(a) Definitions.
(1) "Contractor" means any person, firm or corporation contracting to supply materials or perform work or labor for another person, firm or corporation for a stipulated sum.
(2) "Subcontractor" means any person, firm or corporation assuming by secondary contract some or all of the obligations of an original contractor.
(3) "City" means the City of Steubenville, Ohio.
(4) "Building Inspector" means the Building Inspector and Deputy Inspectors of the City.
(5) "Building Official" means the person responsible for the overall administration of a building division and enforcement of the Ohio Building Code (OBC).
(6) "Qualification certificate" means a certificate issued by the Ohio construction industry examining board to an individual or business entity as a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning contractor, refrigeration contractor, electrical contractor, plumbing contractor, or hydronics contractor.
(7) "Heating, ventilating and air conditioning contractor" means any individual who assumes responsible charge, supervision, or direction of persons engaged in heating, ventilating and air conditioning contracting, or who engages in, offers to engage in, advertises or otherwise represents that he is permitted to engage in the design of, planning of, superintendent of, contracting for, or responsible charge of heating, ventilating and air conditioning contracting.
(8) "Refrigeration contractor" means any individual who assumes responsible charge, supervision or direction of persons engaged in refrigeration contracting, or who engages in, offers to engage in, advertises or otherwise represents that he is permitted or qualified to engage in the design of, planning of, superintending of, contracting for, or responsible charge of refrigeration contracting.
(9) "Electrical contractor" means any individual who assumes responsible charge, supervision, or direction of persons engaged in electrical contracting, or who engages in, offers to engage in, advertises or otherwise represents that he is permitted or qualified to engage in the design of, planning of, superintending of, contracting for or responsible charge of electrical contracting. As used in this division, "electrical contracting" does not include the construction, installation, alteration, repair, maintenance or service of any fire alarm or burglar alarm.
(10) "Plumbing contractor" means any individual who assumes responsible charge, supervision, or direction of persons engaged in plumbing contracting, or who engages in, offers to engage in, advertises, or otherwise represents that he is permitted or qualified to engage in the design of, planning of, superintending of, contracting for, or responsible charge of plumbing.
(11) "Hydronics contractor" means any individual who assumes responsible charge, supervision or direction of persons engaged in hydronics contracting, or who engages in, offers to engage in, advertises, or otherwise represents that he is permitted or qualified to engage in the design of, planning of, superintending of, contracting for, or responsible charge of hydronics contracting.
(12) "Tree trimming contractor" means any individual who assumes responsible charge, supervision, or direction of persons engaged in the trimming, cutting, pruning, maintenance, protection or removal of trees, or who engages in, offers to engage in, advertises, or otherwise represents that he is permitted or qualified to engage in the design of, planning of, superintending of, contracting for, or responsible charge of tree trimming, cutting, pruning or removal.
(13) "Landscaping contractor" means any individual who assumes responsible charge, supervision, or direction of persons engaged in changing the physical appearance of the land, or who engages in, offers to engage in, advertises, or otherwise represents that he is permitted or qualified to engage in the design of, planning of, superintending of, contracting for, or responsible charge of changing the physical appearance of the land.
(14) "Painting contractor" means any individual who assumes responsible charge, supervision, or direction of persons engaged in applying or coating surfaces with paint, including cleaning, scraping or otherwise preparing surfaces for paint, or who engages in, offers to engage in, advertises, or otherwise represents that he is permitted or qualified to engage in the design of, planning of, superintending of, contracting for, or responsible charge of painting.
(15) "Contracting" means the engagement of a person under any written or verbal contract, agreement, or understanding, whereby such person provides services or materials which are subject to examination.
(b) License Requirements. No person, firm or corporation either as a contractor or subcontractor shall perform any services without first obtaining a license from the Building Inspector to perform such work within the City:
Fees | Annual |
A License: Commercial including B and C | $100.00 |
B License: Residential and Commercial up to $100,000 | 75.00 |
C License: Residential | 50.00 |
(c) Requirements for Mechanical License. Heating, ventilating and air conditioning contractors, electrical contractors and hydronics contractors must possess a valid qualification certification, issued by the Ohio Construction Industry Examining Board, per Ohio Revised Code and HB 402 requirements. Such certification will be required after July 1, 1995. In addition thereof, all must have the following requirements:
(1) A certification from the Income Tax Division that such person, firm or corporation is registered with such department, and if a partnership, firm or corporation that all partners, employees, agents or servants of such partnership, firm or corporation performing work or labor within the City are registered therein.
(2) Proof of compliance with the Workers' Compensation laws of the State.
(3) Proof of liability insurance either in the State of Ohio or if a nonresident person, firm or corporation compliance within the home state. Insurance must be in a minimum amount of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) per occurrence.
(d) Grandfathering for Mechanical License. Grandfathering: Heating, ventilating and air conditioning contractors, electrical contractors, hydronic contractors and refrigeration contractors may request City grandfathering if they meet the following requirements:
(1) Must have been a license contractor prior to license years July 1992-1993.
(2) Must have been an active contractor in their licensed field in the City. Proof of permits, inspections and jobs required.
(3) Professional questionnaire provided for the above years will be used for appropriate fields of qualifications.
(4) Grandfathering will be for individual, not company and cannot be transferred to another individual.
(5) Grandfathering will be given to the person meeting the requirements as defined under 1323.01
(a). Request for grandfathering must be in writing, addressed to the Building Division with documentation of above requirements. Deadline for grandfathering will be April 1, 1995. No grandfathering will be considered after that date.
(e) Requirements for General Construction License. General construction contractors, tree trimming contractors, landscaping contractors and painting contractors must meet the following requirements:
(1) A certification from the Income Tax Division that such person, firm or corporation is registered with such department, and if a partnership, firm or corporation that all partners, employees, agents or servants of such partnership, firm or corporation performing work or labor within the City are registered therein.
(2) Proof of compliance with Workers' Compensation laws of the State.
(3) Proof of liability insurance either in the State of Ohio or if a nonresident person, firm or corporation compliance within the home state. Insurance must be in a minimum amount of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) per occurrence.
(f) Requirements for General Plumbing.
(1) No person, other than a master plumber holding a current license issued by the State of Ohio, shall engage in the business of plumbing or expose the sign of plumbing or any advertisement pertaining thereto.
(2) Any firm or corporation desiring to engage in the business of plumbing, shall have at least an owner or officer of such firm or corporation in possession of a current State of Ohio Master Plumber's License who shall register with the Building Inspection Division, along with the name or names of all officers of the firm or corporation for which he is registering.
(3) No person, other than a person holding a current master plumber's license issued by the State of Ohio and registered with the Building Inspection Division, a licensed journeyman or registered apprentice plumber in the employ of an Ohio licensed master plumber, shall install, alter or make connections with any sewer, water, drain or any other pipe connected therewith; or alter the location of any existing plumbing fixture(s), water distribution piping system or sewer drainage system.
Exception:
A permit must be obtained and work may be done in an existing single family dwelling as set forth in Chapter 1327
.
(4) No licensed master plumber shall do work in the City unless a valid current permit to do so has been issued by the Building Inspection Division.
(5) No licensed master plumber shall employ any person to do plumbing who is not licensed as a journeyman plumber or registered as an apprentice plumber; and no licensed journeyman plumber or registered apprentice plumber shall perform any plumbing work except as supervised by a licensed master plumber. The ratio of apprentice plumbers to journeymen shall be one apprentice plumber for every two journeymen.
Exception:
One apprentice shall be allowed to work under the direct supervision of a master plumber.
(6) Every licensed master plumber registered with the City shall give immediate notice to the City of any change to his place of business or upon termination of his business.
(7) No person, firm or corporation carrying on the business of plumbing shall allow the owner's name to be used by any person, directly or indirectly, by transfer, sale or otherwise, either to obtain a permit(s) or to do any work under the owner's license.
(g) Registration Procedures.
(1) Any person seeking to register as a master plumber, journeyman plumber or apprentice plumber, shall make application on a form prescribed and approved by the Building Inspection Division, and shall, with such application, identify the applicant and any company or business with whom the applicant will be doing plumbing work. The application shall be completed and returned to the office of the Plumbing Inspector where the same shall be kept on file. Initially, such application shall be accompanied by the fee set forth hereinafter.
(2) Every person desiring to conduct or engage in the plumbing business in the City as a master plumber must present a copy of his current master plumber license issued by the State of Ohio in order to register.
A. The applicant for Master Plumber shall pay a registration fee as set by the City and such registration may be renewed each year by paying the renewal fee as set by the City. The registration year shall commence on the first Monday of July of each year.
B. The applicant for Master Plumber, shall furnish proof that he possess a valid, current master plumber certification issued by the State of Ohio; he or his company has properly registered with the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation and the Ohio Bureau of Employment. Such applicant shall also furnish proof of liability insurance, including a rider for underground insurance by providing an insurance certificate in the amount of one million dollars ($1,000,000) and a surety bond with a surety company to be approved by the City Manager, Plumbing Inspector and Law Director in the amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) and, upon the condition that the applicant shall indemnify, defend and save the City harmless from all damages that may arise from the negligence of such applicant.
C. Such applicant for master plumber shall furnish proof that the applicant has an income tax account with the City.
(3) Each journeyman plumber shall register with the City and pay an annual fee as set by the City. Journeyman plumbers shall be permitted to install plumbing only under the supervision of a licensed master plumber.
(4) Each applicant for apprentice plumber shall not be required to take an examination however, each apprentice plumber shall register with the City and shall pay a yearly fee as set by the City. Each registered apprentice plumber shall be permitted to serve his apprenticeship only under a registered master plumber.
(5) All persons having a valid and unexpired qualification certificate as issued by the State of Ohio to contract plumbing work shall be considered master plumbers and all such persons shall register with the City and pay all applicable fees.
(6) Such Master Plumber license, upon recommendation of the Plumbing Inspector, may be revoked for improper installation or refusal or failure to comply with the Building Inspection Division and this chapter and may have his name reinstated on the register by the Building Inspection Division after demonstrating his intention and ability to comply with regulations and standards of this chapter and the current Ohio Plumbing Code.
(h) Requirements for Sewer Tappers and Water Service Line Installers.
(1) Each applicant for Sewer Tapper and Water service line Installer, who has completed the examination to the satisfaction of the Plumbing Inspector, shall obtain a registration certificate, upon payment of a registration fee as set by the City, prior to the first Monday of the month of July, upon compliance with the following conditions:
A. The applicant for Sewer Tapper and Water Service-line Installer shall furnish documentation that he or his company has properly registered with the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation and the Ohio Bureau of Employment. Such applicant shall also provide proof of liability insurance with a rider for underground insurance by issuance of a certificate of insurance in the amount of one million dollars ($1,000,000) and a surety bond with a surety company to be approved by the City Manager, Plumbing Inspector and the Law Director in the amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) and upon the condition that the applicant shall indemnify defend and save the City harmless from all damages that may arise from the negligence of such applicant.
B. Such applicant for Sewer Tapper and Water service line Installer shall furnish proof that the applicant has an income tax account with the City.
C. No licensed Sewer Tapper and Water service line Installer shall be permitted to extend or lay any sewer closer than three (3) feet from any building. All sewer work located within three (3) feet of a building shall be completed by a master plumber.
(i) Registration Period. Registration shall be valid for one (1) calendar year (from January 1 to December 31) unless false information was furnished on the registration form. Renewal of registration including submission of completed registration forms and payment of applicable fees shall be required by no later than January 30th of each year. Fees for new registration shall not be prorated if registration is required for less than one (1) calendar year; however fees for renewal of registration may be prorated if for less than one (1) calendar year. All fees collected shall be deposited with the Director of Finance.
(j) Noncompliance. That failure of any person, firm or corporation to meet any of the foregoing requirements, shall cause the Building Inspector to refuse to issue a permit for the performance of any work by such contractor or subcontractor within the City.
(Ord. 2017-91. Passed 12-5-17.)