Section 109.45  Application for Fire Sprinkler Inspector License

a)         No person shall act as a fire sprinkler inspector licensed under the Act, or advertise or assume to act as such, or use any title that suggests the person is engaged in such practice or occupation, unless licensed by the Office.  [225 ILCS 317/12]

b)         Beginning January 1, 2024, any individual that performs routine inspection or testing of fire sprinklers, whether part-time or full-time, must be licensed as a fire sprinkler inspector. An individual exempt from licensing as a fire sprinkler inspector under subsection (c) of Section 17 of the Act shall still perform routine inspection or testing in accordance with compliance standards [225 ILCS 317/17(c)].

c)         No individual who is less than 21 years of age may be licensed as a fire sprinkler inspector.

d)         License Relationship

1)         Any individual who performs routine inspection or testing of any fire sprinkler system under the Act shall be employed by a licensed fire sprinkler contractor.  [225 ILCS 317/17(a)]

2)         A fire sprinkler inspector shall follow the process in Section 109.60 regarding notice to the Office of the termination of a fire sprinkler inspector's employment.

e)         Application for Licensure as a Fire Sprinkler Inspector

1)         The application for a fire sprinkler inspector license shall be submitted to the Office by the fire sprinkler contractor that is responsible for the employment of the candidate for fire sprinkler inspector license.

2)         An applicant on behalf of a candidate for fire sprinkler inspector license shall:

A)        Submit a completed application form provided by the Office, that includes the name and address of the candidate.  The address shall be an actual street address and shall include the city, state, and zip code.

B)        Submit a copy of the candidate's valid driver's license, valid state identification, or valid passport.

C)        Submit a digital color photograph of the candidate;

i)          The photograph must show the candidate from a front view with the candidate's full-face and head and shoulders visible. The Office shall reject photographs showing the candidate wearing sunglasses, hats, scarves, or any object that obscures the candidate's identity. Photographs must show the candidate wearing plain or company shirts, on a white background. Photographs shall be of sufficient quality to clearly identify the candidate.

ii)         A candidate seeking a religious exemption to this photo requirement shall submit a set of the candidate's fingerprints through a Fingerprint Vendor licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation with the application in lieu of a photograph. [225 ILCS 317/22]

iii)        A candidate who is 21 years of age or older seeking a religious exemption to the photograph requirement shall submit with his or her application an approved copy of United States Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service Form 4029. [225 ILCS 317/22]

D)        Provide proof of the candidate's current certification or other qualifications under this Section, which shall include one of the following:

i)          A current certification related to inspection and testing of fire sprinkler systems offered by a nationally recognized certification organization that is at an appropriate level. Examples of acceptable certifications include, but are not limited to: NICET certification in Inspection and Testing of Water Based Systems (Level III) and NFPA certification in Water-Based Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance. A copy of the certificate must be submitted to the Office;

ii)         A current ASSE 15010 certification in inspection, testing, and maintenance for water-based fire protection systems by the American Society of Sanitary Engineering. [225 ILCS 317/17]. A copy of the certificate must be submitted to the Office; or

iii)        Completion of a certified sprinkler fitter apprenticeship program approved by the U.S. Department of Labor [225 ILCS 317/17]. Proof of completion must be submitted to the Office.

E)        A list of each license issued to the candidate by any state, local or federal governmental entity in the previous 3 years to engage in fire sprinkler inspecting or testing.

F)         Provide a statement of whether the individual is currently subject to disciplinary action or has been adjudicated to have violated conditions of a license in any jurisdiction.

G)        Continuing Education for Renewal

i)          For renewal applications, the fire sprinkler inspector shall also provide proof that the individual has completed at least 16 hours of continuing education since the issuance of the current license, with at least 8 hours of continuing education completed during each year of the current license. [225 ILCS 317/35]

ii)         A fire sprinkler inspector who holds a current certification under subsection (e)(2)(D)(i) or (ii) shall be deemed to have met the continuing education requirement.

3)         Upon submission of the completed application, including all requisite information and documentation, the Office shall review the application for licensure. During review of the application for licensure, the Office shall consider past history of the candidate.  Past history of the candidate includes, but is not limited to, any citations or other discipline imposed by any jurisdiction or any occurrences of unlicensed work.  In addition to any other reason for refusal, the Office may refuse to issue a fire sprinkler inspector license on the basis of the past history of the candidate.

4)         Failure to submit a completed application within 30 calendar days of initial receipt of an application by the Office shall cause the application to expire and a new, completed application must be submitted for review.

5)         After reviewing the completed application, the Office shall invoice the applicant for a candidate who meets all conditions for licensure for the fee amount in accordance with Section 109.150. No license shall be issued until the applicable fees have been paid.

6)         Upon receipt of the requisite fee amount, the candidate shall be assigned a fire sprinkler inspector license number and issued an identification card. This identification card shall be carried at all times the licensee is engaged in a licensed activity and shall be available to Office personnel or AHJ upon request. The identification card will bear the following information:

A)        Name of the fire sprinkler inspector;

B)        Fire sprinkler inspector license number; and

C)        Date of Issue and Date of Expiration.

f)         Maintaining Conditions of Licensure

1)         A fire sprinkler inspector is required to maintain in effect the conditions under which the fire sprinkler inspector was licensed, or the license shall be suspended.

2)         A fire sprinkler inspector whose required documentation or certification under subsection (d) expires or loses effect prior to the date of license expiration shall submit proof of replacement to the Office prior to the date on which the documentation or certification expire or lose effect.

3)         An individual working on a suspended license shall be subject to the discipline and penalties under Section 109.120 or the Act.

(Source:  Added at 47 Ill. Reg. 19159, effective December 6, 2023)