Section 43-14-8.1. License requirement for low-voltage electrical contracting; businesses conducted by partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations; applications

   (a) For purposes of this Code section only, "division" means the "Division of Low-voltage Contractors."

(b) No person shall engage in alarm system, general system, or telecommunication system low-voltage contracting unless such person has a valid license therefor from the Division of Low-voltage Contracting.

(c) Any person desiring to qualify under the provisions of this subsection who meets the requirements of this subsection, submits proper application prior to and including December 31, 1984, and pays or has paid the required fees and is not otherwise in violation of this chapter shall be issued a state-wide Low-voltage Contractor Class LV-A, LV-G, LV-U, or LV-T license without examination. An individual desiring to obtain Low-voltage Contractor Class LV-T shall submit to the division an affidavit which outlines the experience of said individual in the practice of low-voltage wiring relating to telecommunication systems. An individual desiring to obtain a Low-voltage Contractor Class LV-A license shall submit to the division an affidavit which outlines the experience of said individual in the practice of low-voltage wiring relating to alarm systems. An individual desiring to obtain a Low-voltage Contractor Class LV-G license shall submit to the division an affidavit which outlines the experience of said individual in the practice of low-voltage wiring relating to general systems. Each such affidavit for licensure shall describe in detail the installation of at least three complete low-voltage wiring jobs which shall demonstrate that the individual has successfully performed low-voltage wiring in the area of licensure requested for a period of at least one year immediately prior to the time of application. An individual desiring to obtain a Low-voltage Contractor Class LV-U license shall submit to the division an affidavit which outlines the experience of said individual in the practice of low-voltage wiring relating to alarm and telecommunication systems and which describes in detail the installation of at least six complete low-voltage wiring jobs, three in alarm and three in telecommunication systems, which shall demonstrate that the individual has successfully performed low-voltage wiring in those areas for a period of at least one year immediately prior to the time of application.

(d) The decision of the division as to the necessity of taking the examination or as to the qualifications of applicants taking the required examination shall, in the absence of fraud, be conclusive. All individuals, partnerships, limited liability companies, or corporations desiring to engage in the vocation of low-voltage contracting after December 31, 1984, shall take the examination and qualify under this Code section before engaging in such vocation.

(e) No partnership, limited liability company, or corporation shall have the right to engage in the business of low-voltage contracting unless there is regularly connected with such partnership, limited liability company, or corporation a person or persons, actually engaged in the performance of such business on a full-time basis and supervising the low-voltage systems installation, repair, alteration, and service work of all employees of such partnership, limited liability company, or corporation, who have valid licenses issued to them as provided in this chapter. In cases where a partnership, limited liability company, or corporation has more than one office location from which low-voltage contracting is performed, at least one person stationed in each branch office of such partnership, limited liability company, or corporation, engaged in the performance of low-voltage contracting on a full-time basis and supervising the low-voltage wiring systems installation, repair, alteration, and service work of all employees of such branch office locations, shall have a valid license issued as provided in this Code section.

(f) It shall be the duty of all partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations qualified under this Code section to notify the division, in accordance with board rules, of severance of connection with such partnership, limited liability company, or corporation of any person or persons upon whom the qualification of any such partnership, limited liability company, or corporation rested.

(g) All applicants for examinations and licenses provided for by this Code section and all applicants for renewal of licenses under this Code section shall be required to fill out a form which shall be provided by the division, which form shall show whether or not the applicant is an individual, partnership, limited liability company, or corporation and, if a partnership, limited liability company, or corporation, the names and addresses of the partners or members or the names and addresses of the officers, when and where formed or incorporated, and such other information as the division in its discretion may require. All forms of application for renewal of licenses shall also show whether or not the applicant, if it is a partnership, limited liability company, or corporation, still has connected with it a duly qualified person holding a license issued by the division.

(h) The division shall notify each local governing authority of the provisions of this chapter relating to licensure, especially the provisions of subsection (b) of this Code section. The division shall notify such governing authorities that after December 31, 1984, any person desiring a license to engage in the vocation of low-voltage contracting shall be required to pass an examination as provided in this chapter.

Code 1981, § 43-14-8.1, enacted by Ga. L. 1984, p. 1129, § 7; Ga. L. 1993, p. 123, § 30; Ga. L. 2002, p. 415, § 43; Ga. L. 2010, p. 266, § 20/SB 195.