Florida EC License

[jkinsey]

Hello,

I've ran across this forum about 1000 times in these last 8 years, but I am posting in it for the first time today.

I started in the trade in 2009 working for a friend's dad who is a commercial/residential electrical contractor. When my expenses started outpacing my income in that trade, I spent a few years doing transmission power line construction for a utility contractor. Most of my career I spent jumping back and forth between those two, except for a few odd jobs when work was low. A couple of years ago, I got lucky and landed a job at an automated sawmill as a maintenance electrician, and I am now over maintenance/project planning for the electrical department at our mill. I have supervised several projects, organizing contractors and keeping communication lines between departments flowing. I've installed automated systems and scanners. I've participated in several of these projects from conception, to construction, to commissioning, and then implementation into the maintenance program.

I love what I'm doing, but I have also always dreamed of getting my Masters license. It's a personal goal, and even if I never start my own business or do contracting professionally, there are many other opportunities that a contractors license affords you. And, further more, I want to prove to my self and the people that I do business with that, though I am young, I am a serious professional who knows his trade.

I have been researching what it would take to achieve this goal, and it's discouraging. I would have enough time and experience to sit for the test if it weren't for the fact that, as far as my research can tell, my time in maintenance isn't counted in my over all experience. This seems silly to me, because I've had opportunities to do things and access to information in the industrial maintenance world that I never would have gotten had I stuck to traditional construction.

But I'm not here to make excuses. I'm here to find a way.

My research also indicates that Florida has an endorsement system with other states. I live very close to Georgia, and their licensing requirements are shorter time wise. Also, I can't find anywhere that the same prejudice towards maintenance work is expressed. Is there anyone here with a Georgia license who can vouch for that?

Here's my overall experience/education that I can prove.

Commercial/Residential Electrical Construction - 20 Months
Transmission Utility Line Construction - 31 Months
Industrial Electrical Maintenance - 31 Months
Industrial Electronics Trade Diploma - 12 Months

Not counting the technical diploma (I'm not sure how much time that would count for) that's almost seven years of broad experience in the electrical industry. If you take away either the industrial maintenance, or utility line construction, that's still over 4 years (Georgia's requirement). If you take away both of them, it becomes more difficult.

So, I guess my question is this: Does the experience I have qualify me to achieve licensure in either Florida or Georgia? And if not, what can I do to change that?

I'm thankful for any advice you can provide.

 

[Coppersmith]

I just pulled my Florida application out of the file drawer. It's 81 pages long. It has employment verification forms (about 3 pages each) from 26 stints of employment (some employers are shown twice, working union you work a lot of short jobs and get laid-off a lot). It all adds up to slightly more than the required 12,000 hours of experience.

I don't see on the form where it says the job can't be a maintenance job. It just has to be an electrician job. Maybe things have changed from three years ago.

Keep in mind you also have to prove that 40% of the 12,000 hours is in three-phase work if you want an EC licence. You can apply for a residential only licence otherwise.

Not trying to be rude here, but I like it that the licence is hard to get. Makes getting it, more worthwhile. Now if there were only a way to get rid of the unlicensed guys stealing my work.

 

[jkinsey]

Thanks for the reply!

There is an FAQ from the DBPR in which I read the reference to maintenance work. It can be found here:

http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/pro/elboard/documents/elecfaqs.pdf

"13. What are possible reasons my application for licensure could be denied if I havepassed the examination?Your application could be denied for many reasons even if you have passed the examination.Here are some of the more common reasons for denial:
• Failure to demonstrate the required experience – your W2’s, job lists or employmentverification forms may not support that you have the experience required by the statute.This may occur if:
o You are applying based on supervisory experience but your salary and job dutiesare not in line with someone with supervisory responsibilities in this industry.
o Your work experience is not in the “trade” of electrical contracting, experience asan electrician or supervising electrician for a facility is not considered by the boardto be electrical contracting experience. An applicant must have worked for anelectrical contractor if they are applying based on experience in the “trade”.
o Your job lists do not show enough specific experience in the category you areapplying for. Such as 40% experience in 3 phase electrical work for UnlimitedElectrical, fire alarms for Alarm I or burglar alarms for Alarm II. Be sure toconcentrate your job lists on jobs that meet those requirements."

Am I reading too much into it? After all, it says "could be denied". Maybe they are just trying to avoid bulb changers or property maintenance people?

Most of my work is in three phase systems. Even when I was working for a contractor, residential work was not the norm.

I have no problem with the license being hard to get. I do have a problem with a bureaucracy that doesn't count valid experience. We have trouble finding contractors (at least in our area) who are experienced with the type of work we do. I feel like having the experience could provide me a niche market if I am able to get license (if I were to ever choose to go that direction).

Again, thanks for the information.

 

[Coppersmith]

You may want to find out what the requirements are for one or more counties since each county also issues their own licences. I've never checked, but I get the impression the county requirements may be different than the state requirements.

 

[peter d]

Not trying to be rude here, but I like it that the licence is hard to get. Makes getting it, more worthwhile. Now if there were only a way to get rid of the unlicensed guys stealing my work.

I have 2 state EC licenses and I hate them. It's a permission slip from the government that allow me to make a living. That is wrong. I would get rid of them in a second if I could.

 

[Coppersmith]

Homeowner to criminal posing as an electrician: "What's your licence number?"

Criminal: "I don't need a licence. It's a permission slip from the government that allows me to make a living."

Homeowner: "Oh ok. Let me show you what I need."

Days later the house burns down in an electrical fire and homeowner dies.

Criminal to friend: "This electrical stuff isn't hard and I'm making lots of money undercutting the licensed guys because I don't have to have insurance.

 

[peter d]

Homeowner to criminal posing as an electrician: "What's your licence number?"

Criminal: "I don't need a licence. It's a permission slip from the government that allows me to make a living."

Homeowner: "Oh ok. Let me show you what I need."

Days later the house burns down in an electrical fire and homeowner dies.

Criminal to friend: "This electrical stuff isn't hard and I'm making lots of money undercutting the licensed guys because I don't have to have insurance.

Yeah, ok. :roll::roll:

For all the licensing we have in my area, it does very little to stop hack work from happening. In fact, a lot of the hack work is done by people carrying licenses in their pockets.