(a) 
It shall be unlawful for any person who is not registered as a qualified electrician in accordance with the provisions of this division to engage in the business of electrical construction, or in the business of any of the classifications prescribed herein, or to make any repairs, alterations, additions, or changes to any existing system of electrical conductors, wiring, apparatus or equipment within the limits of the city, except as otherwise provided in this section.
(b) 
Nothing herein contained shall prohibit any bona fide homeowner from personally installing electrical conductors or equipment within his own home, provided that the owner shall file with the electrical inspector as to his ability to install electrical wiring, apply for and secure a permit, pay required fees, do work in accordance with this article, apply for an inspection, and receive a certificate of approval. Personal installation by an owner under this subsection shall be by himself, for himself, on his own homestead premises, and without compensation, and no person shall be employed to assist him in any way on such work.
(c) 
The following classes of work may be carried out by persons who are not registered electricians:
(1) 
The replacement of lamps and fuses and the connection of portable devices to suitable receptacles which have been permanently installed.
(2) 
The installation, alteration or repairing of any wiring, devices or equipment for the operation of signals for the transmission of intelligence, where such wiring, devices, appliances or equipment are operated at a voltage not exceeding 30 volts, between conductors, and do not include generating or transforming equipment.
(3) 
The installation, alteration or repair of electric wiring, devices, appliances, and equipment installed by or for an electrical public service corporation operating under a franchise from the city when for the use of such corporation in the generation, transmission, distribution or metering of the electrical energy or for the use of such a corporation in the operation of street railways, [or] signals for the transmission of intelligence as specified in section 4.03.004.
(4) 
Any work involved in the manufacture or test of electrical materials, devices, appliances or apparatus, but not including any installation [of] wiring other than that required for testing purposes, if such equipment as completed is approved by the electrical inspector before it is installed or used within the city.
(5) 
Any work involved in any factory in the manufacture, fabrication or test of products, equipment or devices wherein electrical wiring, apparatus, devices or equipment is installed, fabricated, manufactured, incorporated or otherwise attached.
(d) 
Nothing contained herein shall prohibit any person, firm or corporation from using their regular electrical maintenance employees for installing, repairing, altering or maintaining electrical conductors or equipment within or on the premises occupied by such person, firm or organization, provided such installation, repair, alteration and/or maintenance is completed in accordance with the provisions of this article and the National Electrical Code. Persons employed as electrical maintenance employees may obtain a plant specialist license from the city provided that the person obtaining the license shows his competence in electrical maintenance and installation by an examination approved by the city electrical board. Immediately upon the completion of any such repairs, maintenance or installation of electrical work referred to herein, the persons shall call for an immediate inspection of such work by the electrical inspector. Should any hazardous conditions be found, they shall be corrected within a reasonable period of time. For the purpose of determining a hazardous condition, the National Electrical Code referred to herein shall be used as the criteria. Any electrical work which upon completion will be concealed shall receive a rough-in inspection prior to concealment.
(1976 Code, sec. 13-31; 1998 Code, sec. 46-101; 2013 Code, sec. 18-69)
There shall be six classes of electrical registration, which shall be as follows:
(1) 
Electrical contractor.
(2) 
Master electrician.
(3) 
Journeyman electrician.
(4) 
Plant specialist.
(5) 
Master sign electrician.
(6) 
Journeyman sign electrician.
(1976 Code, sec. 13-32; 1998 Code, sec. 46-102; 2013 Code, sec. 18-70)
(a) 
Generally.
To secure a certificate of registration as a qualified and competent electrician in any of the classes set out herein, an application shall be made in writing and addressed to the electrical board. The application shall show the applicant’s name and address and such other information as may be desired by the board.
(b) 
Contractors.
Applicants for a certificate as electrical contractor shall file with the application an affidavit setting forth the names of the persons who are the owners of the business or who are the officers of the firm who own the business and the name and address of the person who shall be responsible for the business. Such applicant shall appear in person if requested by the electrical board and be examined as provided in this division.
(c) 
Master electricians.
Applicants for a certificate as master electrician shall file with the application an affidavit setting forth that such applicant is not less than 21 years of age and has had not less than five years’ experience in the installation, alteration, and repair of electrical equipment and conductors. A certificate of graduation from, or an affidavit of attendance at, a recognized technical school or college may, at the discretion of the electrical board, be certified as a part of the required five years’ experience.
(1976 Code, sec. 13-33; 1998 Code, sec. 46-103; 2013 Code, sec. 18-71)
Applicants for a certificate as a master electrician or journeyman electrician shall be tested and examined by the Tarrant County Electrical Examining Board (TCEEB), and upon certification by the TCEEB that the applicant is qualified for a particular class of certificate, the building official shall issue such certificate to the applicant upon the payment of the fees provided for in this article.
(1976 Code, sec. 13-34; 1998 Code, sec. 46-104; 2013 Code, sec. 18-72)
The fees for registration of qualified electricians shall be payable to the electrical inspector’s office. The application fee shall accompany the application for registration. The annual fee shall be paid before the issuance of a certificate of registration and after the person has been approved by the electrical board for registration. The fiscal year for payment of fees shall begin on January 1 and end December 31 of the same year. No certificate shall authorize the holder thereof to enter into a contract for or do any installation, maintenance or repair of any electrical work unless such person has paid his annual registration fee as required by this section. The amounts of the application fee and annual registration fee shall be as established by the city council from time to time.
(1976 Code, sec. 13-35; 1998 Code, sec. 46-105; 2013 Code, sec. 18-73; Ordinance adopting 2021 Code)
Upon presentation to the electrical inspector of a certificate signed by the chairman or the secretary of the electrical board stating the name and address of the applicant, the classification applied for, and that he has passed the required examination, and after the applicant has paid to the city the registration fee prescribed in this division, the electrical inspector shall register the name of the applicant in the records kept for that purpose and shall issue to the applicant a certificate of registration.
(1976 Code, sec. 13-36; 1998 Code, sec. 46-106; 2013 Code, sec. 18-74)
It shall be unlawful for any person to lend, rent, or transfer his certificate of registration or any rights therein contained to any other person, and for any person to make use of any such rights which are not actually his own. It shall be unlawful for any person other than the electrical inspector to alter or amend in any manner any such certificate of registration.
(1976 Code, sec. 13-37; 1998 Code, sec. 46-107; 2013 Code, sec. 18-75)
(a) 
Every holder of a certificate as an electrical contractor shall display his certificate in a conspicuous place in his principal place of business.
(b) 
Every holder of a registered master or journeyman electrician’s certificate shall carry his registration certificate on his person at all times while doing electrical work and shall produce and exhibit it when requested by an inspector or officer of the city.
(1976 Code, sec. 13-38; 1998 Code, sec. 46-108; 2013 Code, sec. 18-76)
Upon presentation to the electrical inspector of charges that the holder of any certificate of registration issued under this division has willfully or persistently violated any provisions of this article or is incompetent to comply with such provisions, or such person has been found guilty of violating any such provisions, the electrical inspector shall fix a time and place for a meeting of the electrical board to consider such charges and shall notify the holder of the certificate to be present at such meeting. Such notification shall be in writing and shall be delivered to the holder at least five days in advance of the meeting. If, upon a hearing by the electrical board of all evidence offered, it shall be decided by the board that the holder of the certificate has willfully or persistently violated any of the provisions of this article or has proved himself incompetent, the electrical inspector shall, upon the recommendation of the board, suspend or revoke the rights conveyed by the certificate for a period of not less than 30 days and not more than two years.
(1976 Code, sec. 13-39; 1998 Code, sec. 46-109; 2013 Code, sec. 18-77)
(a) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in the business of an electrical contractor without being registered in the manner set forth in this division.
(b) 
Any person desiring to engage in the business of electrical contracting shall apply for registration to the electrical inspector. Upon the filing of such application in proper form, and the payment of the registration fee as provided for in this division, the electrical inspector shall register the applicant as an electrical contractor and shall issue to the applicant a certificate of registration, provided he has qualified under this division and has registered the proper address of his established place of business.
(c) 
An electrical contractor’s certificate shall entitle the holder thereof to engage in the business of, and to secure permits for, the installation, addition, alteration, servicing, replacing, removing or repair of any electrical conductors, apparatus, appliances, devices and equipment. The actual work of installation shall be under the direct supervision of a qualified master or journeyman electrician.
(d) 
When contracts to install electrical work have been obtained by persons who are not registered as electrical contractors, the contract shall be assigned or sublet to a registered electrical contractor, and the name of such registered electrical contractor shall immediately be disclosed to the electrical inspector.
(e) 
Any person engaged in the electrical contracting business shall be a qualified master electrician, or shall have continuously in his employ a qualified master electrician who shall have active supervision over and be responsible for carrying out the provisions of this article in its entirety.
(1976 Code, sec. 13-41; 1998 Code, sec. 46-110; 2013 Code, sec. 18-78)
(a) 
Any person holding an electrical contractor’s certificate shall appoint or employ or shall himself be a qualified master electrician.
(b) 
Any person who has been appointed or employed as a master electrician by a registered electrical contractor shall register with the electrical inspector in writing.
(c) 
When an applicant has complied with the requirements of this article, the electrical inspector shall certify him as a master electrician to a specific registered electrical contractor by placing his name on the contractor’s registration certificate and by an identification card issued to the registered master electrician.
(d) 
The master electrician shall perform the work or supervise and direct the installation, alteration, repair, and maintenance of electrical conductors and equipment authorized by permits issued under the authority of this article.
(e) 
Whenever a master electrician shall leave or be discharged from the employ of any person who is required to appoint or employ a master electrician, a notice in writing thereof shall be given immediately by both the employer and the master electrician to the electrical inspector’s office, and the permit privileges of such employer shall, without further order or action, stand suspended until the employment or appointment and qualifying of another master electrician as provided for in this article.
(f) 
When a master electrician has not acted in the capacity of a master electrician or in a supervisory position on electrical work in the city for a continuous period of two years, he shall be reexamined before he shall be certified as a registered master electrician. No master electrician shall be permitted to use his certificate of registration in order to qualify more than one electrical contractor for registration in any consecutive 12-month period.
(g) 
Applicants for registration as a master electrician shall be not less than 21 years of age, and shall have had at least five years’ experience in the installation, alteration, repair and maintenance of electrical conductors, equipment and apparatus, or an experience equivalent thereto. Applicants shall furnish the names and addresses of former employers, and the period of time employed and in what capacity, proof of which service shall be furnished in a manner satisfactory to the board of electricians. Every applicant shall be required to answer a reasonable number of questions in writing to show that he has sufficient knowledge and technical training to perform the work or to supervise the installation, alteration, repair, and maintenance of the electrical conductors and equipment authorized by permits issued by the electrical inspector’s office.
(h) 
A master electrician, after having passed the required examination, shall be granted a certificate showing that he has the necessary qualifications to install or direct the installation of electrical conductors, devices, apparatus, and equipment. It shall be unlawful for any master electrician to permit his name to be used or to knowingly permit himself to be held out as the officer or employee in a supervisory capacity of any individual person, firm or corporation holding an electrical contractor’s certificate unless he is, in fact, an officer or employee and does, in fact, supervise the installation of electrical work performed by such person.
(1976 Code, sec. 13-42; 1998 Code, sec. 46-111; 2013 Code, sec. 18-79)
(a) 
Applicants for a certificate as a journeyman electrician shall be not less than 18 years of age and shall have had at least four years’ experience in the installation, alteration, repair, and maintenance of electrical conductors and equipment, or an equivalent experience thereto. Every applicant shall be required to answer a reasonable number of questions in writing to show that he has sufficient knowledge and technical training to perform the work.
(b) 
A journeyman electrician’s certificate shall entitle the holder thereof to engage himself in the employ of any person registered under the provisions of this division. A registration card shall be issued to each registered journeyman electrician.
(1976 Code, sec. 13-43; 1998 Code, sec. 46-112; 2013 Code, sec. 18-80)
It shall be unlawful for any person to falsely represent himself as a registered electrician of any class set out in this article or to use the term “electrical contractor,” “master electrician” “electrician,” or words of similar import or meaning on signs, cards, stationery or by any other manner whatsoever, unless such person is properly registered within the meaning of the words used as provided in this article.
(1976 Code, sec. 13-44; 1998 Code, sec. 46-113; 2013 Code, sec. 18-81)
The electrical inspector shall keep a record of all persons qualified by the electrical board to whom a certificate of registration has been issued, provided that he shall not be responsible for the record of any person whose registration has not been renewed and has thereby lapsed for a period of two years.
(1976 Code, sec. 13-45; 1998 Code, sec. 46-114; 2013 Code, sec. 18-82)