1. (a) A $20 certification fee is required for each certificate issued by the commission.
2. (b) Certification fees shall not be combined with other fees such as renewal fees, fees for commission manuals, fees for Commission Certification Curriculum Manuals, or copying fees.
3. (c) The regulated employing entity shall be responsible for all certification fees required as a condition of employment.
4. (d) Nothing in this section shall prohibit an individual from paying a certification fee for any certificate which he or she is qualified to hold, providing the certificate is not required as a condition of employment (see subsection (c) of this section concerning certification fees).

5. (e) If a person re-enters the fire service whose certificate(s) has been expired for one year or longer, the employing entity must:

   1. (1) within 14 days of employment, notify the commission that the individual has been employed;
   2. (2) prior to assignment to any fire protection duties, obtain documented proof that the individual has passed the proficiency test as required by §439.13 of this title (relating to Testing for Proof of Proficiency) within one calendar year prior to the date of employment; and
   3. (3) within one year from the date of employment, make application for certification of the individual and pay the certification fee as required by subsection (a) and (b) of this section (concerning certification fees). Upon payment of the required fees, the certificates previously held by the individual for which he or she continues to qualify, will be re-issued. The employing entity has the option of making the application and paying the fee at any time within the one-year period.
6. (f) Any person who holds a certificate, and is no longer employed by an entity that is regulated by the commission may submit in writing a request together with the required fee to receive a one-time certificate stating the level of certification in each discipline held by the person on the date that person left employment, pursuant to the Texas Government Code, §419.033(b). Multiple certifications may be listed on the one-time certificate. The one-time fee for the one-time certificate shall be the same as the current certification fee provided in subsection (a) of this section.
7. (g) A facility that provides basic level training for any discipline for which the commission has established a Basic Curriculum must be certified by the commission. The training facility will be charged a separate certification fee for each discipline.

Source Note:The provisions of this §437.3 adopted to be effective November 1, 1998, 23 TexReg 10900; amended to be effective May 23, 1999, 24 TexReg 3863; amended to be effective October 11, 2000, 25 TexReg 10189; amended to be effective March 8, 2001, 26 TexReg 2045.