Application; examination; renewal; fees.

(1) The board shall establish by rule fees to be paid for application, examination, reexamination, certification and certification renewal, inactive status application, and reactivation of inactive certificates. The board may establish by rule a late renewal penalty. The board shall establish fees which are adequate, when combined with revenue generated by the provisions of s. 468.631, to ensure the continued operation of this part. Fees shall be based on department estimates of the revenue required to implement this part.

(2) The initial application fee may not exceed $25 for building code administrators, plans examiners, or building code inspectors.

(3) The initial examination fee may not exceed $150 for building code administrators, plans examiners, or building code inspectors.

(4) Employees of local government agencies having responsibility for building code inspection, building construction regulation, and enforcement of building, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, gas, fire prevention, energy, accessibility, and other construction codes shall pay no application fees or examination fees.

(5) The certificateholder shall provide proof, in a form established by board rule, that the certificateholder has completed at least 14 classroom hours of at least 50 minutes each of continuing education courses during each biennium since the issuance or renewal of the certificate, including the specialized or advanced coursework approved by the Florida Building Commission, as part of the building code training program established pursuant to s. 553.841, appropriate to the licensing category sought. A minimum of 3 of the required 14 classroom hours must be on state law, rules, and ethics relating to professional standards of practice, duties, and responsibilities of the certificateholder. The board shall by rule establish criteria for approval of continuing education courses and providers, and may by rule establish criteria for accepting alternative nonclassroom continuing education on an hour-for-hour basis.