An Act To Regulate Fire Alarm Contractors
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 1172
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Sponsors: NASS

Legislative Document 
No. 1172 
S.P.420 
March 7, 2007 
An Act To Regulate Fire Alarm Contractors 
Reference to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Senator NASS of York. 
Printed on recycled paper 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec.!. 32 MRSA c. 20-A is enacted to read: 
CHAPTER 20-A 
FIRE ALARM CONTRACTORS 
§1391. Definitions 
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms 
have the following meanings. 
1. 
Certificate. 
"Certificate" means the document issued by the Underwriters' 
Laboratories, Inc., or other nationally recognized testing company approved by the 
commissioner, that provides 3rd-party verification and certifies by test and inspection the 
qualifications and installations of a person or company indicating that the company or 
person is qualified to perform the planning, installation or inspection of a fire alarm 
system or any part of such a system. 
2. Commissioner. "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Public Safety. 
3. Department. "Department" means the Department of Public Safety. 
4. Fire alarm system. "Fire alarm system" means an assembly of wiring or devices 
that provides protection from exposure to fire or the products of combustion, planned in 
accordance with a national or state standard. 
5. Fire alarm system contractor; contractor. "Fire alarm system contractor" or 
"contractor" means a company or person certified by the Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc. 
or other approved nationally recognized testing company, licensed by the commissioner 
as qualified to meet the standards provided by law, rule and regulation to undertake the 
planning, installation or inspection of a fire alarm system or any part of such a system. 
6. Inspect. "Inspect" means to visually examine or test a fire alarm system or a 
portion of a system to verify that it appears to be in working order and free from physical 
damage. 
7. 
Inspection sticker. "Inspection sticker" means the document issued by the 
commissioner to verify that a fire alarm system has been inspected. 
8. Installation. "Installation" means the initial placement of the alarm system or part 
of a system or the extension, modification or alteration of a system or part after the initial 
placement. 
9. 
License. 
"License" means the document issued by the commISSIOner to a 
contractor authorizing the contractor to engage in the fire alarm system business in this 
State. 
10. Plan. "Plan" means a shop drawing or erection plan of a fire alarm system or a 
part of a system. 
11. Plan nine;. "Planning" means drawing or creating plans. 
§1392. Applicability 
1. 
State requirements. 
The following documentation is required for persons 
involved in the installation of fire alarm systems. 
A. A person who undertakes the planning or installation of a fire alarm system or any 
part of a system in this State must be licensed as a fire alarm system contractor. A 
person may not be identified as a fire alarm system contractor or by any similar term 
unless licensed by the State. 
B. A company or person who undertakes the review, approval and signing required 
for plans prior to submission to the department must be licensed by the 
commissioner. 
C. A person who inspects a commercial fire alarm system must be employed by a 
licensed fire alarm contractor. 
An agent of municipal government or State 
Government or licensed insurer who inspects a fire alarm system in performing that 
person's duties for that government or insurer must be registered by the 
commissioner. 
2. Postine of licenses and certificates. Each license and certificate issued under 
this chapter must be posted in a conspicuous place in the place of business of the person 
to whom it is issued. A license or certificate is not transferable. 
3. Municipal licenses. A municipality may not require fire alarm system contractors 
to be municipally licensed nor may any municipality issue a permit for a commercial fire 
alarm system unless the municipality is satisfied that the person applying for the permit 
complies with this chapter. 
4. Inspection sticker. The commissioner shall issue an inspection sticker to any 
person who submits a current Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc. certificate indicating that a 
fire alarm system is in proper operating condition. 
Inspection stickers are issued 
annually, are not transferable and must be affixed to the fire alarm system panel. 
§1393. Fees 
The commissioner shall set fees for licensure and inspection stickers. The fees must 
be no more than sufficient to cover the costs of implementing this chapter. 
All fees received by the department must be paid to the Treasurer of State and must 
be used for carrying out this chapter. Any balance of these fees does not lapse but is 
carried forward as a continuing account to be expended for the same purposes in the 
following fiscal years. 
§1394. Termination of agreement 
Within 10 days after tenninating a contractual agreement with a nationally 
recognized testing company, a licensed fire alann system contractor, the company or the 
person that was party to the tenninated agreement and is subject to this chapter shall 
notifY the commissioner of that fact. 
§1395. Plan review 
Prior to construction of any commercial fire alann system or an addition involving 
more than 20 new devices to a fire alann system regulated by the National Fire Protection 
Association, Pamphlet No. 72, as amended, a fire alann system contractor must obtain a 
pennit from the commissioner, who shall review the plan for construction or addition and 
charge a reasonable fee for the review and pennitting process. All plans to be submitted 
by a fire alann system contractor to the department must be reviewed, approved and 
signed by the fire alann system contractor. 
All plans for construction of or alteration to fire alarm systems must prominently 
display the fire alann system contractor's license number, as well as the certification 
number and the name and address of the person to install the fire alarm system. Each 
pennit issued must be displayed prominently at the site of construction. Within 30 days 
of the completion of a new fire alann system or an addition to an existing fire alann 
system, a fire alann system contractor shall provide to the commissioner a copy of the 
Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc. certificate representing that the fire alann system has 
been installed according to specifications of the approved plan to the best of the fire 
alann system contractor's knowledge, infonnation and belief. 
§1396. Employees 
The commissioner may appoint, subject to the Civil Service Law, employees 
necessary to carry out this chapter. Any person so employed is under the administrative 
and supervisory direction of the commissioner. 
§1397. Violations 
The commissioner shall investigate or cause to be investigated all complaints made to 
the commissioner and all cases of noncompliance with or violation of this chapter. The 
commissioner may suspend or revoke a license, certification or registration pursuant to 
Title 5, section 10004. 
The commissioner may refuse to issue or renew a license, 
certification or registration or the District Court may suspend, revoke or refuse to renew 
the license, certification or registration of a person who is found guilty of: 
1. Fraud or deceit. The practice of any fraud or deceit in obtaining a license, 
certification or registration under this chapter; 
2. Negligence, incompetency or misconduct. Any negligence, incompetency or 
misconduct in the planning, installation or inspection of a fire alann system. Continued 
failure to confonn to standards or rules adopted by the department is prima facie evidence 
of negligence or incompetency; 
3. Violation of law. Any violation of this chapter or any rule adopted by the 
department; or 
4. Conviction of crime. Subject to the limitations of Title 5, chapter 341, a crime 
that involves dishonesty or a false statement or that relates directly to the practice of fire 
alarm system planning, installation or inspection or any crime for which incarceration for 
one year or more may be imposed. 
The commissioner, for reasons the commissioner determines sufficient, may reissue a 
license, certification or registration under this chapter to any person whose license, 
certification or registration has been revoked. 
§1398. Penalties; injunction 
1. Penalties. A person who plans, installs or inspects a fire alarm system or any part 
of a system without obtaining the required license, certification or registration, or after 
the license, certification or registration has expired or has been suspended or revoked or 
temporarily suspended or revoked or who installs or alters a system without obtaining a 
permit as required by this chapter commits a Class E crime. 
2. Injunction. The State may bring an action in Superior Court to enjoin any person 
from violating this chapter, regardless of whether proceedings have been or may be 
instituted in District Court or whether criminal proceedings have been or may be 
instituted. 
§1399. Rules 
The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary for the implementation of this chapter. 
Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules pursuant to Title 5, 
chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires that fire alarm system contractors in the State be licensed by the 
Commissioner of Public Safety.