my test.
I've been through eastern half of Colorado many times - not much there either.

Ever been to Last Chance? I kind of think I know some of why it is called that:happyyes: I haven't been there for nearly 20 years though, but kind of have a feeling it hasn't changed too much.
 

rcarroll

Senior Member
For you fellow Colorado licensees...it is renewal time again. Took the CC exam today. 26 questions/60 minutes. Guess I was a good boy as I was not assigned any PDUs and was cleared to renew. Suggest doing it before Aug 15 as it gets more expensive the longer you wait and it gets harder to get a test date in time for renewal.
Great! Send me the answers & I'll buy you a beer or three. :p
 

sparky=t

Senior Member
Location
Colorado
I guess some may like that. I personally usually like to take classes that cover changes in a new code edition as part of my CEU's, it helps get me up to speed on the new code and takes care of licensing requirements at same time.

Last one I went to was given by three current state electrical inspectors and one retired one, we not only get code info but some information from them about things they commonly see when inspecting.

you would be amazed at how many people only care about getting the certificate to renew their license while sleeping in the back of the room, I personally like the competency exam as it presents a incentive to people to learn and stay current, it does not matter to me as I have to many licenses and certificates that I have to have CEU's for.
I can personally tell you that I know inspectors in Colorado that have failed portions of the Competency exam :p .
 

ActionDave

Chief Moderator
Staff member
Location
Durango, CO, 10 h 20 min from the winged horses.
Occupation
Licensed Electrician
For you fellow Colorado licensees...it is renewal time again. Took the CC exam today. 26 questions/60 minutes.
I heard they throw one question out and you are only scored on 25. Any idea if this it true? I had one question that I did not think was good, had to do with GFCI protection in auto shops.
Guess I was a good boy as I was not assigned any PDUs....
I have no doubt that you got by with no PDUs, I have no idea why I did too. Must be the forum.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
you would be amazed at how many people only care about getting the certificate to renew their license while sleeping in the back of the room, I personally like the competency exam as it presents a incentive to people to learn and stay current, it does not matter to me as I have to many licenses and certificates that I have to have CEU's for.
I can personally tell you that I know inspectors in Colorado that have failed portions of the Competency exam :p .
Seeing your location is NE, I'm guessing you don't see that in NE unless maybe it is a city/county inspector, the state seems to have well trained inspectors from what I have seen. If they do run into something they are not sure about they don't just pull something out of their pocket, they ask their superiors and/or peers for help. The state director used to be an EC, then an inspector in area where I frequently work - so I got to know him.
While he was still an inspector he did have state approved CEU classes that he taught, and IMO did a very good job with them, he could relate code issues and installer issues and present them to the class in a way that kept their interest - it was things they were used to seeing on a regular basis and they wanted to learn about how they are effected by codes, inspections, and sometimes just from the perspective of someone who has been in their shoes before.

He understands contractors and installers and runs a good program, yet still wants things done according to code and the State Electrical Act.

not state inspectors, municipal inspector(s) in metro area... who have adopted changes :blink:
 

texie

Senior Member
Location
Fort Collins, Colorado
Occupation
Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
I heard they throw one question out and you are only scored on 25. Any idea if this it true? I had one question that I did not think was good, had to do with GFCI protection in auto shops.
I have no doubt that you got by with no PDUs, I have no idea why I did too. Must be the forum.

The GFCI in auto shops was a code change question as now all receps need GFCI as opposed to just for certain tools/equipment.
Yes, it is true that one question does not count and of course you don't know which one. They used to do the same thing on initial license exams. Not sure if that is still done since they moved these to PSI.
I knew you would do fine. I get the sense from talking to people and hearing through the grapevine that the vast majority of people have to do at least some PDUs. It would be very telling of the state of the industry if they would publish metrics of the exams like some states do. I know a lot of people really are opposed to this renewal testing, but lets be honest, the old method we had was just a farce. And based on what I see out in the field in the state I work in (you know the one), continuing ed is not working well either.
I would bet that the vast majority of of regular posters here would have no trouble with our renewal exam as they show a real interest. I know it helps me stay on my toes. We need more of that in our trade.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
The GFCI in auto shops was a code change question as now all receps need GFCI as opposed to just for certain tools/equipment.
Yes, it is true that one question does not count and of course you don't know which one. They used to do the same thing on initial license exams. Not sure if that is still done since they moved these to PSI.
I knew you would do fine. I get the sense from talking to people and hearing through the grapevine that the vast majority of people have to do at least some PDUs. It would be very telling of the state of the industry if they would publish metrics of the exams like some states do. I know a lot of people really are opposed to this renewal testing, but lets be honest, the old method we had was just a farce. And based on what I see out in the field in the state I work in (you know the one), continuing ed is not working well either.
I would bet that the vast majority of of regular posters here would have no trouble with our renewal exam as they show a real interest. I know it helps me stay on my toes. We need more of that in our trade.

You got me confused on the GFCI in auto shops. Assming you are talking about requirements of 511.12 here.

I looked at 2014 and 511-10 from 1993 and they are exactly same words except 1993 mentions lighting 'devices' and 2014 says lighting 'equipment'.

So what is the change you mentioned?

Or are you saying this was a bogus question that didn't count? I guess my understanding of not counting one question is interpreted as you can miss any one question and still have a perfect score on the exam if you get all the others correct.
 

mwm1752

Senior Member
Location
Aspen, Colo
The renewal test in Colo used to be pass / fail when we renewed until 2008 -- Now you cannot lose your lic even if you answer all questions incorrectly -- the max classes to be assigned is 24 hrs worth.. to be completed within the 3 year cycle & is randomly check -- not a big fan of the testing method. I usually take classes anyway to help keep up with interpretations.
 
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