The Florida Senate

468.609  Administration of this part; standards for certification; additional categories of certification.--

(1)  Except as provided in this part, any person who desires to be certified shall apply to the board, in writing upon forms approved and furnished by the board, to take the certification examination.

(2)  A person may take the examination for certification as a building code inspector or plans examiner pursuant to this part if the person:

(a)  Is at least 18 years of age.

(b)  Is of good moral character.

(c)  Meets eligibility requirements according to one of the following criteria:

1.  Demonstrates 5 years' combined experience in the field of construction or a related field, building code inspection, or plans review corresponding to the certification category sought;

2.  Demonstrates a combination of postsecondary education in the field of construction or a related field and experience which totals 4 years, with at least 1 year of such total being experience in construction, building code inspection, or plans review;

3.  Demonstrates a combination of technical education in the field of construction or a related field and experience which totals 4 years, with at least 1 year of such total being experience in construction, building code inspection, or plans review; or

4.  Currently holds a standard certificate as issued by the board and satisfactorily completes a building code inspector or plans examiner training program of not less than 200 hours in the certification category sought. The board shall establish by rule criteria for the development and implementation of the training programs.

(d)  After the Building Code Training Program is established under s. 553.841, demonstrates successful completion of the core curriculum approved by the Florida Building Commission, appropriate to the licensing category sought.

(3)  A person may take the examination for certification as a building code administrator pursuant to this part if the person:

(a)  Is at least 18 years of age.

(b)  Is of good moral character.

(c)  Meets eligibility requirements according to one of the following criteria:

1.  Demonstrates 10 years' combined experience as an architect, engineer, plans examiner, building code inspector, registered or certified contractor, or construction superintendent, with at least 5 years of such experience in supervisory positions; or

2.  Demonstrates a combination of postsecondary education in the field of construction or related field, no more than 5 years of which may be applied, and experience as an architect, engineer, plans examiner, building code inspector, registered or certified contractor, or construction superintendent which totals 10 years, with at least 5 years of such total being experience in supervisory positions.

(d)  After the Building Code Training Program is established under s. 553.841, demonstrates successful completion of the core curriculum approved by the Florida Building Commission, appropriate to the licensing category sought.

(4)  No person may engage in the duties of a building code administrator, plans examiner, or building code inspector pursuant to this part after October 1, 1993, unless such person possesses one of the following types of certificates, currently valid, issued by the board attesting to the person's qualifications to hold such position:

(a)  A standard certificate.

(b)  A limited certificate.

(c)  A provisional certificate.

(5)(a)  To obtain a standard certificate, an individual must pass an examination approved by the board which demonstrates that the applicant has fundamental knowledge of the state laws and codes relating to the construction of buildings for which the applicant has building code administration, plans examination, or building code inspection responsibilities. It is the intent of the Legislature that the examination approved for certification pursuant to this part be substantially equivalent to the examinations administered by the Southern Building Code Congress International and the Council of American Building Officials.

(b)  A standard certificate shall be issued to each applicant who successfully completes the examination, which certificate authorizes the individual named thereon to practice throughout the state as a building code administrator, plans examiner, or building code inspector within such class and level as is specified by the board.

(c)  The board may accept proof that the applicant has passed an examination which is substantially equivalent to the board-approved examination set forth in this section.

(6)(a)  A building code administrator, plans examiner, or building code inspector holding office on July 1, 1993, shall not be required to possess a standard certificate as a condition of tenure or continued employment, but shall be required to obtain a limited certificate as described in this subsection.

(b)  By October 1, 1993, individuals who were employed on July 1, 1993, as building code administrators, plans examiners, or building code inspectors, who are not eligible for a standard certificate, but who wish to continue in such employment, shall submit to the board the appropriate application and certification fees and shall receive a limited certificate qualifying them to engage in building code administration, plans examination, or building code inspection in the class, at the performance level, and within the governmental jurisdiction in which such person is employed.

(c)  The limited certificate shall be valid only as an authorization for the building code administrator, plans examiner, or building code inspector to continue in the position held, and to continue performing all functions assigned to that position, on July 1, 1993.

(d)  A building code administrator, plans examiner, or building code inspector holding a limited certificate can be promoted to a position requiring a higher level certificate only upon issuance of a standard certificate or provisional certificate appropriate for such new position.

(e)  By March 1, 2003, or 1 year after the Florida Building Code is implemented, whichever is later, individuals who were employed by an educational board, the Department of Education, or the State University System as building code administrators, plans examiners, or inspectors, who do not wish to apply for a standard certificate but who wish to continue in such employment, shall submit to the board the appropriate application and certification fees and shall receive a limited certificate qualifying such individuals to engage in building code administration, plans examination, or inspection in the class, at the performance level, and within the governmental jurisdiction in which such person is employed.

(7)(a)  The board may provide for the issuance of provisional certificates valid for such period, not less than 3 years nor more than 5 years, as specified by board rule, to any newly employed or promoted building code inspector or plans examiner who meets the eligibility requirements described in subsection (2) and any newly employed or promoted building code administrator who meets the eligibility requirements described in subsection (3).

(b)  No building code administrator, plans examiner, or building code inspector may have a provisional certificate extended beyond the specified period by renewal or otherwise.

(c)  The board may provide for appropriate levels of provisional certificates and may issue these certificates with such special conditions or requirements relating to the place of employment of the person holding the certificate, the supervision of such person on a consulting or advisory basis, or other matters as the board may deem necessary to protect the public safety and health.

(d)  A newly employed or hired person may perform the duties of a plans examiner or building code inspector for 90 days if a provisional certificate application has been submitted, provided such person is under the direct supervision of a certified building code administrator who holds a standard certification and who has found such person qualified for a provisional certificate. However, direct supervision and the determination of qualifications under this paragraph may be provided by a building code administrator who holds a limited or provisional certificate in any county with a population of less than 75,000 and in any municipality located within such a county.

(8)  Any individual applying to the board may be issued a certificate valid for multiple building code inspection classes, as deemed appropriate by the board.

(9)  Certification and training classes may be developed in coordination with degree career education centers, community colleges, the State University System, or other entities offering certification and training classes.

(10)  The board may by rule create categories of certification in addition to those defined in s. 468.603(6) and (7). Such certification categories shall not be mandatory and shall not act to diminish the scope of any certificate created by statute.

History.--s. 24, ch. 93-166; s. 52, ch. 94-119; s. 8, ch. 98-287; s. 4, ch. 98-419; s. 7, ch. 99-254; s. 34, ch. 2000-141; s. 16, ch. 2000-372; s. 14, ch. 2001-372.