(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.