1. (a) An applicant seeking departmental certification as a registered accessibility specialist in order to perform plan review services shall meet the following minimum qualifications:

   1. (1) Any one of the following:

      1. (A) a degree in architecture, engineering, interior design, landscape architecture, or equivalent, and a minimum of one year experience related to building planning, accessibility design or review, or equivalent; or
      2. (B) eight years experience related to building planning, accessibility design or review, or equivalent; or
      3. (C) four years experience related to building planning, accessibility design or review, or equivalent, and certification as an accessibility specialist granted by a model building code organization; and
   2. (2) satisfactory completion of the Texas Accessibility Academy offered by the department or an approved provider; and
   3. (3) pass an examination approved by the department.

2. (b) An applicant seeking departmental certification as a registered accessibility specialist in order to provide inspection services shall meet the following minimum qualifications:

   1. (1) Any one of the following:

      1. (A) minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent; and

      2. (B) either

         1. (i) four years experience related to building inspections, accessibility inspections, building planning, accessibility design or review, or equivalent; or
         2. (ii) two years experience related to building inspections, accessibility inspections, building planning, accessibility design or review, or equivalent, and certification as an accessibility specialist as granted by a model building code organization; and
   2. (2) satisfactory completion of the Texas Accessibility Academy offered by the department or an approved provider; and
   3. (3) pass an examination approved by the department.
3. (c) An applicant shall submit a complete application for certification on the form prescribed by the department, accompanied by all appropriate fees. An applicant must complete all requirements, including satisfactory completion of an examination, no later than one year after the date the application is filed.
4. (d) Each applicant who satisfies all requirements will be provided a wallet card. The wallet card is the actual certificate of registration. A wall certificate will be provided to a new registrant.
5. (e) Endorsement codes for certificates of registration are as follows: Plan review functions--R; Inspection functions--I; Plan review and inspection functions--RI.

Source Note:The provisions of this §68.70 adopted to be effective November 5, 2001, 26 TexReg 8807; amended to be effective February 1, 2005, 30 TexReg 382.