‘Sparkies’ now need license to trade

(CNS): The Electrical Board of Examiners is now enforcing the Electricity Law (Revision 2005) and the Electricity Regulations (Revision 2005) and requesting that all active electrical contractors submit an electrical contractor’s application to the Building Control Unit (BCU) by Friday, 27 February 2009.

Section 60(1) of the law states, “No person shall trade, contract or carry on business as an electrical contractor of any nature or employ staff for any such work unless he is licensed in that behalf by the Board (Electrical Board of Examiners) and also holds a license as an electrician or contractor under the Trade and Business Licensing Law (2003 Revision).”

The requirement is now being enforced as part of the EBE’s phasing-in of the regulations, said EBE Chair Robert Duty. Subsequently, as of Tuesday, 31 March 2009, BCU will not conduct inspections for electricians who do not meet the requirements in the regulations, section 60(2), as they would be operating illegally. “However, we expect that most contractors will be in compliance,” he said. 

This section states that qualification for an electrical contractor’s license shall be that the applicant is the holder of, or whose business is managed and supervised by the holder of, a valid license under regulation 61(1)(a), (b) or (c) for a period exceeding two years immediately preceding the date of the application, and who satisfies the board (referring to the EBE) that the applicant is a suitable candidate for such license.

The electrical contractor’s application is available on www.planning.gov.ky and at BCU, in Regatta Office Park. There is no application charge at this time.

The EBE will consider applications during its regular meetings, which normally are held the second Tuesday of each month.

For more information, visit www.planning.gov.ky, or call EBE Secretary Emerson Piercy on 526-1521.