Electrical License not needed???

[electriciangirl]

Wisconsin does not have statewide license requirements.

 

[hurricaneflyer]

Alabama has state issued journeymen's and electrical contractors licenses, but it is up to each jurisdiction to decide what if any license is required to perform electrical work in their jurisdiction.

One of the cities I do a lot of work in requires no license, another takes the state license and also accepts about 20 other licenses, another city takes the state license, the official state reciprocals, or, they also administer an electrical contractors test you can take that is of course only good for that city. The county accepts only the state and official reciprocals (but there isn't a lot of work outside of the municipalities).

 

[e57]

1) You can do work up to $750 in CA without any license at all.

2) The requirement for electricians to be certified is so full of holes that it's ridiculous. A GC can legally hire unlicensed electricians but an EC cannot.

3) There is no enforcement in CA for working as an uncertified electrician; if you turned yourself in they would have no way to punish you.

In CA there is way too much politics at play to do much of anything right.

I totally agree with that last statement!

Otherwise two corrections here:

It's $500 total contract of both time and materials.

And there is only one sector of work where there is some enforcement on Certification of workers... "Prevailing wage - Public Work" due to the required madatory Apprentice hours for each Journeyman. Another law requires so many hours (6 per 8 I believe) of Apprentice labor per Journey labor and supervised on a 'one to one basis'. As far as I know this is the only place you will be asked for your card... Or recieve any action against you for not being certified. i.e. You become an 'apprentice' again in order to continue working for the next 5 years....

It should also be known that "Licensing" of Contractors, and "Certification" of Workers are done by two completely seperate goverment agencies in CA. Netither are on the same page, or even the same book... One is done via a consumer protection agency - the other by the communist party.

 

[ramsy]

I was recently reported to Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (S.W.I.F.T.), after an EC claimed my license number, ad on craiglist.com, belonged to someone else.

I called SWIFT, explained I wan't to legally transition from electrician to contractor
http://cslbpubdev.altosagroup.com/0...complaints-against-unlicensed-contractors.asp
and discovered it doesn't matter if the JW certification # and municipal-license number belonged to me, because my ad misled the public, and violated CBPC ? 7027.2.

CA Bus. & Professions Code ? 7027.1 states the fines for this error in advertising can exceed $1000.00. so I decided to correct my ad by adding the phrase "Not licensed over $500 per ? 7027.2 CBPC" I also added that phrase to my web site, www.NoFixNoPay.info since CBPC also describes internet publishing as an actionable form of public commerce.

I noticed the official complaint form requires a project site, and being caught in the act.
http://www.cslb.ca.gov/forms/hotleadref.pdf

Searching google for SWIFT & CSLB shows most of the prosecutions result from stings at project sites, and there was no project site for me, but SWIFT has my phone and copy of the original ad violation from craigs list, so I'm not sure if and when I might get a fine in the mail.

The CSLB requires several years of experience and/or related schooling to qualify applicants for C-10 testing and bonding, however, while trunk-slamming criminals thrive in the black market, if someone like me legitimately tries to get those client vouchers for experience, from anywhere besides W2 employers, one really needs to be careful how that proof is collected and presented to the CSLB.

 

[bkludecke]

E57 Thanks for the clarifications. Yes it is still a $500 limit for unlicensed work (although that is likely to change soon).

I stopped doing prevailing wage work many years ago so I don't pay much attention to what's going on there. But that's another subject altogether.
Prevailing wage work is a totally rigged and corrupt system and a game that I refuse to play because there is no way to win for me.

 

[resistance]

Not to insult anyone from Cali.. But I'm happy to hear they are doing something, because 100% of the (so called) electricians "I've worked with" from Cali, are somewhat close to a 11/2 year electrical apprentice (residential) from Washington State.

 

[ramsy]

No offense taken. The state requires 4 years of experience vouchers for a C-10, or 2 years with a qualifying 4-year college degree. If I had collected vouchers properly in the past, I'd have 5-years worth now, and perhaps more experience then some licensed CA EC's.

 

[bkludecke]

Not to insult anyone from Cali.. But I'm happy to hear they are doing something, because 100% of the (so called) electricians "I've worked with" from Cali, are somewhat close to a 11/2 year electrical apprentice (residential) from Washington State.

Yeah we try to send all the losers north:grin: , you oughta just keep 'em pointed that way .

I passed the WA jw test a few years ago and I was impressed at how comprehensive it was.

The CA test is easy by comparison. All you need to pass it a fair command of the language and know how to use an index.

 

[ramsy]

The CA test is easy by comparison. All you need to pass it a fair command of the language and know how to use an index.

Command of what language?

1999 National Electrical Code Handbook - NFPA 70, Spanish Edition
http://www.constructionbook.com/199...book-nfpa-70-spanish-edition-70hb99e/nfpa-70/

 

[bkludecke]

Se habla espanol?:grin:

 

[DIRT27]

Ca certification is a joke!!! I know of unlicensed guys working PW jobs and no enforcement. I wish I could get a refund of my $175 and would be willing to retake the test when they start enforcing it. Most contractors could care less if you have a license. The test is fairly easy, a 1st year apperentice could with couple weekends to study, it requires a basic electrical vocab and ability to navigate through the code book.

Contractors are really the only ones that are enforcing it. I have heard a couple of insurance claim issues if you don't have licensed j-man working for you.

 

[HaskinsElectric]

Finally Someone Gets It Right!

Finally Someone Gets It Right!

1) You can do work up to $750 in CA without any license at all.

2) The requirement for electricians to be certified is so full of holes that it's ridiculous. A GC can legally hire unlicensed electricians but an EC cannot.

3) There is no enforcement in CA for working as an uncertified electrician; if you turned yourself in they would have no way to punish you.

In CA there is way too much politics at play to do much of anything right.

You're the first person that has gotten this right! But I would like to clarify point #2. The CA electrician certification has nothing to do with ECs. It states that if you work for an EC then you must be certified. If they ever start enforcing this rule, it's the electricians that will pay the fines, not the ECs.

There's nothing in the law that says ECs must hire certified electricians, the law says that anyone doing electrical work for an EC must be certified.

But Dude, I commend you highly on knowing what's up in California, very few people have any idea how things really work here.

 

[HaskinsElectric]

Oh, I also want to point out the "Small Job Exemption" is $500, not $750

http://law.onecle.com/california/business/7048.html

 

[HaskinsElectric]

Oh, while we're on the subject....

Oh, while we're on the subject....

I just finished a new house where aside from the GC, I was the only licensed contractor on the job. All other trades were not licensed contractors. This is getting more common.

 

[QES]

Do the right thing.....and call SHIFT.

 

[HaskinsElectric]

Do you mean SWIFT?

 

[DaveTap]

My brother lives in CA and he is not licenced.
He's an accountant though.

OMG that is like sooo dangerous... someone might get killed by a paper cut or something... LOL

I've always wondered how we can all use the same National Electrical Code and not have a National Electrical License. Then again I took my test in Chicago (supposedly toughest in IL) which has its own messed up code. I still think its funny I can take the North Carolina test in Orlando.

 

[e57]

Do you mean SWIFT?

No I think he means this guy...

 

[jrclen]

Wisconsin does not have statewide license requirements.

No they don't. Last year Wisconsin passed a law requiring plumbers to have a license. And the state is now working on a license for handymen. But not for electricians. I guess they don't want any carpets getting wet, but burning the house down is still ok with our state. The county where I live just started requiring permits and inspections two years ago. And as of January, that only applies to residential and not commercial or industrial.

 

[electriciangirl]

No they don't. Last year Wisconsin passed a law requiring plumbers to have a license. And the state is now working on a license for handymen. But not for electricians. I guess they don't want any carpets getting wet, but burning the house down is still ok with our state. The county where I live just started requiring permits and inspections two years ago. And as of January, that only applies to residential and not commercial or industrial.

Same with inspections up here. They started being required in 2005. However, last spring I attended an IAEI Code conference in Appleton and there was a buzz about a bill being introduced that would require statewide licensing. Anybody heard if it passed? I hope so. There's too many shoddy "electricians" working in my neck of the woods. Unlicensed ones.