(a) Prelicensure criminal background check.

1. (1) Pursuant to Arkansas Code § 17-3-103, an individual may petition for a prelicensure determination of whether the individual’s criminal record will disqualify the individual from licensure and whether a waiver may be obtained.
2. (2) The individual must obtain the prelicensure criminal background check petition form from the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas.
3. (3) The Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas will respond with a decision in writing to a completed petition within a reasonable time.
4. (4) The Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas’s response will state the reason or reasons for the decision.
5. (5) All decisions of the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas in response to the petition will be determined by the information provided by the individual.
6. (6) Any decision made by the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas in response to a prelicensure criminal background check petition is not subject to appeal.
7. (7) The Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas will retain a copy of the petition and response and it will be reviewed during the formal application process.

(b)

1. (1) All applications for licensure of any class must be received by the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas five (5) business days prior to the date of the scheduled meeting of the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas.
2. (2) After review of the applications, the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas will issue a list of approved applicants eligible for examination.

(c) Waiver request.

1. (1) If an individual has been convicted of an offense listed in Arkansas Code § 17-3-102(a) or 17-3-102(e), the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas may waive disqualification of a potential applicant or revocation of a license based on the conviction if a request for a waiver is made by:

   1. (A) An affected applicant for a license; or
   2. (B) An individual holding a license subject to revocation.

2. (2) The Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas may grant a waiver upon consideration of the following, without limitation:

   1. (A) The age at which the offense was committed;
   2. (B) The circumstances surrounding the offense;
   3. (C) The length of time since the offense was committed;
   4. (D) Subsequent work history since the offense was committed;
   5. (E) Employment references since the offense was committed;
   6. (F) Character references since the offense was committed;
   7. (G) Relevance of the offense to the occupational license; and
   8. (H) Other evidence demonstrating that licensure of the applicant does not pose a threat to the health or safety of the public.
3. (3) A request for a waiver, if made by an applicant, must be in writing and accompany the completed application and fees.
4. (4) The Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas will respond with a decision in writing and will state the reasons for the decision.
5. (5) An appeal of a determination under this section will be subject to the Arkansas Administrative Procedure Act, Arkansas Code § 25-15-201 et seq.

(d) An applicant for a master electrician's license shall have:

1. (1) A degree in electrical engineering plus two (2) years of construction related experience; or
2. (2) Six (6) years’ experience in the construction industry, both residential and commercial, including two (2) years’ experience as a licensed journeyman electrician; or

3. (3) Any combination of training and experience as the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas may approve, such as:

   1. (A) Formal electrical apprenticeship programs specifically approved by the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas;
   2. (B) On-the-job training specifically approved by the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas; or
   3. (C) A combination of training and construction experience that is determined by the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas to be equivalent to that as specified in subdivisions (b)(1) or (b)(2) of this section.

(e) An applicant for a journeyman electrician license shall have the following qualifications, as appropriate:

1. (1) Applicants who completed an apprenticeship program.

   1. (A) Applicants who have completed a four-year electrical construction apprenticeship program approved by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training shall have:

(i) A "Notice of Apprenticeship Committee Action - Released for Test/Completion" form from the applicant's training program and approved by the Office of Skills Development; or

1. (ii) If the applicant completed an apprenticeship program in another state, certification from the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training or the state agency responsible for oversight of apprenticeship programs of completion.

   1. (B) The Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas may approve an applicant without a Released for Test form in extenuating circumstances;

2. (2) Applicants who seek reciprocity. Applicants who seek reciprocity shall have certification from the sister state that the applicant:

   1. (A) Is currently licensed as a journeyman and in good standing;
   2. (B) Has held his or her license in the sister state for a period of one (1) year; and
   3. (C) Was tested in the sister state; and

3. (3) Applicants who have not completed an apprenticeship program.

   1. (A) Applicants who have not completed a four-year electrical construction apprenticeship program approved by the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training shall have eight (8) years (sixteen thousand (16,000) hours) of electrical construction experience or training as may be approved by the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas.
   2. (B) This training or experience may include electrical experience gained in the military.
   3. (C) See subsection (k) of this section for experience that does not qualify.

(f) An applicant for an industrial maintenance electrician's license shall have:

1. (1) Four (4) years’ experience under the supervision of an engineer, master electrician, journeyman electrician, or industrial maintenance electrician in the maintenance of electrical conductors and equipment; or
2. (2) Any combination of training and experience as the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas may approve, such as formal apprenticeship programs approved by the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas, on-the-job training specifically approved by the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas, public or private electrical training programs, such as those conducted by the armed forces, colleges, or vocational-technical schools, specifically approved by the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas, or a combination of training and electrical maintenance experience that is determined by the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas to be equivalent to that as specified in subdivision (f)(1) of this section.

(g) An applicant for a residential master electrician's license shall have:

1. (1) Thee (3) years’ experience in the wiring of one- or two-family dwellings including one (1) year experience as a licensed residential journeyman; or
2. (2) Any combination of training and experience as the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas may approve as being equivalent to that as specified in subdivision (e)(1) of this section.

(h) An applicant for a residential journeyman license shall have:

1. (1) Two (2) years’ experience in the wiring of one- or two-family dwellings;
2. (2) A two-year combination of training and experience as the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas may approve, such as formal apprenticeship programs approved by the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas; and

3. (3) A signed letter from the applicant's school verifying the applicant's hours.

   1. (i)

4. (1) An applicant for an air conditioning electrician's license shall have:

   1. (A) Two (2) years’ experience in wiring HVACR equipment; or
   2. (B) Any combination of experience and training as the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas may approve as being equivalent to that as specified in subdivision (g)(1) of this section.

5. (2) The experience required in subdivision (g)(1) of this section may be demonstrated by having held for two (2) years:

   1. (A) A HVACR electrician's license issued by an Arkansas municipality; or
   2. (B) A HVACR Class A or Class B license issued by the state HVACR Licensing Board.

(j)

1. (1) An applicant for a specialist sign electrician's license shall have:

   1. (A) Two (2) years’ experience working for an electrical sign company or a licensed electrical licensee performing the work of installing, maintaining, and repairing electrically illuminated or operated signs and gaseous tubing for illumination, making all connection to an approved outlet of sufficient capacity within twenty-five feet (25’) of the sign to be connected; or
   2. (B) Any combination of training and experience as the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas may approve as being equivalent to that as specified in subdivision (h)(1)(A) of this section.

2. (2) Applicants for a specialist sign electrician license pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be exempt from the examination requirement of Arkansas Code § 17-28-203, provided that the applicant:

   1. (A) Is qualified by experience requirements specified in subdivisions (h)(1)(A) or (h)(1)(B) of this section;
   2. (B) Has not had a municipal electrician's license or a state electrician's license of any classification revoked or suspended for cause;
   3. (C) Submits the appropriate fee; and
   4. (D) Applies for a license prior to September 1, 2009.
3. (3) This license shall not be required of any Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas licensee currently qualified to perform the type of work described by subdivision (h)(1)(A) of this section.
4. (4) All licensed specialist sign electricians shall submit to the Department of Labor and Licensing a list of any employees performing work as described in subsection (h) of this section.
5. (5) All such work shall be performed under direct supervision of a licensed sign electrician or other electrical licensee authorized to perform this type of work.
6. (6) A specialist sign electrician shall qualify for an endorsement on his or her license authorizing the licensee to maintain and repair parking lot lights upon successfully passing a separate examination as approved by the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas.

(k) For the purpose of determining experience qualification, the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas shall not consider the following:

1. (1) Any experience obtained in violation of Arkansas Code § 17-28-304 (Repl. 2001) which required a state electrician's license beginning July 1, 1998; or

2. (2) Any experience obtained in a sister state in violation of that state's licensing or registration requirements.

   1. (l)

3. (1) Work experience shall be documented by:

   1. (A) Official transcripts;
   2. (B) Notarized letters or affidavits from past or present employers;
   3. (C) Official letters from other licensing boards detailing the duration and character of the work; or
   4. (D) Equivalent evidence.
4. (2) Letters and employment verification shall be dated within six (6) months of application.

5. (3) Employment verification from the Social Security Administration may be required.

   1. (m) The Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas shall grant a license to an applicant who fulfills the Arkansas requirements for licensure and is a person who holds a federal Form I-766 United States Citizenship and Immigration Services-issued Employment Authorization Document, known popularly as a “work permit”.

(n) The Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas shall waive the initial licensing fee if the applicant:

1. (1) Is receiving assistance through the:

   1. (A) Arkansas Medicaid Program;
   2. (B) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program;
   3. (C) Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children;
   4. (D) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program; or
   5. (E) Lifeline Assistance Program;
2. (2) Was approved for unemployment within the last twelve (12) months; or
3. (3) Has an income that does not exceed two hundred percent (200%) of the federal poverty income guidelines.