1. (1) Fire protection sprinkler contractors, only a licensed contractor, who has at least one certificate of competency holder on staff certified to license level consistent with the contractor's license, by the director, can bid, offer to bid, contract, or perform the designing, installation, inspection, testing, maintenance, or repair of a NFPA fire protection sprinkler system or any part of such a system based on the level of the contractor license. The following levels will apply to contractor licenses issued by the director:

   1. (a) Level 1 contractor license - Residential structures consistent with the definitions found within NFPA 13D.
   2. (b) Level 2 contractor license - Residential structures consistent with the definitions found within NFPA 13D, NFPA 13R, and NFPA 25. NFPA 24 is applicable only when the water main supplying the fire sprinkler system is equal to or greater than four inches in size.
   3. (c) Level 3 contractor license - Includes work defined by Levels 1 and 2. This license is applicable to structures and fire protection sprinkler systems defined in NFPA 13, NFPA 24, and NFPA 25.
   4. (d) Level U contractor license - Specialized license for underground work (NFPA 24) only.

   5. (e) Level I&T (inspection and testing) contractor license - Specialized license for inspection and testing work (NFPA 25). This license level allows for inspection or testing of a NFPA 13R or NFPA 13, wet and dry pipe fire protection sprinkler system, provided that the:

      1. (i) Inspection and testing technician must limit his or her work on the fire protection sprinkler system to the contractor's license level; and

      2. (ii) Testing and maintenance of fire protection sprinkler systems such as preaction, deluge, foam or fire pumps, will be performed only by contractors who are also qualified and licensed to design and install that type of system or fire pump.

         Chart 1: Fire Protection Sprinkler Contractors

         Level of Contractor License	Standard Defining Work to be Performed
         NFPA13D	NFPA13R	NFPA13	NFPA24	NFPA25
         Level 1 ContractorOne- and two-family dwellings and manufactured homes	Yes	No	No	No	No
         Level 2 ContractorResidentialOccupancies Up To and Including Four Stories in Height	Yes	Yes	No	NoOnly if water main supplying the sprinkler system is equal or greater than 4 inches in size. (See WAC 212-80-018 (1)(b))	Yes(See WAC 212-80-018 (e)(i))
         Level 3 ContractorAll Types ofStructures	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes(See WAC 212-80-018 (e)(i))
         Level U ContractorUnderground	No	No	No	Yes	No
         Level I&TInspection andTesting Contractor	No	No	No	No	YesInspection/testing only(See WAC 212-80-018 (e)(ii))

2. (2) Fire protection sprinkler system certification - Only a certificate of competency holder may prepare layout drawings or install, inspect, test, maintain, or repair a fire protection sprinkler system or any part of such a system based on his or her certification level.

   1. (a) Design certification - The following levels will apply to design certifications issued by the director:

      1. (i) Level 1 design certification - NFPA 13D.
      2. (ii) Level 2 design certification - NFPA 13D or NFPA 13R, and underground work (NFPA 24) when the designed and installed underground main is four inches or greater in size for NFPA 13R.
      3. (iii) Level 3 design certification - NFPA 13, NFPA 13R, or NFPA 13D, and underground work (NFPA 24) for NFPA 13D, NFPA 13R, and NFPA 13.

   2. (b) Specialized certifications - The following level will apply to specialized certifications issued by the director:

      1. (i) Level U certification - NFPA 24; perform and supervise the installation, inspection, maintenance, repair, and testing of the underground fire protection sprinkler underground piping.

      2. (ii) Level ITT - Inspection and testing technician - NFPA 25 for inspection or testing of a NFPA 13R or NFPA 13. The inspection and testing technician must limit his or her work to the employing contractor's license level.

         Chart 2: Fire Protection Sprinkler Certifications

         Level of Certificate of Competency Holder - See Note (1)	Standard Defining Work That May Be Performed
         NFPA 13D	NFPA 13R	NFPA 13	NFPA 24	NFPA 25
         Level 1 DesignCertification	Yes	No	No	No	No
         Level 2 DesignCertification	Yes	Yes	No	Yes(Restricted to only certain NFPA 13R systems) (see WAC 212-80-018 (1)(b))	No
         Level 3 DesignCertification	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
         Level UCertification	No	No	No	Yes	No
         Level ITTCertification	No	No	No	No	Yes(Limited by contractor licensing level)

         Chart 3: Certificate Level Required for Level of License

         Contractor Level	1	2	3	U	I&T
         Building Type	One- andtwo-familydwellings and manufactured homes	Dwellings up to and including four stories in height	All dwellings and commercial or high occupancy facilities	Dedicatedunderground fire service main of a water based fire protection system	Inspection and testing of water based fire protection systems
         Certificate of Competency Holder Level Needed to Qualify forLicense	1	2	3	U	ITT

3. (3) RCW 18.160.040(10) prohibits a certificate of competency holder from working for more than one licensed contractor at any one time.

[Statutory Authority: Chapters 18.160 and 18.270 RCW. WSR 22-22-072, § 212-80-018, filed 10/31/22, effective 1/1/23. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.270.900 and 18.160.030. WSR 17-10-031, § 212-80-018, filed 4/26/17, effective 5/27/17; WSR 14-03-019, § 212-80-018, filed 1/7/14, effective 2/7/14. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.270.900. WSR 09-01-114, § 212-80-018, filed 12/19/08, effective 1/19/09. Statutory Authority: Chapters 43.43 and 18.160 RCW. WSR 05-17-099, § 212-80-018, filed 8/16/05, effective 9/16/05; WSR 05-05-006, § 212-80-018, filed 2/4/05, effective 3/7/05.]