12/20/2005

Subject: LAST CALL - Electrician License Grandfathering Period Ends Dec. 31

Texas electricians seeking to obtain a license without taking the electrical
exam under the grandfathering provision of the state's electrical licensing
law must complete the license requirements set out in the law and file an
application with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) by
December 31, 2005. Applicants who file after that date will be required to
pass the state's electrical exam. The grandfathering period was allowed for
in House Bill 1487, which was passed by the 79th Texas Legislature.

To qualify under the grandfathering provisions of the law, applicants must
demonstrate either that they currently hold a municipal or regional license
and have completed the requisite number of hours of experience performing
electrical work under the supervision of a master electrician. Alternately,
applicants who hold no license, but who can demonstrate that they live and
work in areas of the state in which no electrical licensing existed prior to
the creation of the state electrical licensing program, also may qualify for
a license. Those applicants must prove that they have sufficient hours of
experience performing electrical work either under the supervision of a
master electrician or under the supervision of an individual recognized
within the electrical trade as fulfilling duties and responsibilities
equivalent to those of a master electrician.

All applications postmarked by December 31, 2005, will be assessed by the
TDLR to determine whether the applicant may be licensed under the
grandfathering provisions of the law. Texas electricians who apply after
that date will be required to pass an examination approved by TDLR that
evaluates occupational knowledge. Currently, only the electrician exams
offered by the International Code Council have been approved by TDLR to
fulfill the examination requirement of the law.

Applications and supporting forms can be downloaded from TDLR's website at
www.license.state.tx.us.

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