TITLE 24

Professions and Occupations

CHAPTER 14. Board of Electrical Examiners

Subchapter III. Other Provisions

§ 1417. Homeowner’s Permits.

(a) Any person, who plans to install that person’s own internal wiring, electrical work or equipment, including the main breaker or fuse, in or about that person’s own home, that is not for sale nor any part for rent, excluding swimming pools and hot tubs, shall obtain a homeowner’s permit. Permits shall be valid for 1 year. Failure of the homeowner to obtain a final inspection of the homeowner’s work shall be cause for the Board to cancel the homeowner’s permit.

(b) Persons applying for a homeowner’s permit shall submit a photo identification, copy of the deed to the home and title or contract of sale for the mobile home (if applicable).

(c) Application for a homeowner’s permit shall be available at the Board office in Dover, or by mail. The Division shall issue the permit only to those persons who fulfill the requirements of this section.

72 Del. Laws, c. 210, §  170 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  1

§ 1418. Partnership, firm or corporation; loss of license holder.

(a) If a partnership, firm or corporation suffers a loss of a license holder, the partnership, firm or corporation shall notify the Board in writing with supporting documentation within 7 days of the loss of a license holder.

(b) The Board shall schedule an emergency meeting within 10 days during which time the partnership, firm or corporation may continue to operate without a license holder provided the partnership, firm or corporation continues to employ the same personnel with the exception of the license holder.

(c) A person associated with the partnership, firm or corporation shall submit an application for a license to the Board, before the emergency meeting, for consideration by the Board at such meeting. At the emergency meeting the Board may issue a temporary license valid for 100 days dated from the date of notification by the partnership, firm or corporation.

(d) If approved at the emergency meeting, the applicant shall be scheduled for the next available examination.

(e) Regardless of the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, a temporary license shall expire when the Board receives notification of the results of the examination.

(f) If the partnership, firm or corporation allows the 100-day temporary license to expire without having a person obtain a license or having in their employ a person with a license, then said partnership, firm or corporation shall cease and desist immediately from all electrical work for which a license is required under this chapter.

72 Del. Laws, c. 210, §  1

§ 1419. Exceptions.

(a) Nothing in this title shall be construed to prevent the performing of electrical work by:

(1) Any of the following individuals working in a manufacturing or industrial facility:

a. An electrical engineer who is recognized by their company as the person responsible for facility repairs, maintenance, or electrical additions, and who is registered with the Board, or a professional electrical engineer who is registered with the Board and who is licensed and listed on the Delaware Association of Professional Engineers;

b. An electrical engineer or electrical engineering technician, recognized by the manufacturing or industrial company as qualified, working in a laboratory environment conducting basic research and development;

c. An “in-house” electrical engineer, electrical engineering technician, or other person conducting research and development building and testing a custom panel designed by the company and not commercially available, provided that such exception shall not extend to the permanent installation of the equipment;

(2) The Department of Transportation, its agencies, offices and divisions, for all work performed by the Department, or under its supervision, and which is approved by the Department, for the installation, erection, construction, reconstruction and/or maintenance of drawbridges and traffic-control devices, including traffic signals, traffic signs and highway lighting;

(3) Persons working beyond the main breaker or fuse of 200 amps or less on structures used exclusively for agricultural purposes, except that the provisions of § 1420 of this title regarding certificates of inspection shall apply where new installations are involved;

(4) Any electric light or power company, electric railway company, steam railway company, diesel railway company, telegraph or telephone company, water or wastewater utility whose rates and services are regulated by the Delaware Public Service Commission, or any person performing the electrical work of such company or utility, when such work is a part of the plant or services used by the company in rendering its authorized service to the public, as further defined in rules and regulations of the Board;

(5) Any homeowner or homeowners who comply with the mandates of § 1417 of this title.

(b) Nothing in this chapter shall restrict any person from servicing equipment in the fields of heating, air conditioning, refrigeration or appliances.

24 Del. C. 1953, §  1432;  55 Del. Laws, c. 423, §  159 Del. Laws, c. 202, §  1662 Del. Laws, c. 342, §  1;  64 Del Laws, c. 476,, §  5;  65 Del. Laws, c. 355, §  170 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  172 Del. Laws, c. 210, §  178 Del. Laws, c. 191, §  779 Del. Laws, c. 86, §  379 Del. Laws, c. 407, §  1

§ 1420. Certificate of Inspection required; “cut-in-card”.

(a) All electrical work performed in this State, unless specifically exempt, shall receive a certificate of inspection issued by a Board-licensed inspection agency.

(b) All applications for inspections shall be filed with the inspection agency within 5 working days of the commencement of electrical work.

(c) Inspection agencies shall make all inspections within 5 working days of receipt of the application for inspection.

(d) No power company shall connect any current, light or power to any property without first obtaining from an inspection agency a permanent or temporary “cut-in-card,” except in case of emergency when service may be restored by a licensed electrician prior to obtaining a “cut-in-card.” The inspection agency shall issue a “cut-in-card” only for electrical work performed by a licensed electrician, except for work being done or which has been done by persons who are not required to obtain licenses under this chapter.

24 Del. C. 1953, §  1433;  55 Del. Laws, c. 423, §  159 Del. Laws, c. 202, §  1770 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  172 Del. Laws, c. 210, §  1

§ 1421. Electrical Inspection Agencies.

(a) All agencies, who intend to conduct electrical inspections in this State, shall apply for a license as an approved electrical inspection agency, complete a Board-approved application and submit to the Board proof of the following:

(1) Name or names, address or addresses, and telephone number or numbers for all office facilities located in this State, at least 1 office of which shall service all 3 counties;

(2) For all electrical inspectors employed by the inspection agency, proof of at least 7 years of experience in residential, commercial or industrial wiring;

(3) The passing grade obtained by each inspector on the following examinations, administered by a nationally recognized testing agency and approved by the Division: Electrical 1- and 2-family dwelling; electrical general, administered within 18 months of employment as an inspector; and electrical plan review, administered within 24 months of such employment.

(b) The Board may grant conditional approval of the inspection agency, not to exceed 6 months, after reviewing the credentials of the agency, evidence of general liability insurance and errors and omission insurance, as required by the Board’s rules and regulations, and payment of the fee established by the Division. No electrical inspection agency shall conduct any electrical inspection in this State until it has at least 1 full-time, nationally-certified inspector on its payroll, who will conduct electrical inspections in this State.

(c) The Board may deny an application for licensure as an inspection agency; such denial shall be in writing and state the reason or reasons for such denial; and shall be provided by the Board to the inspection agency within 10 days of the decision. The inspection agency may appeal all denials of licensure to the Superior Court.

(d) After the Board has granted a conditional approval for the inspection agency and such approval has been in effect for at least 3 months, the Board may grant a license to the inspection agency, upon submission of certified proof of the following:

(1) All employees, officers or stockholders of the inspection agency shall not have any proprietary or pecuniary interest in any electrical contracting business located in this State;

(2) All employees, officers or stockholders of the inspection agency shall not have any proprietary or pecuniary interest in any manufacturer or seller of electrical appliances, machinery, wiring, electrical hardware or other electrical apparatus.

(3) All employees, officers or stockholders of the inspection agency shall not have any proprietary or pecuniary interest in any electric utility or company, municipal electrical department or other utility or company, which supplies electrical energy for industrial, residential or commercial use.

(e) All licensed electrical inspection agencies in this State shall file, and keep up to date, with the Board and keep open to public inspection at all times during normal business hours, and in each office, the addresses and telephone numbers of all offices, time of regular business hours for all offices, and a schedule with all rates and charges for services rendered by the agency.

(f) All licensed electrical inspection agencies in this State shall make inspections within 5 days of receipt of an application for inspection and shall issue a certificate of approval within 15 days after final inspection. All applications for inspection must be filed by a state-licensed electrician or by a person or persons specifically excepted by this chapter.

(g) All violations noted during an inspection shall be corrected within 15 days and reinspected by the same inspection agency. If not corrected, the inspection agency shall notify the utility concerned and the Board of such violations. The utility shall not provide service to the premises until the violation is corrected.

(h) All records of the licensed electrical inspection agencies shall be available for examination by the Division’s investigators; the agency shall inform the Division of the location of all records.

(i) All licensed electrical inspection agencies in this State shall carry general liability insurance and errors and omission insurance of at least $1,000,000 each for claims of property damage or personal injury arising from faulty electrical work approved by the agency, or any of its employees, or other acts or omissions performed by the agency or any of its employees.

(j) All employees of all licensed electrical inspection agencies in this State shall be remunerated on a salary basis only and shall not be given commissions or other bonus incentives for volume of work performed.

(k) Each license shall be renewed annually upon payment of the appropriate fee, in such a manner as is determined by the Division.

(l) The Board may impose any of the sanctions available under § 1414 of this title on an electrical inspection agency if the agency is determined to be guilty of:

(1) Fraud or deceit in obtaining a license;

(2) An act of consumer fraud or deception of the public;

(3) Negligence, incompetency or misconduct in providing electrical inspection services; or

(4) Violation of any lawful provision of this chapter or any lawful rule or regulation established thereunder.

24 Del. C. 1953, §  1434;  59 Del. Laws, c. 202, §  1859 Del. Laws, c. 396, §  170 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  172 Del. Laws, c. 210, §  173 Del. Laws, c. 128, §§  7, 8

§ 1422. Apprentice electricians.

(a) An apprentice electrician must work under the direct onsite supervision of a licensed master electrician, master electrician special, limited electrician, limited electrician special, residential electrician or journeyperson electrician.

(b) A licensed electrician supervising an apprentice electrician pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be responsible for the activities of the apprentice electrician performing work in the State.

78 Del. Laws, c. 191, §  881 Del. Laws, c. 290, § 4

§ 1422A. Residential electricians

(a) A residential electrician license allows for a person to conduct residential electrical work without having to be under the direct onsite supervision of a licensed master electrician, master electrician special, limited electrician, limited electrician special or journeyperson electrician.

(b) Electricians with a residential electrician license are prohibited from performing any electrical work other than:

(1) Electrical work performed on or within a residential dwelling or building prior to the dwelling or building being connected to the electric grid, or

(2) Work to or beyond the breaker panel or fuse box in a residential dwelling or building.

81 Del. Laws, c. 290, § 4

§ 1423. Duty to report.

(a) An owner, operator, manager, or supervisor of a business performing electrical services shall have a duty to report to the Board, if such owner, operator, manager, or supervisor has knowledge that a person working for or under his or her supervision is:

(1) Performing electrical work; and

(2) Does not have the proper license under subchapter II of this chapter.

(b) The report required pursuant to this section must be made in writing to the Board within 10 days of such owner, operator, manager, or supervisor having the required knowledge and shall contain the name of the person performing the electrical work without a license.

(c) An owner, operator, manager, or supervisor of a business performing electrical services must check to see if an employee or independent contractor has the proper license under subchapter II of this chapter before allowing such employee or independent contractor to perform electrical work for such owner, operator, manager or supervisor.

79 Del. Laws, c. 86, §  470 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  1

§ 1424. Penalty.

A person, not currently licensed as an electrician or exempt from licensure under this chapter, when guilty of performing electrical work, or using in connection with that person’s name, or otherwise assuming or using any title or description conveying, or tending to convey, the impression that the person is qualified to perform electrical work, such offender shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Upon the first offense, the person shall be fined not less than $500 nor more than $1,500 for each offense. For a second or subsequent conviction, the fine shall be not less than $1,500 nor more than $2,300 for each offense. Justice of the Peace Courts shall have jurisdiction over all violations of this chapter.

24 Del. C. 1953, §  1440;  55 Del. Laws, c. 423, §  159 Del. Laws, c. 202, §  1970 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  172 Del. Laws, c. 210, §  178 Del. Laws, c. 191, §  879 Del. Laws, c. 86, §  481 Del. Laws, c. 290, § 4

§ 1425. Inspections.

An agent of the Division may inspect during business hours, without prior notice any person providing electrical services at any business or location to determine if such person has a proper license as required by this chapter.

80 Del. Laws, c. 318, § 1