The National Electrical Code 2023 is amended as follows:
(1) Amend National Electrical Code 2023, to add new Chapter 95 to read:
95-1 REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
No person may install, repair, maintain or erect any kind of electrical wiring, conduits, or wiring to or repair of electrical elements or circuits of machinery and fixed or stationary appliances, motors, fixtures, signs, electrically operated heating equipment, elevators, or any other electrically operated apparatus or device in, on, or about any premises in the county without having obtained a State license or County registration and permit as required by the county or the state, or having otherwise complied with these regulations except:
A. Utility company regulated by the Public Service Commission of Maryland when working on its own property or on the line side of a meter or the outside of buildings when using donut type meters.
B. Radio and television transmitting stations licensed and commissioned by the Federal Communications Commission regulations.
95-1.1 EMPLOYMENT OF REGISTERED ELECTRICIANS
Unless otherwise permitted by this chapter, no person, firm or corporation engaged in the manufacture, assembly or repair of electrical equipment manufactured by such person, firm or corporation or manufactured for such person, firm or corporation by a parent or subsidiary shall be required to hold or to employ the holder of any of the registrations provided for by these requirements solely by reason of such manufacture, assembly or repair. However, all electrical installations for machinery and equipment within such factories shall be performed by either a holder of a master electrician or limited registration or under their direct supervision.
95-2 CLASSES OF REGISTRATIONS
The following classes of licenses are hereby established:
A. Master electrician. A master electrician registration shall authorize the registrant to perform or have performed under the registrants direction and supervision all types of electrical work in accordance with the applicable code as adopted by the County Commissioners and the State of Maryland. Such registration may only be issued to an individual and may not be issued to a firm or corporation.
B. Limited electrician. Limited electrician registrations shall authorize the registrant employed by a firm or corporation to perform or have performed under the registrant's direction or an alternate representative's supervision any electrical work solely on the premises occupied by the employer of such registration. Such registration shall only be issued to an individual and may not be issued to a firm or corporation. In the event the registrant leaves the employ of the employer, the registration shall become void. Firms or corporations operating under limited registrants are required to have an annual inspection of all work performed by their registrant. A record of such work shall be maintained by the registrant.
C. Restricted electrician. A restricted electrician registration shall authorize the registrant to install, maintain and repair the particular type or types of electrical equipment specified in the registration, including:
a. Electrically operated air-conditioning and refrigeration and heating equipment.
b. Electrically operated elevators and dumbwaiters.
c. Electrical display signs.
d. Oil burners.
e. Single devices for all other mechanical and plumbing equipment.
Restricted electrician registration shall authorize the registrant to maintain, repair and install electrical household fixed and stationary appliances, and permit the licensee to install electrical wiring from the existing distribution panels to the equipment being installed. This registration does not permit installation of service or change of distribution of service. A restricted electrician registration shall only be issued to an individual and may not be issued to any firm or corporation.
D. Homeowner's Registration. A homeowner registration shall authorize an individual homeowner to submit a permit application to perform minor electrical wiring (excluding service and solar connections) in his or her own home (excluding rental units), provided the individual homeowner applies for the required permit and signs an affidavit that acknowledges (1) the individual homeowner owns and resides in the property to be subject to minor electrical wiring by the individual homeowner, (2) that the property is not used for any commercial or public purpose, and (3) if the work is deemed to be substantially non-compliant, the County reserves the right to require a licensed electrical contractor to complete the installation. "Minor" is defined as not more than twenty (20) devices (lights, receptacle, switches, and appliances) and a maximum of 20 amps for circuits of 120 volts or a maximum of 30 amps for circuits of 240 volts.
95-3 EXAMINATIONS
A. General. Master registration are granted upon confirming an active state license. To be eligible for other electrical registrations any applicant for a, limited electrician or restricted electrician shall be required to satisfactorily pass an examination, except as hereinafter provided. Such examination shall be standard for each category and qualification for passage shall be determined by three qualified persons designated by the county. Examination and grading procedures shall be established, publicized and made available to interested parties prior to each examination date. Examination results shall be made available at the earliest possible date following the date of the examination but not later than 45 days thereafter. Notice of the decision to grant or refuse a registration shall be sent by certified mail to the person for whom the application was filed.
95-4 REQUISITE QUALIFICATIONS FOR TAKING REGISTRATION EXAMINATIONS
In order to assure that those persons desiring to take the examinations for electrical registrations are qualified through experience in the electrical business, the following eligibility requirements are established:
A. Master electrician. Shall hold a license issued by the state, no county exam is required
B. Limited electrician. To qualify for the examination for limited electrician registration, the applicant must be an employee of a firm or corporation for whom the work is to be done and must have worked under the direction or supervision of a qualified master electrician, or limited electrician for at least two years.
C. Restricted electrician. To qualify for the examination for the restricted electrician, the applicant shall satisfactorily establish that he or she has been actively in charge of electrical installation work under the supervision of a master electrician or restricted electrician for the period of at least two years with respect to the particular branch or branches to be covered by the license. Further, the applicant must have received his or her principal source of livelihood from such type or types of work.
95-5 INACTIVE REGISTRATION
The applicant shall comply with all requirements for the type of registration for which he or she is applying as listed in Subsection A, B, or C in Section 95-4. The applicant shall not be required to secure general liability insurance during that time the registration is inactive.
95-6 REGULATIONS FOR THE ISSUANCE OF LICENSES/REGISTRATIONS
A. Application. Each applicant must submit an application on a form supplied by the Building Official. All County master electrical registrations and master plumbing licenses shall require a Maryland state license prior to issuance. In the event the person is applying for restricted or limited registration and is self-employed or employed in an unlicensed jurisdiction, the applicant must show proof of earning a livelihood as an electrician for the requisite number of years of the respective license. Proof may consist of inspection certificates, letters from inspectors, documents and receipts from electrical supply houses, etc. The application shall be accompanied by one or more letters from employers certifying to the character and qualifications of the applicant and the fitness of the applicant for the type of work for which the registration is applied. The application for a limited registration shall be signed by the applicant and by an executive officer of the employee and shall set forth the name and qualifications of the employee or employees whose employment and qualifications entitles the applicant to receive the type of license applied for and under whose supervision all electrical work to be done by the applicant will be performed. The applicant shall be required to certify that he or she will maintain general liability or property damage insurance as required by § 6-604(b) of the Business Occupations and Professions Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland as amended.
B. Examination dates for limited and restricted registrations. Examinations shall be offered during the months of April and October of each year, and special examinations may be provided at such other dates of which due notice is given.
C. Registration fee. A registration fee in accordance with Chapter 1, Sec. 108.2, shall be submitted prior to examination date payable to the County Commissioners. Registration fee will be forfeited if two consecutive examination dates are missed.
D. Renewal. Continuing Education as required by the State Electrical Board regulation for a Statewide License.
95-7 APPEALS FROM REFUSAL OF LICENSE/REGISTRATION
Any person may appeal a decision of the Building Official in the refusal of a license/registration; such appeal shall be filed in writing to the County Commissioners, within 30 days of the date of refusal stating the grounds thereof. The appeal will be considered by a Board of Arbitration consisting of one person selected by the person appealing, one person selected by the County Commissioners knowledgeable in the electrical business, and one person from a list of qualified arbitrators recommended by the applicable Carroll County Board. The appeal will be studied and the arbitrators may make such additional investigation as deemed necessary, and thereafter a majority vote will determine whether to grant or refuse the request for a license/registration. The decision of the arbitrators shall be final. A fee of $75.00 shall be filed with each appeal which shall be nonrefundable.
95-8 FEES
A. Fees shall be determined in accordance with Chapter 1, § 108.2.
B. Inactive licenses/registrations. Any of the licensees/registrants desiring to be placed on the inactive classification specified in Section 95-5 shall be required to pay 50% the current license fees in order to retain such classification.
C. Licenses/Registrations shall be renewed every two years prior to July 1, and are effective until June 30 of the second year thereafter.
95-9 EXPIRATION, SUSPENSION, OR REVOCATION OF LICENSES/REGISTRATIONS
The Building Official may suspend or revoke any licensee's/registrant's privileges for good cause after a public hearing, provided that at least 15 day notice is given to the licensee/registrant by first class mail. The Building Official shall refer the matter to the Electrical or Plumbing Board for the applicable Board to conduct the hearing and provide a recommendation for the proper resolution of the matter. The applicable Board may recommend a suspension or revocation of the license/registration. Such suspension or revocation may be for the following causes:
A. Permitting any unlicensed person, firm or corporation to perform electrical/plumbing work under the authority of a license/registration.
B. Performing or permitting the performance of defective or dangerous work.
C. Performing any work for which an application for electrical/plumbing work has not been secured from the county.
D. Violations of any of the provisions of this chapter.
In lieu of suspension or revocation the Building Official may fine the license holder up to $500 for each separate violation of items A-D.
Any county license/registration which has been allowed to expire for a period of one year or more shall not be reissued until an examination has been successfully taken and approval given for the reissuance of the said license,/registration, unless the applicant holds an active statewide master electrical or plumbing license.
95-10 WORK COVERED BY A LICENSE/REGISTRATION
Any holder of a license/registration issued by the county shall be subject to strict compliance with standards and regulations and any amendments or additions thereto of the Carroll County Construction Codes which pertain to electrical wiring and equipment. Where any conflict shall exist, the latest edition of the National Electrical Code shall prevail. The Carroll County Bureau of Permits and Inspections is the agency designated to determine such compliance with the standards prescribed within the County Code.
95-11 ELECTRICAL BOARD
The County Commissioners shall, in accordance with § 3-701 of the Code of Public Local Laws, appoint an Electrical Board, and shall in accordance with this chapter create such Board, consisting of three persons knowledgeable and experienced in the electrical business and two persons unrelated to any person in the electrical business. Such persons shall serve for a term of five years, except that initially the first member so selected shall serve for one year, the second two years, the third three years, the fourth four years, and the fifth five years.
The Board shall continue to serve at the pleasure of the County Commissioners and shall be designated the following duties and powers:
A. To recommend changes in the chapter setting up registration regulations.
B. To prepare and administer electrical registration examinations for limited and restricted registrations.
C. To make recommendations for the changes in codes pertaining to electrical work in Carroll County.
D. To provide up-to-date lists of persons from which arbitrators, when needed, can be so selected.
E. To aid in the conducting of any hearings as determined necessary by the Board of County Commissioners on electrical regulations.
F. To recommend enforcement procedures as may be desirable in the Bureau of Permits and Inspections from time to time as it pertains to the electrical inspection program.
G. To advise the County Commissioners on other functions considered helpful in the control and conduct of electrical business in Carroll County from time to time.
(1.1) Amend Article 110.22 to add a new subsection, 110.22(A)(1) In one- and two-family dwellings when required, the disconnecting means for sprinkler pumps shall be identified with a red cover and labeled "Sprinkler Pump Disconnect"
(2) Amend the NFPA 70 National Electrical Code to add Article 210-5(C)(2) to read:
Identification for branch circuits
a. Circuits of 250 volts or less shall be colors black, red, blue for ungrounded conductors and white for grounded conductor.
b. Circuits of more than 250 volts shall be colors brown, orange and yellow for ungrounded conductors and gray for grounded conductor.
(2.1) Amend Article 210.11 to add a new subsection,
210.11 (C)(5) In addition to the number of branch circuits required by other parts of this section at least two additional branch circuits shall be provided for septic systems that require a pump and alarm system. One branch circuit shall supply the pump and the second branch circuit shall supply the alarm system.
(3) Amend NFPA 70 National Electrical Code Chapter 210.52(B)(3) to read:
"Receptacles installed in the kitchen to serve counter top surfaces shall be supplied by not less than two small appliance branch circuits, which shall alternate between outlets (either or both of which shall also be permitted to supply receptacle outlets to the kitchen and other rooms specified in (b)(1) above). Additional small appliance branch circuits shall be permitted to supply receptacle outlets in the kitchen and the rooms specified in (b)(1) above."
(3.1) Amend Article 250.52(A)(3) Concrete Encased Electrode to read:
"An electrode encased by at least two inches (50.8 mm) of concrete, located within and near the bottom of a concrete foundation or footing that is in direct contact with the earth, consisting of at least 20 feet (6.1 m) of one or more bare or zinc galvanized or other electrically conductive coated steel reinforcing bars or rods of not less than ½ inch (12.7 mm) diameter or consisting of at least 20 feet (6.1 m) of bare copper conductor not smaller than No. 4, shall be required when continuous concrete footers are installed. Reinforcing bars shall be permitted to be bonded together by the usual steel tie wires or other effective means."
(4) Amend NFPA 70 National Electrical Code Section 250.62 by deleting any and all references to aluminum or copper clad aluminum.
(5) Amend NFPA 70 National Electrical Code Section 310.3(B)(5) to read:
"Conductors in this article shall be of aluminum, copper clad aluminum, or copper unless otherwise specified. The use of aluminum conductors size AWG 12, 10, 8 and 6 will not be permitted in Carroll County."
(6) Amend NFPA 70 National Electrical Code Section 410.36(B) by adding: Tie wires shall be accepted for support of light fixtures."
(7) Amend NFPA 70 National Electrical Code Chapter 680.26(B)(2)(b) Alternate Means to read:
"In unpaved areas where structural reinforcing steel is not available or is encapsulated in a nonconductive compound, a copper conductor shall be utilized where the following requirements are met."
(2004 Code, § 97-7) (Ord. 52-D, passed 11-10-1998; Ord. 02-01, passed 1-3-2002; Ord. 04-25, passed 12-22-2004; Ord. 07-06, passed 4-17-2007; Ord. 2010-01, passed 2-25-2010; Ord. 2012-03, passed 5-10-2012; Ord. 2015-05, passed 6-25-2015; Ord. 2017-06, passed 9-7-2017; Ord. 2018-01, passed 3-1-2018; Ord. 2019-05, passed 10-31-2019; Ord. 2022-01, passed 12-16-2021; Ord. 2023-09, passed 8-24-2023)