(A) It shall be unlawful for any person to install, erect, alter, repair, service, reset, or replace any system, or parts or appurtenances thereto regulated by the mechanical code unless such person or member of the firm or corporation shall first have obtained a mechanical license pursuant to this section, or unless such person or the firm or corporation has regularly and steadily in said person, firm or corporation's employ been a holder of a mechanical license, as issued by another municipality which has adopted standards equal to or greater than those adopted herein, as determined by the plumbing inspector. The holder of the mechanical license shall be the authorized representative of the person, firm or corporation in all matters pertaining to this chapter.
(B) The owner-occupant of a single dwelling house may, with the assistance of any member of said owner-occupant's family and household, personally carry on in said house any work governed by this chapter without the license required by subsection (A) of this section; however, the said owner-occupant shall obtain a permit for any such work and shall call for an inspection by the city as provided in this chapter.
(C) An applicant for a mechanical contractor license shall be of legal age to conduct business in the state of Illinois, shall have a minimum of five (5) years' experience in mechanical work under the supervision of a licensed mechanical contractor, or shall be a graduate mechanical engineer having not less than one year of experience in mechanical construction. The five (5) years' experience requirement may be reduced by one year providing the applicant has satisfactorily completed a course of study, such as four (4) years' apprenticeship or its equal, as recognized by the board of standards and appeals.
(D) The license required by this section shall be issued only to an individual, and not to a corporation or firm.
(E) 1. No license required by this section shall be issued until the applicant therefor has established proper qualifications and has successfully completed an examination, conducted by a nationally recognized testing agency, as designated by the city administrator.
2. There shall be a nonrefundable examination fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) which shall cover the cost of administering the examination. The examination fee shall be paid in advance of scheduling the examination. The examination fee shall be charged for each subsequent examination.
(F) Before any permit is issued under a license required by this section, the applicant therefor shall furnish a license and code compliance bond in the penal sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00), with a surety to be approved by the plumbing inspector or designee thereof. The bond shall be conditioned upon faithful performance of the applicant's work in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and for all work performed under the license sought. This shall be a continuing bond until canceled by notice. The surety shall have the right to cancel this bond for future liability upon sixty (60) days' written notice to the plumbing inspector, or designee thereof.
If no bond is provided, the license will remain valid, but inactive, and no permits will be issued until the required bond is provided thereby activating the license.
(G) The annual fee for licensing a mechanical contractor pursuant to this section shall be fifty dollars ($50.00). The license shall be valid for a one year period commencing January 1.
(H) An applicant for a license required by this section, having fully complied with the provisions of this chapter and having successfully passed the examination required by this section, shall, upon recommendation of the plumbing inspector, be issued the license sought.
Any licensee under this section shall, upon payment of the renewal fee of fifty dollars ($50.00), be issued a renewal of the license for the second and subsequent year. However, on the failure of any such licensee to apply for and to pay for a renewal of the license on or before January 1 following the expiration of such licensee's previous year's license, the licensee shall forfeit the existing license and it shall be unlawful to perform any work governed by this chapter until such time as a renewal license is issued.
Any license issued pursuant to this section which has been forfeited pursuant to this section for nonpayment of the renewal fee, may be reinstated upon the payment of the annual renewal fee, plus ten dollars ($10.00) for each month or portion thereof that the license was forfeited up to a maximum of six (6) months after which the individual must apply and be examined.
It shall be unlawful for any person to act as, engage in, or to otherwise represent to be a mechanical contractor, unless such person's authorized representative shall first obtain a mechanical license issued pursuant to this section.
(I) In the case of a firm or corporation employing the holder of a mechanical license issued pursuant to this section, both the firm or corporation and the mechanical licensee shall be responsible for all violations of this chapter.
(J) Each licensee under this section shall offer the purchaser of mechanical equipment, and shall make available, a commitment to provide personnel and equipment for future twenty four (24) hour service on the equipment installed by said licensee, for a period of one year. (Ord. 01-13, 5-7-2001)