(1) Each master, journeyman, and residential electrician license shall not be renewed unless the continuing education requirements imposed by this rule have been met, prior to the renewal date set by ARM 24.101.413. Any licensee who fails to fulfill the continuing education requirements imposed by this rule shall cause the license to lapse. It is unlawful for a person whose license has lapsed to perform electrical work in this state. For reinstatement after the license has lapsed, the applicant shall have completed the continuing education requirements, certified that fact to the board, and met all other renewal requirements.

(2) To receive credit for continuing education, the following requirements must be met:

(a) Courses or seminars must have prior approval of curriculum by the State Electrical Board or designated board representative. Each course shall be assigned a course approval number by the board to be listed on the certificate of completion. Board approval of said courses and seminars expires August 1 of each license renewal year.

(b) The course sponsor is responsible to ensure that instructors are credentialed as one or more of the following:

(i) graduate electrical engineer licensed as an electrician;

(ii) Montana licensed electrician with additional training in related subject areas;

(iii) community college or vo-tech instructor with board-approved electrical credentials;

(iv) certified teacher with board-approved electrical credentials;

(v) certified electrical apprentice instructors;

(vi) certified electrical inspectors; and

(vii) electrical continuing education instructors from other areas as approved by the board.

(c) Representatives of the department or State Electrical Board shall be able to attend and monitor the courses or seminars without charge.

(d) Maintaining a record of completion certificates for courses or seminars and the hours attended shall be the responsibility of the licensee. An audit of completion certificates may be requested by the board or designated board representative at any time. A minimum of eight hours each licensed year must be obtained per renewal cycle. All of the requisite hours may be obtained during any portion of the renewal cycle. A minimum of four of the eight hours shall be verified as being on the National Electrical Code updates.

(e) Curriculum of courses or seminars shall be on the National Electrical Code updates, or other subjects related to the electrical industry. Approval of course curriculum shall be at the discretion of the board. Board approval will contain a breakdown for the course or seminar regarding type of credit hours (code or industry) . The breakdown must be included on the completion certificate.

(f) Credit for courses or seminars will be given in a minimum of four-hour increments.

(g) Request for approval of courses or seminars must be made no later than the board meeting next preceding the seminar.

(h) The board must be notified 15 days prior as to the time and place of every course or seminar.

(i) In general, courses should be designed for advancing knowledge or skills of trained individuals; basic courses or apprentice type courses will not be approved.

(j) Certificates required by (d) above must contain the following:

(i) date of course;

(ii) location of course;

(iii) title of course including date of prior approval by the board;

(iv) name of instructor;

(v) name of sponsoring agency;

(vi) name of person completing the course;

(vii) State Electrical Board approval number; and

(viii) breakdown of code and/or industry related credit hours.

(3) Continuing education courses approved by another state which has a reciprocal licensing agreement with the board will be honored toward renewal. The reciprocal state's course approval number and date of course must appear on the completion certificate.

(4) Completion certificates must be submitted within 30 days upon request by the board office for the purpose of licensing renewal audits. Failure to supply continuing education completion certificates when requested by the board office shall be cause for disciplinary actions.