Electrical Requirements - North Carolina

Listed below are the current state requirements for a(n) Electrical in the state of North Carolina.

Completion Requirements
Attention North Carolina Electrical Contractors:
Qualified individuals with an Unlimited, Intermediate, Limited or SP-SFD license shall complete 8 contact hours of approved continuing education.

Qualified individuals currently listed on a license in the special restricted SP-LV, SP-EL, SP-PH, SP-WP, SP-ES, and SP-SP classifications shall complete at least 4 contact hours of approved continuing education.

Renewal Dates
Annual renewal dates are staggered based on date of licensure.

Renewal applications are automatically mailed approximately 60 days prior to the license expiration date. If you have not received an application 30 days prior to your license expiration date, please notify the board (919) 733-9042.

Renewal applications and fees are due 30 days prior to the license expiration date. An administrative fee of $25.00 shall be imposed on all applications received after the expiration date. Applications filed with the Board by mail shall be considered filed on the date such mail is postmarked.

Statute:
Title 21 NCAC 18B – Section .1100

Special Designations or Stipulations:
When a qualified individual has completed more than the required number of hours of continuing education in any one license period, the extra hours shall be carried forward in multiples as specified in Paragraph (a) of this Rule and treated as hours earned in the following one or two additional license periods.

North Carolina currently has reciprocity/comity agreements with Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Contractor License Types are as follows:
Residential, commercial and industrial work
(L) Limited
(U) Intermediate
(U) Unlimited

(SP-SFD) Residential dwelling license that permits electrical contracting projects pertaining to single-family detached residential dwellings.

There are also 6 special restricted classifications:

(SP-LV) Low Voltage
(SP-EL) Elevator
(SP-PH) Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning
(SP-WP) Groundwater Pump
(SP-ES) Electric Sign
(SP-SP) Swimming Pool

Audit Potential:
Random

Allowed Carry-Over Hours:
1 or 2 additional license period’s maximum.

Applicable Course of Study:
To qualify as an approved continuing education course sponsor:
(1) all courses offered by the sponsor shall last no fewer than the minimum number of contact hours required for the license classification pursuant to Rule .1101(b) of this Section; and

(2) all courses offered by the sponsor shall cover articles of the current National Electrical Code; North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 87, Article 4; Title 21 North Carolina Administrative Code Chapter 18B; or other subject matter satisfying the requirements in G.S. 87-44.1 as approved by the Board.

The number of required contact hours for every listed qualified individual shall be determined by the classification of license on which the qualified individual is currently listed as follows:
(1) Qualified individuals currently listed on a license in the limited, intermediate, unlimited and special restricted single family dwelling classifications shall compete at least 8 hours of approved continuing education for license renewal, and
(2) Qualified individuals currently listed on a license in the special restricted low voltage (SP-LV), special restricted elevator (SP-EL), special restricted plumbing and heating (SP-PH), special restricted ground water pump (SP-WP), special restricted electric sign (SP-ES) and special restricted swimming pool (SP-SP) classifications shall complete at least 4 hours of approved continuing education for license renewal.

The board, pursuant to Rules .1102 and .1103 of the section, approves course sponsors and instructors, not particular courses, except as provided in Paragraph (f) of this Rule.

Because of differences in the electrical contracting industry and individual needs of listed qualified individuals, each qualified individual must exercise judgment in selecting courses for which continuing education is claimed and in choosing only those courses that will advance the individual’s knowledge.

Course sponsors may be, but are not limited to, colleges or universities, community colleges, trade associations, providers of self-study programs, employers, third party professional examination companies, private instructors and the like.

North Carolina listed qualified individuals residing within the state must obtain the required continuing education hours by taking a course provided by an approved sponsor.

North Carolina listed qualified individuals residing outside of North Carolina, including listed qualified individuals pursuant to G.S. 87-50, may obtain credit for courses offered in North Carolina. They may also obtain credit for courses offered in their state, province or country of residence and provided by non-approved sponsors or instructors provided the board subsequently approves the courses taken, pursuant to Rule .1102(b) of this Section.

Approved courses must be offered for no fewer than the minimum number of contact hours required for the license classification pursuant to Rule .1107(b) of this Section. Credit shall be given only in multiples of eight contact hours (8,16, 24) for the limited, intermediate, unlimited and special restricted single family dwelling classifications and multiples of four contact hours (4,8,12) for the special restricted low voltage (SP-LV), special restricted elevator (SP-EL), special restricted plumbing and heating (SP-PH), special restricted ground water pump (SP-WP), special restricted electric sign (SP-ES) and special restricted swimming pool (SP-SP) classifications.

Computation of continuing education hours:
(1) Group Courses: Non-college. Continuing education credit for group courses that are not part of a college curriculum is given based on contact hours. A contact hour is 50 minutes of instruction. Credit is granted only for full contact hours.
(2) College Courses. Continuing education credit for college courses in the college curriculum is given based on college credit hours. One semester hour of college credit is 16 contact hours; and one continuing education unit is 10 contact hours.
(3) Self – Study Courses. Continuing education credit for self-study courses is given based on the average number of contact hours needed to complete the course. The course shall include a written examination having a minimum of 25 questions and a minimum passing grade of 70.
(4) Examination. Continuing education credit for an examination is given based on the type of examination, number of questions, number of hours permitted to take the examination, and passing grade. The examination shall include a minimum of 25 questions and a minimum passing grade of 70.
(5) Totaling Annual Hours. No credit will be allowed for a course having fewer than the minimum number of contact hours required of the license classification pursuant to the rules of the Board. Courses held for the limited, intermediate, unlimited and special restricted single family dwelling classifications pursuant to the Board rules and lasting from 8 to 15 contact hours would satisfy one year of the required continuing education. A course lasting from 16-23 contact hours shall satisfy two years of the required continuing education, and courses lasting 24 or more contact hours shall satisfy three years of the required continuing education. Courses held for the special restricted low voltage, special restricted elevator, special restricted plumbing and heating, special ground water pump, special restricted electric sign, and special restricted swimming pool classifications pursuant to the Board rules and lasting from 4 to 7 contact hours will satisfy one year of the required continuing education. A course lasting from 8 to 11 contact hours shall satisfy two years of the required continuing education, and a course lasting 12 or more contact hours shall satisfy three years of the required continuing education.

Proof of Compliance:
N/A

Non-Compliance Penalties:
Any licensee who fails to renew by July 31st will be included on a list to be mailed to all inspections departments of ineligibility to engage or offer to engage in the business of electrical contracting in North Carolina.

Disallowed Credits:
No credit will be granted for courses prior to July 1, 1991 or courses attended prior to being qualified by examination.

Credit shall be granted to the qualified individual only upon completion of an entire course.

No credit shall be granted for courses attended prior to being qualified by examination.

Exceptions or exemptions:
Every listed qualified individual, including listed qualified individuals pursuant to G.S. 87-50, shall complete continuing education for each license period (July 1 – June 30) to renew the license on which the qualified individual is currently listed, for the next license period, except as follows:
(1) Individuals becoming qualified by examination during the 12 month period immediately preceding the license renewal date;
(2) Qualified individuals unable to fulfill the required number of hours as the result of illness as certified in writing the attending physician; or
(3) Approved instructors presenting courses.

Did you find outdated or incorrect information? Let us know by sending an email to cen@csinet.org

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