§ 68-102-143 — Special deputy inspectors - Powers and duties - Inspection fees

(a) (1) The commissioner of commerce and insurance may, in addition to the other provisions of this part, authorize and appoint any person, acting through a professional corporation pursuant to the Tennessee Professional Corporation Act, compiled in title 48, chapter 101, part 6, who meets the qualifications enumerated in subdivision (a)(2) as a commissioned deputy electrical inspector in this division, who shall have all the power of other deputies and assistants to enter any building or premises to make inspections of the buildings and their contents, and to report the inspections in writing to the commissioner. The commissioner is directed to contract with each deputy electrical inspector through the inspector's professional corporation to provide electrical inspection services. The contracts shall be between the commissioner and the professional corporation employing the electrical inspector and the electrical inspectors shall not be deemed employees of the state for payroll purposes or otherwise. (2) A deputy electrical inspector shall possess: (A) A high school diploma or high school equivalency credential approved by the state board of education; (B) Practical experience consisting of at least five (5) years in electrical installation or inspection; and (C) A certificate as an electrical inspector issued under § 68-120-118 . (3) The commissioner shall provide a program to ensure that electrical inspection services are available throughout the state on a timely basis according to the following criteria: (A) Geographically designated inspection territories shall be established to provide for timely inspections. An inspection shall be considered timely if it is performed within three (3) working days of when the request is made to the inspector; (B) Each geographical territory shall be assigned to a deputy electrical inspector, acting through a professional corporation, by the commissioner after consultation with local electric power distributors and the Tennessee Association of Electrical Inspectors; (C) Each geographical territory may also be served by back-up inspectors who may serve multiple geographic territories in order to provide for timely inspections. The commissioner has authority to contract with back-up inspectors, acting through each back-up inspector's professional corporation. (b) (1) Deputy electrical inspectors appointed by the commissioner, or by the city official designated by the commissioner to make appointments in cities or municipalities authorized by the commissioner to conduct electrical inspections, are authorized to inspect electrical installations upon receipt of a request from the owner of the property, a licensed electrical contractor, or from any person, association, or corporation supplying electrical energy to the installations, or from municipal governing bodies, or from the county legislative body of the county in which the installations are located. Each inspector, acting through the inspector's professional corporation, is authorized to charge for and receive a fee for each inspection. (2) The commissioner has the authority to set maximum inspection fees for services and to facilitate the administration and effective enforcement of this section. (3) The fees in subdivision (b)(2) shall include all circuits connected to the services. (4) The state fire marshal may require the inspection of electrical installations with or without a request, in the same manner that inspections are made in accordance with § 68-102-116 , and the remedies for dangerous conditions shall be the same as provided in § 68-102-117 ; provided, that no fees shall be charged for making inspections directed by the state fire marshal as authorized by those sections. (5) No inspection fees may be charged except where an actual inspection is made. (c) Any person, association or corporation supplying electrical energy to any new installation shall have an electrical inspection approval from an authorized electrical inspector or agency before electric service is connected to the installation on a permanent basis. (d) The maintaining of a safe electrical installation shall not be the responsibility of the power distributor beyond its service drop or service lateral connection to the customer's or member's service conductor. (e) (1) A service release inspection is temporary service to allow for testing of equipment, environmental conditioning and special operational equipment for construction. The inspection is valid for a period of forty-five (45) days on designated circuits only. A service release inspection does not allow for occupancy of the structure. (2) A service release inspection may be issued for purposes of installation and inspection of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC) for a manufactured home or modular building. An anchoring decal shall not be required for a service release inspection.

Legislative History

Amended by 2023 Tenn. Acts, ch. 114, s 54, eff. 7/1/2023. Amended by 2019 Tenn. Acts, ch. 224, s 7, eff. 1/1/2020. Amended by 2013 Tenn. Acts, ch. 150, s 1, eff. 1/1/2014. Acts 1915, ch. 131, § 19; Shan., § 3079a300; impl. am. Acts 1923, ch. 7, §§ 55, 56; mod. Code 1932, § 5717; impl. am. Acts 1937, ch. 33, § 67; 1945, ch. 32, § 1; C. Supp. 1950, § 5717; Acts 1951, ch. 188, § 1; 1959, ch. 200, § 1; 1965, ch. 20, § 1; impl. am. Acts 1971, ch. 137, § 2; 1972, ch. 721, §§ 1, 2; 1973, ch. 329, § 1; 1975, ch. 48, §§ 1, 2; 1978, ch. 657, § 1; impl. am. Acts 1978, ch. 934, §§ 7, 36; Acts 1981, ch. 416, § 1; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 53-2442; Acts 1986, ch. 819, § 1; 1990, ch. 791, § 1; T.C.A., § 68-17-143; Acts 1994, ch. 871, § 1; 1998, ch. 739, § 1; 2000, ch. 692, § 1; 2004, ch. 884, § 1; 2006, ch. 877, § 1; 2007 , ch. 379, §§ 1, 2; 2011 , ch. 317, § 1.