Section 3781.105 - Certification of fire protection system designers(A) The board of building standards shall certify individuals who design fire protection systems for buildings and who meet the requirements specified in this section. The board may establish separate certification categories for specific types of fire protection systems.(B) Any individual who wishes to obtain certification shall make application to the board on a form prescribed by the board. The application shall be accompanied by an application fee and an initial certification fee. The initial certification fee shall be refunded if the applicant fails to obtain certification. Certification may be renewed annually upon payment of a renewal fee. Fees required to be paid under this division shall be established by rule adopted by the board. The application fee shall bear a reasonable relationship to processing the individual's application, the certification fee shall bear a reasonable relationship to certifying the individual, and the certification renewal fee shall bear a reasonable relationship to renewing the individual's certification.
(C) Each applicant shall submit evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant has directly engaged in designing and preparing drawings for the category of the type of fire protection system for which the applicant seeks certification.(D) The board shall certify any qualified applicant who passes an examination prescribed either by the board or by the national institute for certification in engineering technologies. The examination shall demonstrate the applicant's knowledge and understanding of the category of the type of fire protection system for which the applicant seeks certification.(E) The board, after a hearing in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, may suspend or revoke any category of certification of any individual who proves at any time to be incompetent to submit and certify plans and specifications for that category to the appropriate building department under section 3791.04 of the Revised Code, and may suspend or revoke all categories of certification of any individual who engages in any illegal or fraudulent acts in connection with the design of fire protection systems.(F) The board may adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code for the administration and enforcement of this section.(G) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section to the contrary, the board shall certify an applicant in accordance with Chapter 4796. of the Revised Code if either of the following applies: (1) The applicant is licensed or certified in another state.(2) The applicant has satisfactory work experience, a government certification, or a private certification as described in that chapter as a designer of fire protection systems in a state that does not issue that license or certificate.Amended by 134th General Assembly, SB 131,§2, eff. 12/29/2023.Effective Date: 9/26/1996.