Iowa Electrical Licensing Law

Iowa Code · 4 sections

The following is the full text of Iowa’s electrical licensing law statutes as published in the Iowa Code. For the official version, see the Iowa Legislature.

Iowa Code § 105.11

The provisions of this chapter shall not be construed to do any of the following: 1. Apply to a person licensed as an engineer pursuant to chapter 542B, licensed as a manufactured home retailer or certified as a manufactured home installer pursuant to chapter 103A, licensed as an architect pursuant to chapter 544A, or licensed as a landscape architect pursuant to chapter 544B who provides consultations or develops plans or other work concerning plumbing, HVAC, refrigeration, sheet metal, or hydronic work and who is exclusively engaged in the practice of the person’s profession. 2. Require employees of municipal utilities, electric membership or cooperative associations, public utility corporations, rural water associations or districts, railroads, or commercial retail or industrial companies performing manufacturing, installation, service, or repair work for such employer to hold licenses while acting within the scope of their employment. This licensing exemption does not apply to employees of a rate-regulated gas or electric public utility which provides plumbing or mechanical services as part of a systematic marketing effort, as defined pursuant to section 476.80. 3. Prohibit an owner of property from performing work on the owner’s principal residence, if such residence is an existing dwelling rather than new construction and is not larger than a single-family dwelling, or farm property, excluding commercial or industrial installations or installations in public use buildings or facilities, or require such owner to be licensed under this chapter. In order to qualify for inapplicability pursuant to this subsection, a residence shall qualify for the homestead tax credit. 4. Require that any person be a member of a labor union in order to be licensed. 5. Apply to a person who is qualified pursuant to administrative rules relating to the storage and handling of liquefied petroleum gases while engaged in installing, servicing, testing, replacing, or maintaining propane gas utilization equipment, or gas piping systems of which the equipment is a part, and related or connected accessory systems or equipment necessary to the operation of the equipment. 6. Apply to a person who meets the requirements for a certified well contractor pursuant to section 455B.190A while engaged in installing, servicing, testing, replacing, or maintaining a water system, water well, well pump, or well equipment, or piping systems of which the equipment is a part, and related or connected accessory systems or equipment necessary to the operation of the water well. 7. Require a helper engaged in general manual labor activities while providing assistance to an apprentice, journeyperson, or master to obtain a plumbing, mechanical, HVAC-refrigeration, sheet metal, or hydronic license. Experience as a helper shall not be considered as practical experience for a journeyperson license. 8. Apply to a person who is performing work subject to chapter 100C. 9. Apply to an employee of any unit of state or local government, including but not limited to cities, counties, or school corporations, performing work on a mechanical system or plumbing system, which serves a government-owned or government-leased facility while acting within the scope of the government employee’s employment. 10. Apply to the employees of manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, or wholesale suppliers who provide consultation or develop plans concerning plumbing, HVAC, refrigeration, sheet metal, or hydronic work, or who assist a person licensed under this chapter in the installation of mechanical or plumbing systems. 11. Prohibit an owner or operator of a health care facility licensed pursuant to chapter 135C, assisted living center licensed pursuant to chapter 231C, hospital licensed pursuant to chapter 135B, adult day care center licensed pursuant to chapter 231D, or a retirement facility certified pursuant to chapter 523D from performing work on the facility or requiring such owner or operator to be licensed under this chapter; except for projects that exceed the dollar amount specified as the competitive bid threshold in section 26.3. 12. Apply to a person who performs the laying of pipe that originates or connects to pipe in the public right-of-way or property that is intended to become public right-of-way, even if such pipe extends under the property and up to the building. However, the person shall not make any interior pipe connections within a building under this exemption. This exemption

§105.11, PLUMBERS, MECHANICAL PROFESSIONALS, AND CONTRACTORS 2

does not restrict local jurisdictions from requiring licensure under this chapter if required by local ordinance, resolution, or by bidding specification. 13. Prohibit a rental property owner or employee of such an owner from performing routine maintenance on the rental property. 14. Apply to a person who is performing work on a volunteer, non-paid basis or assisting a property owner performing non-paid work on the owner’s principal residence. 2007 Acts, ch 198, §11; 2008 Acts, ch 1032, §104, 202; 2008 Acts, ch 1089, §4, 5, 10, 12; 2009 Acts, ch 151, §11 – 13; 2011 Acts, ch 100, §7, 15; 2013 Acts, ch 77, §12, 36; 2017 Acts, ch 131, §7; 2023 Acts, ch 71, §26, 48, 49 Referred to in §105.10 2023 amendment to subsection 3 applies retroactively to assessment years beginning on or after January 1, 2023; 2023 Acts, ch 71, §49

Iowa Code § 105.18

1. General qualifications. The board shall adopt, by rule, general qualifications for licensure. References may be required as part of the licensing process.
2. Plumbing, mechanical, HVAC-refrigeration, sheet metal, and hydronic licenses and contractor licenses. The board shall issue master licenses for plumbing, mechanical, HVAC-refrigeration, and hydronic professionals. The board shall issue journeyperson licenses for plumbing, mechanical, HVAC-refrigeration, sheet metal, and hydronic professionals. A plumbing license shall allow an individual to perform work defined as plumbing. A mechanical license shall allow an individual to perform work defined as HVAC, refrigeration, sheet metal, and hydronic. An HVAC-refrigeration license shall allow an individual to perform work defined as HVAC and refrigeration. A hydronic license shall allow an individual to perform work defined as hydronic. A sheet metal license shall allow an individual to perform work defined as sheet metal. The board shall issue the separate licenses as follows: a. Apprentice license. In order to be licensed by the board as an apprentice, a person shall do all of the following: (1) File an application, which application shall establish that the person meets the minimum requirements adopted by the board. (2) Certify that the person will work under the supervision of a licensed journeyperson or master in the applicable discipline. (3) Be enrolled in an applicable apprentice program which is registered with the United States department of labor office of apprenticeship. b. Journeyperson license. (1) In order to be licensed by the board as a journeyperson in the applicable discipline, a person shall do all of the following: (a) File an application and pay application fees as established by the board, which application shall establish that the person meets the minimum educational and experience requirements adopted by the board. (b) Pass the state journeyperson licensing examination in the applicable discipline. (c) Provide the board with evidence of having completed at least four years of practical experience as an apprentice. Commencing January 1, 2010, the four years of practical experience required by this subparagraph division must be an apprenticeship training program registered by the United States department of labor office of apprenticeship. (2) A person may simultaneously hold an active journeyperson license and an inactive master license. (3) An individual who has passed both the journeyperson HVAC-refrigeration examination and the journeyperson hydronic examination separately shall be qualified to be issued a journeyperson mechanical license without having to pass the journeyperson mechanical examination. c. Master license. (1) In order to be licensed by the board as a master, a person shall do all of the following: (a) File an application and pay application fees as established by the board, which application shall establish that the person meets the minimum educational and experience requirements adopted by the board. (b) Pass the state master licensing examination for the applicable discipline. (c) Provide evidence to the board that the person has previously been a licensed journeyperson or master in the applicable discipline. (2) An individual who has passed both the master HVAC-refrigeration examination and the master hydronic examination separately shall be qualified to be issued a master mechanical license without having to pass the master mechanical examination. d. Contractor license. In order to be licensed by the board as a contractor, a person shall do all of the following: (1) File an application and pay application fees as established by the board and establish that the person meets the minimum requirements adopted by the board. Through June 30, 2017, the application shall include the person’s state contractor registration number. After

§105.18, PLUMBERS, MECHANICAL PROFESSIONALS, AND CONTRACTORS 2

July 1, 2017, the application shall include proof of workers compensation insurance coverage, proof of unemployment insurance compliance, and, for out-of-state contractors, a bond as described in chapter 91C. (2) Maintain a permanent place of business. (3) Hold a master license or employ at least one person holding a master license under this chapter. 3. Combined licenses, restricted licenses. a. The board may issue single or combined licenses to persons who qualify as a contractor, master, journeyperson, or apprentice under any of the disciplines. b. Special, restricted license. The board may by rule provide for the issuance of special plumbing and mechanical professional licenses authorizing the licensee to engage in a limited class or classes of plumbing or mechanical professional work, which class or classes shall be specified on the license. Each licensee shall have experience, acceptable to the board, in each such limited class for which the person is licensed. The board shall designate each special, restricted license to be a sublicense of either a plumbing, mechanical, HVAC-refrigeration, sheet metal, or hydronic license. A special, restricted license may be a sublicense of multiple types of licenses. An individual holding a master or journeyperson, plumbing, mechanical, HVAC-refrigeration, sheet metal, or hydronic license shall not be required to obtain any special, restricted license which is a sublicense of the license that the individual holds. Special plumbing and mechanical professional licenses shall be issued to employees of a rate-regulated gas or electric public utility who conduct the repair of appliances. “Repair of appliances” means the repair or replacement of mechanical connections between the appliance shutoff valve and the appliance and repair of or replacement of parts to the appliance. Such special, restricted license shall require certification pursuant to industry-accredited certification standards. c. The board shall establish a special, restricted license fee at a reduced rate, consistent with any other special, restricted license fees. d. An individual that holds either a master or journeyperson mechanical license or a master or journeyperson HVAC-refrigeration license shall be exempt from having to obtain a special electrician’s license pursuant to chapter 103 in order to disconnect and reconnect existing air conditioning and refrigeration systems. 4. Waiver for military service. Notwithstanding section 17A.9A, the board shall waive the written examination requirements and prior experience requirements in subsection 2, paragraph “b”, subparagraph (1), and subsection 2, paragraph “c”, for a journeyperson or master license if the applicant meets all of the following requirements: a. Is an active or retired member of the United States military. b. Provides documentation that the applicant was deployed on active duty during any portion of the time period of July 1, 2008, through December 31, 2009. c. Provides documentation that shows the applicant has previously passed an examination which the board deems substantially similar to the examination for a journeyperson license or a master license, as applicable, issued by the board, or provides documentation that shows the applicant has previously been licensed by a state or local governmental jurisdiction in the same trade and trade level. 2007 Acts, ch 198, §18; 2008 Acts, ch 1032, §105, 202; 2008 Acts, ch 1089, §8, 10, 12; 2009 Acts, ch 151, §19; 2011 Acts, ch 100, §8 – 10, 15; 2013 Acts, ch 77, §17 – 23, 36; 2014 Acts, ch 1106, §20; 2015 Acts, ch 30, §38; 2019 Acts, ch 99, §10

Iowa Code § 105.2

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires: 1. “Apprentice” means any person, other than a helper, journeyperson, or master, who, as a principal occupation, is engaged in working as an employee of a plumbing, mechanical, HVAC-refrigeration, sheet metal, or hydronic systems contractor under the supervision of either a master or a journeyperson and is progressing toward completion of an apprenticeship training program registered by the office of apprenticeship of the United States department of labor while learning and assisting in the design, installation, and repair of plumbing, HVAC, refrigeration, sheet metal, or hydronic systems, as applicable. 2. “Board” means the plumbing and mechanical systems board as established pursuant to section 105.3. 3. “Contractor” means a person or entity that provides plumbing, mechanical, HVAC, refrigeration, sheet metal, or hydronic systems services on a contractual basis and who is paid a predetermined amount under that contract for rendering those services. 4. “Department” means the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing. 5. “Governmental subdivision” means any city, county, or combination thereof. 6. “Helper” means a person engaged in general manual labor activities who provides assistance to an apprentice, journeyperson, or master while under the supervision of a journeyperson or master. 7. “HVAC” means heating, ventilation, air conditioning, ducted systems, or any type of refrigeration used for food processing or preservation. “HVAC” includes all natural, propane, liquid propane, or other gas lines associated with any component of an HVAC system. 8. “Hydronic” means a heating or cooling system that transfers heating or cooling by circulating fluid through a closed system, including boilers, pressure vessels, refrigeration equipment in connection with chilled water systems, all steam piping, hot or chilled water piping together with all control devices and accessories, installed as part of, or in connection with, any heating or cooling system or appliance whose primary purpose is to provide comfort using a liquid, water, or steam as the heating or cooling media. “Hydronic” includes all low-pressure and high-pressure systems and all natural, propane, liquid propane, or other gas lines associated with any component of a hydronic system. For purposes of this definition, “primary purpose is to provide comfort” means a system or appliance in which at least fifty-one percent of the capacity generated by its operation, on an annual average, is dedicated to comfort heating or cooling. 9. “Journeyperson” means any person, other than a master, who, as a principal occupation, is engaged as an employee of, or otherwise working under the direction of, a master in the design, installation, and repair of plumbing, mechanical, HVAC, refrigeration, sheet metal, or hydronic systems, as applicable. 10. “Master” means any person who works in the planning or superintending of the design, installation, or repair of plumbing, mechanical, HVAC, refrigeration, sheet metal, or hydronic systems and is otherwise lawfully qualified to conduct the business of plumbing, mechanical, HVAC, refrigeration, sheet metal, or hydronic systems, and who is familiar with the laws and rules governing the same. 11. “Mechanical professional” means a person engaged in the HVAC, refrigeration, sheet metal, or hydronic industry. 12. “Mechanical systems” means HVAC, refrigeration, sheet metal, and hydronic systems. 13. “Medical gas piping” means a permanent fixed piping system in a health care facility which is used to convey oxygen, nitrous oxide, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, helium, medical air, and mixtures of these gases from its source to the point of use and includes the fixed piping associated with a medical, surgical, or gas scavenging vacuum system, as well as a bedside suction system. 14. “Medical gas system installer” means any person who installs or repairs medical gas piping, components, and vacuum systems, including brazers, who has been issued a valid certification from the national inspection testing certification (NITC) corporation, or an equivalent authority approved by the board. 15. “Plumbing” means all potable water building supply and distribution pipes, all

§105.2, PLUMBERS, MECHANICAL PROFESSIONALS, AND CONTRACTORS 2

plumbing fixtures and traps, all drainage and vent pipes, and all building drains and building sewers, storm sewers, and storm drains, including their respective joints and connections, devices, receptors, and appurtenances within the property lines of the premises, and including the connection to sanitary sewer, storm sewer, and domestic water mains. “Plumbing” includes potable water piping, potable water treating or using equipment, medical gas piping systems, fuel gas piping, water heaters and vents, including all natural, propane, liquid propane, or other gas lines associated with any component of a plumbing system. 16. “Refrigeration” means any system of refrigeration regardless of the level of power, if such refrigeration is intended to be used for the purpose of food processing and product preservation and is also intended to be used for comfort systems. “Refrigeration” includes all natural, propane, liquid propane, or other gas lines associated with any component of refrigeration. 17. “Routine maintenance” means the maintenance, repair, or replacement of existing fixtures or parts of plumbing, mechanical, HVAC, refrigeration, sheet metal, or hydronic systems in which no changes in original design are made. Fixtures or parts do not include smoke and fire dampers, or water, gas, or steam piping permanent repairs except for traps or strainers. “Routine maintenance” shall include emergency repairs, and the board shall define the term “emergency repairs” to include the repair of water pipes to prevent imminent damage to property. “Routine maintenance” does not include the replacement of furnaces, boilers, cooling appliances, or water heaters more than one hundred gallons in size. 18. “Sheet metal” means heating, ventilation, air conditioning, pollution control, fume hood systems and related ducted systems or installation of equipment associated with any component of a sheet metal system. “Sheet metal” excludes refrigeration and electrical lines and all natural gas, propane, liquid propane, or other gas lines associated with any component of a sheet metal system. 2007 Acts, ch 198, §2; 2008 Acts, ch 1032, §102, 202; 2008 Acts, ch 1089, §10, 11; 2009 Acts, ch 151, §2, 3; 2011 Acts, ch 100, §1, 2, 15; 2012 Acts, ch 1023, §22; 2012 Acts, ch 1026, §1, 2; 2012 Acts, ch 1138, §47, 78, 79; 2013 Acts, ch 77, §2, 3, 36; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §1572 Referred to in §249K.5

Iowa Code § 542B.2

As used in the chapter, unless the context otherwise requires: 1. “Board” means the engineering and land surveying examining board provided by this chapter. 2. “Design coordination” includes the review and coordination of technical submissions prepared by others, including as appropriate and without limitation, consulting engineers, architects, landscape architects, land surveyors, and other professionals working under the direction of the engineer. 3. “Engineer intern” means a person who passes an examination in the fundamental engineering subjects, but does not entitle the person to claim to be a professional engineer. 4. “Engineering documents” includes all plans, specifications, drawings, and reports, if the preparation of such documents constitutes or requires the practice of engineering. 5. “Engineering surveys” includes all survey activities required to support the sound conception, planning, design, construction, maintenance, and operation of engineered projects, but excludes the surveying of real property for the establishment of land boundaries, rights-of-way, easements, and the dependent or independent surveys or resurveys of the public land survey system. 6. “In responsible charge” means having direct control of and personal supervision over any land surveying work or work involving the practice of engineering. One or more persons, jointly or severally, may be in responsible charge. 7. “Land surveying documents” includes all plats, maps, surveys, and reports, if the preparation thereof constitutes or requires the practice of land surveying. 8. “Land surveyor” means a person who engages in the practice of professional land surveying. Unless the context otherwise requires, any reference in this chapter to “land surveyor” or “land surveying” means “professional land surveyor” or “professional land surveying”. 9. a. “Practice of engineering” means any service or creative work, the adequate performance of which requires engineering education, training, and experience in the application of special knowledge of the mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences, such as consultation, investigation, evaluation, planning, design and design coordination of engineering works and systems, planning the use of land and water, performing engineering surveys and studies, and the review of construction for the purpose of monitoring compliance with drawings and specifications, any of which embraces such services or creative work, either public or private, in connection with any utilities, structures, buildings, machines, equipment, processes, work systems, projects, and industrial or consumer products or equipment of a mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, or thermal nature, insofar as they involve safeguarding life, health, or property, and including such other professional services as may be necessary to the planning, progress, and completion of the services identified in this subsection. b. A person is construed to be engaged in the practice of engineering if the person does any of the following: (1) Practices any branch of the profession of engineering. (2) Makes a representation by verbal claim, sign, advertisement, letterhead, card, or other manner that the person is a professional engineer. (3) Uses any title which implies that the person is a professional engineer or that the person is certified under this chapter. (4) The person holds the person’s self out as able to perform, or who does perform, any service or work included in the practice of engineering. 10. a. “Practice of land surveying” includes providing professional services such as consultation, investigation, testimony, evaluation, planning, mapping, assembling, and interpreting reliable scientific measurements and information relative to the location of property lines or boundaries, and the utilization, development, and interpretation of these facts into an orderly survey, plat, or map. The practice of land surveying includes but is not limited to the following: (1) Locating, relocating, establishing, reestablishing, setting, or resetting of permanent

§542B.2, PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND LAND SURVEYORS 2

monumentation for any property line or boundary of any tract or parcel of land. Setting permanent monuments constitutes an improvement to real property. (2) Making any survey for the division or subdivision of any tract or parcel of land. (3) Determination, by the use of the principles of land surveying, of the position for any permanent survey monument or reference point, or setting, resetting, or replacing any survey monument or reference point excluding the responsibility of engineers pursuant to section 314.8. (4) Creating and writing metes and bounds descriptions as defined in section 354.2. (5) Geodetic surveying for determination of the size and shape of the earth both horizontally and vertically for the precise positioning of permanent land survey monuments on the earth utilizing angular and linear measurements through spatially oriented spherical geometry. (6) Creation, preparation, or modification of electronic or computerized data, including land information systems and geographical information systems, relative to the performance of the activities identified in subparagraphs (1) through (5). b. This subsection does not prohibit a professional engineer from practicing any aspect of the practice of engineering. A land surveyor is not prohibited from performing engineering surveys as defined in the practice of engineering. c. A person is construed to be engaged in or offering to be engaged in the practice of land surveying if the person does any of the following: (1) Engages in land surveying. (2) Makes a representation by verbal claim, sign, advertisement, letterhead, card, or other manner that the person is a land surveyor. (3) Uses any title which implies that the person is a land surveyor or that the person is licensed under this chapter. (4) Holds the person’s self out as able to perform, or who does perform, any service or work included in the practice of land surveying. 11. “Professional engineer” means a person, who, by reason of the person’s knowledge of mathematics, the physical sciences, and the principles of engineering, acquired by professional education or practical experience, is qualified to engage in the practice of engineering. Unless the context otherwise requires, any reference in this chapter to “engineer” or “engineering” means “professional engineer” or “professional engineering”. [C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §1855; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §114.2] 84 Acts, ch 1104, §2 C93, §542B.2 94 Acts, ch 1107, §13; 95 Acts, ch 65, §2, 3; 98 Acts, ch 1037, §1; 2012 Acts, ch 1009, §11; 2012 Acts, ch 1023, §140 Referred to in §459.102

The law belongs to the people. Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 590 U.S. (2020)