ORS Chapter 479 — Protection of Buildings From

ORS 479.540. Exemptions; rules. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a person is not required to obtain a license to make an electrical installation on residential or farm property that is owned by the person or a member of the persons immediate family if the property is not intended for sale, exchange, lease or rent. The following apply to the exemption established in this subsection: (a) The exemption established for a person under this subsection does not exempt the work performed by the person from having to comply with the requirements for such work under ORS chapter 455 or this chapter and rules adopted thereunder. (b) If the property is a building used as a residence and is for rent, lease, sale or exchange, this subsection establishes an exemption for work on, alterations to or replacement of parts of electrical installations as necessary for maintenance of the existing electrical installations on that property, but does not exempt new electrical installations or substantial alterations to existing electrical installations on that property. As used in this paragraph, new electrical installations or substantial alterations does not include the replacement of an existing garbage disposal, dishwasher or electric hot water heater with a similar appliance of 30 amps or less, single phase, by a landlord, landlords agent or the employee of the landlord or landlords agent. (2) An electrical contractor license is not required in connection with an electrical installation: (a) Of meters and similar devices for measuring electricity by a person principally engaged in the business of generating or selling electricity in connection with the construction or maintenance of electrical lines, wires or equipment. (b) Of ignition or lighting systems for motor vehicles. (c) To be made by a person on the persons property in connection with the persons business. (d) To be made by a public utility, consumer-owned utility as defined in ORS 757.270, telecommunications carrier as defined in ORS 133.721, competitive telecommunications provider as defined in ORS 759.005 or municipality for generation, transmission or distribution of electricity on property that the utility, carrier, provider or municipality owns or manages. (3) A person whose sole business is generating or selling electricity in connection with the construction or maintenance of electrical lines, wires or equipment, is not required to obtain a license to transform, transmit or distribute electricity from its source to the service head of the premises to be supplied thereby. (4)(a) A person is not required to obtain a license for the repair or replacement of light fixtures, light switches, lighting ballast, electrical outlets or smoke alarms in a building used for housing purposes that is owned, leased, managed or operated by a housing authority and the person doing the repair or replacement is a member of the housing authoritys regular maintenance staff. (b) A license is not required for: (A) Temporary demonstrations; (B) A street lighting system located on a public street or in a right of way if the system is similar to a system provided by a public utility and the installation or maintenance, or both, is performed by a qualified employee of a licensed electrical contractor principally engaged in the business of installing and maintaining such systems; or (C) An outdoor transmission or distribution system, whether overhead or underground, if the system is similar to a system provided by a public utility and the installation or maintenance, or both, is performed by a qualified employee of a licensed electrical contractor principally engaged in the business of installing and maintaining such systems. (c) For the purposes of this subsection, qualified employee means an employee who has registered with or graduated from a State of Oregon or federally approved apprenticeship course designed for the work being performed. The supervising electrician signature required under ORS 479.560 (1)(b) does not apply to contractors working under this subsection. (5) The provisions of ORS 479.510 to 479.945 and 479.995 do not apply: (a) To electrical products owned by, supplied to or to be supplied to a public utility as defined in ORS 757.005, consumer-owned utility as defined in ORS 757.270, telecommunications carrier as defined in ORS 133.721 or competitive telecommunications provider as defined in ORS 759.005; (b) To electrical installations made by or for a public utility, consumer-owned utility, telecommunications carrier or competitive telecommunications provider if the electrical installations are an integral part of the equipment or electrical products of the utility, carrier or provider; or (c) To any electrical generation plant owned or operated by a municipality to the same extent that a utility, telecommunications carrier or competitive telecommunications provider is exempted under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection. (6) A permit is not required: (a) For the repair or replacement of light fixtures, light switches, lighting ballast, electrical outlets or smoke alarms in a building used for housing purposes that is owned, leased, managed or operated by a housing authority; or (b) For the repair, alteration or replacement of existing electrical products or electrical installations authorized by ORS 479.560 (3) at an industrial plant, a commercial office building, a building that is owned, leased, managed or operated by the state or a local government entity or other facilities designated by the Electrical and Elevator Board when the owner, operating manager or electrical contractor of the facility meets the provisions of ORS