1. (1) It is unlawful for any organization or individual to engage in the business of servicing, repairing, recharging, testing, marking, inspecting, installing, or hydrotesting any fire extinguisher or preengineered system in this state except in conformity with the provisions of this chapter. Each organization or individual that engages in such activity must possess a valid and subsisting license issued by the State Fire Marshal. All fire extinguishers and preengineered systems required by statute or by rule must be serviced by an organization or individual licensed under the provisions of this chapter. The licensee is legally qualified to act for the business organization in all matters connected with its business, and the licensee must supervise all activities undertaken by such business organization. Each licensee shall maintain a specific business location. A further requirement, in the case of multiple locations where such servicing or recharging is taking place, is that each licensee who maintains more than one place of business where actual work is carried on must possess an additional license, as set forth in this section, for each location, except that a licensed individual may not qualify for more than five locations. A licensee is limited to a specific type of work performed depending upon the class of license held. Licenses and license fees are required for the following:

   1. (a) Class A ....... $250 To service, recharge, repair, install, or inspect all types of fire extinguishers and to conduct hydrostatic tests on all types of fire extinguishers.
   2. (b) Class B ....... $150 To service, recharge, repair, install, or inspect all types of fire extinguishers, including recharging carbon dioxide units and conducting hydrostatic tests on all types of fire extinguishers, except carbon dioxide units.
   3. (c) Class C ....... $150 To service, recharge, repair, install, or inspect all types of fire extinguishers, except recharging carbon dioxide units, and to conduct hydrostatic tests on all types of fire extinguishers, except carbon dioxide units.
   4. (d) Class D ....... $200 To service, repair, recharge, hydrotest, install, or inspect all types of preengineered fire extinguishing systems.
   5. (e) Licenses issued as duplicates or to reflect a change of address ....... $10 Any fire equipment dealer licensed pursuant to this subsection who does not want to engage in the business of servicing, inspecting, recharging, repairing, hydrotesting, or installing halon equipment must file an affidavit on a form provided by the division so stating. Licenses will be issued by the division to reflect the work authorized thereunder. It is unlawful, unlicensed activity for any person or firm to falsely hold himself or herself or a business organization out to perform any service, inspection, recharge, repair, hydrotest, or installation except as specifically described in the license.

2. (2) Each individual actually performing the work of servicing, recharging, repairing, hydrotesting, installing, testing, or inspecting fire extinguishers or preengineered systems must possess a valid and subsisting permit issued by the State Fire Marshal. Permittees are limited as to specific type of work performed dependent upon the class of permit held which shall be a class allowing work no more extensive than the class of license held by the licensee under whom the permittee is working. Permits and fees therefor are required for the following:

   1. (a) Class 1 ....... $90 Servicing, recharging, repairing, installing, or inspecting all types of fire extinguishers and conducting hydrostatic tests on all types of fire extinguishers.
   2. (b) Class 2 ....... $90 Servicing, recharging, repairing, installing, or inspecting all types of fire extinguishers, including carbon dioxide units, and conducting hydrostatic tests on all types of fire extinguishers, except carbon dioxide units.
   3. (c) Class 3 ....... $90 Servicing, recharging, repairing, installing, or inspecting all types of fire extinguishers, except recharging carbon dioxide units, and conducting hydrostatic tests on all types of fire extinguishers, except carbon dioxide units.
   4. (d) Class 4 ....... $120 Servicing, repairing, hydrotesting, recharging, installing, or inspecting all types of preengineered fire extinguishing systems.
   5. (e) Permits issued as duplicates or to reflect a change of address ....... $10 Any fire equipment permittee licensed pursuant to this subsection who does not want to engage in servicing, inspecting, recharging, repairing, hydrotesting, or installing halon equipment must file an affidavit on a form provided by the division so stating. Permits will be issued by the division to reflect the work authorized thereunder. It is unlawful, unlicensed activity for any person or firm to falsely hold himself or herself out to perform any service, inspection, recharge, repair, hydrotest, or installation except as specifically described in the permit.
3. (3) (a) Such licenses and permits shall be issued by the State Fire Marshal for 2 years beginning January 1, 2000, and each 2-year period thereafter and expiring December 31 of the second year. All licenses or permits issued will expire on December 31 of each odd-numbered year. The failure to renew a license or permit by December 31 of the second year will cause the license or permit to become inoperative. The holder of an inoperative license or permit shall not engage in any activities for which a license or permit is required by this section. A license or permit which is inoperative because of the failure to renew it shall be restored upon payment of the applicable fee plus a penalty equal to the applicable fee, if the application for renewal is filed no later than the following March 31. If the application for restoration is not made before the March 31st deadline, the fee for restoration shall be equal to the original application fee and the penalty provided for herein, and, in addition, the State Fire Marshal shall require reexamination of the applicant. The fee for a license or permit issued for 1 year or less shall be prorated at 50 percent of the applicable fee for a biennial license or permit. Each licensee or permittee shall successfully complete a course or courses of continuing education for fire equipment technicians of at least 32 hours within 4 years of initial issuance of a license or permit and within each 4-year period thereafter or no such license or permit shall be renewed. The State Fire Marshal shall adopt rules describing the continuing education requirements.
4. (b) The forms of such licenses and permits and applications therefor shall be prescribed by the State Fire Marshal; in addition to such other information and data as that officer determines is appropriate and required for such forms, there shall be included in such forms the following matters. Each such application shall be in such form as to provide that the data and other information set forth therein shall be sworn to by the applicant or, if a corporation, by an officer thereof. An application for a permit shall include the name of the licensee employing such permittee, and the permit issued in pursuance of such application shall also set forth the name of such licensee. A permit is valid solely for use by the holder thereof in his or her employment by the licensee named in the permit.

5. (c) A license of any class shall not be issued or renewed by the State Fire Marshal and a license of any class shall not remain operative unless:

   1. The applicant has submitted to the State Fire Marshal evidence of registration as a Florida corporation or evidence of compliance with s. 865.09.

   2. The State Fire Marshal or his or her designee has by inspection determined that the applicant possesses the equipment required for the class of license sought. The State Fire Marshal shall give an applicant a reasonable opportunity to correct any deficiencies discovered by inspection. A fee of $50, payable to the State Fire Marshal, shall be required for any subsequent reinspection.

   3. The applicant has submitted to the State Fire Marshal proof of insurance providing coverage for comprehensive general liability for bodily injury and property damage, products liability, completed operations, and contractual liability. The State Fire Marshal shall adopt rules providing for the amounts of such coverage, but such amounts shall not be less than $300,000 for Class A or Class D licenses, $200,000 for Class B licenses, and $100,000 for Class C licenses; and the total coverage for any class of license held in conjunction with a Class D license shall not be less than $300,000. The State Fire Marshal may, at any time after the issuance of a license or its renewal, require upon demand, and in no event more than 30 days after notice of such demand, the licensee to provide proof of insurance, on a form provided by the State Fire Marshal, containing confirmation of insurance coverage as required by this chapter. Failure, for any length of time, to provide proof of insurance coverage as required shall result in the immediate suspension of the license until proof of proper insurance is provided to the State Fire Marshal. An insurer which provides such coverage shall notify the State Fire Marshal of any change in coverage or of any termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal of any coverage.

   4. The applicant successfully completes a prescribed training course offered by the State Fire College or an equivalent course approved by the State Fire Marshal. This subparagraph does not apply to any holder of or applicant for a permit under paragraph (f) or to a business organization or a governmental entity seeking initial licensure or renewal of an existing license solely for the purpose of inspecting, servicing, repairing, marking, recharging, and maintaining fire extinguishers used and located on the premises of and owned by such organization or entity.

   5. The applicant has a current retestor identification number that is appropriate for the license for which the applicant is applying and that is listed with the United States Department of Transportation.

   6. The applicant has passed, with a grade of at least 70 percent, a written examination testing his or her knowledge of the rules and statutes regulating the activities authorized by the license and demonstrating his or her knowledge and ability to perform those tasks in a competent, lawful, and safe manner. Such examination shall be developed and administered by the State Fire Marshal, or his or her designee. An applicant shall pay a nonrefundable examination fee of $50 for each examination or reexamination scheduled. No reexamination shall be scheduled sooner than 30 days after any administration of an examination to an applicant. No applicant shall be permitted to take an examination for any level of license more than a total of four times during 1 year, regardless of the number of applications submitted. As a prerequisite to taking the examination, the applicant:

   a. Must be at least 18 years of age.

   b. Must have 4 years of proven experience as a fire equipment permittee at a level equal to or greater than the level of license applied for or have a combination of education and experience determined to be equivalent thereto by the State Fire Marshal. Having held a permit at the appropriate level for the required period constitutes the required experience.

   c. Must not have been convicted of, or pled nolo contendere to, any felony. If an applicant has been convicted of any such felony, the applicant must comply with ¹s. 112.011(1)(b). This subparagraph does not apply to any holder of or applicant for a permit under paragraph (f) or to a business organization or a governmental entity seeking initial licensure or renewal of an existing license solely for the purpose of inspecting, servicing, repairing, marking, recharging, hydrotesting, and maintaining fire extinguishers used and located on the premises of and owned by such organization or entity.

6. (d) An applicant who fails the examination may take it three more times during the 1-year period after he or she originally filed an application for the examination. If the applicant fails the examination within 1 year after the application date and seeks to retake the examination, he or she must file a new application, pay the application and examination fees, and successfully complete a prescribed training course approved by the State Fire College or an equivalent course approved by the State Fire Marshal. An applicant may not submit a new application within 6 months after the date of his or her last reexamination.

7. (e) A fire equipment dealer licensed under this section may apply to upgrade the license currently held, if the licensed dealer:

   1. Submits an application for the license on a form in conformance with paragraph (b). The application must be accompanied by a fee as prescribed in subsection (1) for the type of license requested.

   2. Provides evidence of 2 years' experience as a licensed dealer and meets such relevant educational requirements as are established by rule by the State Fire Marshal for purposes of upgrading a license.

   3. Meets the requirements of paragraph (c).

8. (f) No permit of any class shall be issued or renewed to a person by the State Fire Marshal, and no permit of any class shall remain operative, unless the person has:

   1. Submitted a nonrefundable examination fee in the amount of $50;

   2. Successfully completed a training course offered by the State Fire College or an equivalent course approved by the State Fire Marshal; and

   3. Passed, with a grade of at least 70 percent, a written examination testing his or her knowledge of the rules and statutes regulating the activities authorized by the permit and demonstrating his or her knowledge and ability to perform those tasks in a competent, lawful, and safe manner. Such examination shall be developed and administered by the State Fire Marshal. An examination fee shall be paid for each examination scheduled. No reexamination shall be scheduled sooner than 30 days after any administration of an examination to an applicant. No applicant shall be permitted to take an examination for any level of permit more than four times during 1 year, regardless of the number of applications submitted. As a prerequisite to taking the permit examination, the applicant must be at least 16 years of age.

9. (g) An applicant who fails the examination may take it three more times during the 1-year period after he or she originally filed an application for the examination. If the applicant fails the examination within 1 year after the application date and he or she seeks to retake the examination, he or she must file a new application, pay the application and examination fees, and successfully complete a prescribed training course offered by the State Fire College or an equivalent course approved by the State Fire Marshal. The applicant may not submit a new application within 6 months after the date of his or her last reexamination.
10. (4) (a) It is unlawful for a fire equipment dealer to engage in training an individual to perform the work of installing, testing, recharging, repairing, or inspecting portable extinguishers or preengineered systems except in conformity with this section. Each individual engaging in such training activity must be registered with the State Fire Marshal. The dealer must register the trainee prior to the trainee performing any work. The dealer must submit training criteria to the State Fire Marshal for review and approval.

11. (b) No trainee shall perform work requiring a permit unless an individual possessing a valid and current fire equipment permit for the type of work performed is physically present. The trainee's registration shall be valid for a 90-day period from the date of issuance and is nontransferable and nonrenewable. The initial training period may be extended for an additional 90 days of training if the applicant has filed an application for permit and enrolled in the 40-hour course at the State Fire College within 60 days after the date of registration as a trainee and either the training course at the State Fire College was unavailable to the applicant within the initial training period, at no fault of the applicant, or the applicant attends and fails the 40-hour training course or the competency examination. At no time will an individual be registered as a trainee for more than two 90-day periods as provided in this paragraph. The trainee must:

    1. Be 18 years of age.

    2. Possess on his or her person at all times a valid Florida driver's license or a valid state identification card, issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. A trainee must produce identification to the State Fire Marshal or his or her designated representative upon demand.

    3. Pay a fee for registration of $10 per trainee for a 90-day period.

12. (c) No more than two trainees shall be under the supervision of a single trainer, who shall be directly responsible for all work performed by any trainee while under his or her supervision. No trainee shall perform any work not within the scope of the license or permit held by the fire equipment dealer or permittee directly supervising his or her work.
13. (d) Upon completion of a training period, an individual must comply with the provisions of this section to obtain a permit.
14. (5) The State Fire Marshal shall adopt rules providing for the approval of the time, place, and curriculum of each training course required by this section.
15. (6) Every permittee must have a valid and subsisting permit upon his or her person at all times while engaging in the servicing, recharging, repairing, testing, inspecting, or installing of fire extinguishers and preengineered systems, and every licensee or permittee must be able to produce such license or permit upon demand. In addition, every permittee shall at all times carry an identification card containing his or her photograph and other identifying information as prescribed by the State Fire Marshal or the State Fire Marshal's designee, which shall be produced on demand. The State Fire Marshal shall supply this card at a fee which shall be related to the cost of producing the card.
16. (7) The fees collected for any such licenses and permits and the filing fees for license and permit examination are hereby appropriated for the use of the State Fire Marshal in the administration of this chapter and shall be deposited in the Insurance Commissioner's Regulatory Trust Fund.
17. (8) The provisions of this chapter do not apply to inspections by fire chiefs, fire inspectors, fire marshals, or insurance company inspectors.
18. (9) All fire extinguishers and preengineered systems that are required by statute or by rule must be serviced, recharged, repaired, hydrotested, tested, inspected, and installed in compliance with this chapter and with the rules adopted by the State Fire Marshal. The State Fire Marshal may adopt by rule the standards of the National Fire Protection Association and of other reputable national organizations.

19. (10) If the licensee leaves the business organization or dies, the business organization shall immediately notify the State Fire Marshal of the licensee's departure, shall return the license to the State Fire Marshal, and shall have a grace period of 60 days in which to license another person under the provisions of this chapter, failing which the business shall no longer perform those activities for which a license under this section is required.

    ¹Note.--As amended by s. 53, ch. 98-419. The amendment by s. 2, ch. 98-170, cited s. 112.011(2)(b).

History.--s. 6, ch. 65-216; s. 4, ch. 67-78; ss. 13, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 71-141; s. 3, ch. 75-240; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 1, ch. 77-457; ss. 1, 8, ch. 78-141; s. 2, ch. 81-318; s. 2, ch. 84-243; ss. 1, 2, ch. 85-128; s. 8, ch. 87-287; s. 15, ch. 89-233; s. 3, ch. 90-359; s. 3, ch. 91-189; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 3, ch. 93-276; s. 37, ch. 95-211; s. 10, ch. 95-379; s. 423, ch. 97-102; s. 1, ch. 97-124; s. 2, ch. 98-170; s. 53, ch. 98-419; s. 28, ch. 99-254; s. 1, ch. 2000-155.