Section 230.140  License Renewal

a)         A license issued pursuant to this Part for distributors and their respective lead pyrotechnic operators is valid for 3 years from the date of issuance.

b)         An approval for a lead pyrotechnic operator for a production company is valid for a period of 3 years from the date of issuance. 

c)         A license issued to a production company and its lead pyrotechnic operator is valid for the term of the production company's insurance policy or for the time specified by the production company, if shorter than the term of the insurance, and shall in no event exceed one year from the date of issuance.  The license must be returned to OSFM upon expiration.  If the license is not returned within 15 days after expiration, the production company or lead pyrotechnic operator shall not be issued a new license until the previous license is returned. 

d)         Outdoor professional, proximate audience and flame effect licensees, and holders of production company lead operator approvals may renew their license during the 60-day period preceding and 60-day period following the expiration date by submitting a renewal application on forms provided by OSFM, together with the required fee.  Renewal applications shall be submitted by the distributor by whom the licensee is employed. 

e)         Any license that is not renewed within 60 days following its expiration will be cancelled.  Except as set forth in subsection (i), any requests after that date to renew or restore will be treated as a new application.

f)         The extended renewal periods under subsections (d) and (i) do not allow a licensee to engage in any conduct or activities for which a license is required during the 60-day period after the license's expiration date.

g)         In addition, a licensee seeking to renew his/her outdoor professional, proximate audience or flame effect license or production company lead pyrotechnic operator licensing approval must include with the renewal application evidence that the licensee participated in at least:

1)         2 pyrotechnic displays as a lead operator for an outdoor professional display license;

2)         6 proximate audience displays for a proximate audience license; or

3)         6 flame effect displays for a flame effect license.

h)         Licensees or production company lead pyrotechnic operator licensing approvals must provide evidence of satisfactory completion of at least 6 hours of continuing education in their respective area of licensure to ensure continued qualification of the licensee.  Continuing education may be conducted by a federal or state agency, by an independent organization that has experience in the subject matter, or by the distributor.

i)          Renewal and reinstatement fees shall be waived for persons who did not renew while on active duty in the military and who file for renewal or restoration within one year after discharge from the service.  [225 ILCS 227/50(b)]  These licensees must satisfy all other requirements of this Section in order to renew a license.  Proof of service discharge date will be required to receive a waiver of fees. 

j)          In addition to meeting all the requirements of this Section, a licensee failing to renew with 60 days after the end of the license period shall be assessed a reinstatement fee of $100, in addition to the renewal fees.

(Source:  Amended at 35 Ill. Reg. 15064, effective September 1, 2011)