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 4 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 3 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 3 years, with at least 1 year of such total being experience in construction, building code inspection, or plans review;

4. Currently holds a standard certificate issued by the board or a firesafety inspector license issued under chapter 633, with a minimum of 3 years’ verifiable full-time experience in firesafety inspection or firesafety plan review, and has satisfactorily completed a building code inspector or plans examiner training program that provides at least 100 hours but not more than 200 hours of cross-training in the certification category sought. The board shall establish by rule criteria for the development and implementation of the training programs. The board must accept all classroom training offered by an approved provider if the content substantially meets the intent of the classroom component of the training program;

5. Demonstrates a combination of the completion of an approved training program in the field of building code inspection or plan review and a minimum of 2 years’ experience in the field of building code inspection, plan review, fire code inspections and fire plans review of new buildings as a firesafety inspector certified under s. 633.216, or construction. The approved training portion of this requirement must include proof of satisfactory completion of a training program that provides at least 200 hours but not more than 300 hours of cross-training that is approved by the board in the chosen category of building code inspection or plan review in the certification category sought with at least 20 hours but not more than 30 hours of instruction in state laws, rules, and ethics relating to professional standards of practice, duties, and responsibilities of a certificateholder. The board shall coordinate with the Building Officials Association of Florida, Inc., to establish by rule the development and implementation of the training program. However, the board must accept all classroom training offered by an approved provider if the content substantially meets the intent of the classroom component of the training program;

6. Currently holds a standard certificate issued by the board or a firesafety inspector license issued under chapter 633 and:

a. Has at least 4 years’ verifiable full-time experience as an inspector or plans examiner in a standard certification category currently held or has a minimum of 4 years’ verifiable full-time experience as a firesafety inspector licensed under chapter 633.

b. Has satisfactorily completed a building code inspector or plans examiner classroom training course or program that provides at least 200 but not more than 300 hours in the certification category sought, except for residential training programs, which must provide at least 500 but not more than 800 hours of training as prescribed by the board. The board shall establish by rule criteria for the development and implementation of classroom training courses and programs in each certification category; or

7.a. Has completed a 4-year internship certification program as a building code inspector or plans examiner, including an internship program for residential inspectors, while also employed full time by a municipality, county, or other governmental jurisdiction, under the direct supervision of a certified building official. A person may also complete the internship certification program, including an internship program for residential inspectors, while employed full time by a private provider or a private provider’s firm that performs the services of a building code inspector or plans examiner, while under the direct supervision of a certified building official. Proof of graduation with a related vocational degree or college degree or of verifiable work experience may be exchanged for the internship experience requirement year-for-year, but may reduce the requirement to no less than 1 year.

b. Has passed an examination administered by the International Code Council in the certification category sought. Such examination must be passed before beginning the internship certification program.

c. Has passed the principles and practice examination before completing the internship certification program.

d. Has passed a board-approved 40-hour code training course in the certification category sought before completing the internship certification program.

e. Has obtained a favorable recommendation from the supervising building official after completion of the internship certification program.

(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. In addition, the applicant must have completed training consisting of at least 20 hours, but not more than 30 hours, of instruction in state laws, rules, and ethics relating to the professional standards of practice, duties, and responsibilities of a certificateholder.

(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 International Code Council.

(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 shall provide for the issuance of provisional certificates valid for 2 years, as specified by board rule, to any 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). The provisional license may be renewed by the board for just cause; however, a provisional license is not valid for longer than 3 years.

(b) A building code administrator, plans examiner, or building code inspector may not have a provisional certificate extended beyond the specified period by renewal or otherwise.

(c) The board shall provide for appropriate levels of provisional certificates and may issue these certificates with such special conditions or requirements as the board deems necessary to protect the public safety and health. The board may not place a special condition or requirement on a provisional certificate with respect to the requirement of employment by a municipality, county, or other local governmental agency.

(d) A person may perform the duties of a plans examiner or building code inspector for 120 days if a provisional certificate application has been submitted if such person is under the direct supervision of a person licensed as a building code administrator under this part and who has found such person qualified for a provisional certificate. Direct supervision and the determination of qualifications may also be provided by a building code administrator who holds a limited or provisional certificate in a county having a population of fewer than 75,000 and in a municipality located within such 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)(a) The board may by rule create categories of certification in addition to those defined in s. 468.603(5) and (8). Such certification categories shall not be mandatory and shall not act to diminish the scope of any certificate created by statute.

(b) The board shall by rule establish:

1. Reciprocity of certification with any other state that requires an examination administered by the International Code Council.

2. That an applicant for certification as a building code inspector or plans examiner may apply for a provisional certificate valid for the duration of the internship period.

3. That partial completion of an internship program is transferable among jurisdictions, private providers, and firms of private providers on a form prescribed by the board.

4. That an applicant may apply for a standard certificate on a form prescribed by the board upon successful completion of an internship certification program.

5. That an applicant may apply for a standard certificate at least 30 days but no more than 60 days before completing the internship certification program.

6. That a building code inspector or plans examiner who has standard certification may seek an additional certification in another category by completing an additional nonconcurrent 1-year internship program in the certification category sought and passing an examination administered by the International Code Council and a board-approved 40-hour code training course.