Code of Maine Rules › 16 - DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY › 219 - OFFICE OF STATE FIRE MARSHAL › Chapter 52 - CERTIFICATION STANDARDS FOR MUNICIPAL CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND THIRD-PARTY INSPECTORS › Section 219-52-5 - Recertification Standards And Procedures

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
Except as provided in section 10, all code enforcement
				  officers shall be recertified in each specific area and in legal issues and
				  enforcement techniques within six (6) years of obtaining any
				  certification.
1.
Recertification Standards
A. A
				code enforcement officer may become recertified by examination as described in
				section 4.
B. An examination is
				not required for recertification. A candidate who chooses not to become
				recertified through examination shall demonstrate, through recertification
				training or training activity, that the candidate has remained current in the
				candidate's specific areas of job responsibility.
1. To become recertified by completing
				training activity, a code enforcement officer shall demonstrate successful
				completion of twelve (12) contact hours of recertification training or training
				activity for each specific area of job responsibility and twelve (12) contact
				hours for legal issues and enforcement techniques every six (6) years. This
				paragraph does not apply to building standards recertification standards which
				are set forth in the paragraph below.
2. For recertification, a code enforcement
				officer shall demonstrate successful completion of recertification training or
				recertification training activity for each applicable code in the building
				standards specific area every six (6) years. The following number of contact
				hours is required for each applicable code:
a.
residential building code
9 contact hours
b.
commercial building code
15 contact hours
c.
residential energy code
9 contact hours
d.
commercial energy code
9 contact hours
e.
residential radon code
3 contact hours
f.
indoor residential ventilation code
2 contact hours
g.
indoor commercial ventilation code
3 contact hours
3.
Recertification Training Contact Hours
Recertification training contact hours may be gained through
				  either basic training provided by the Office or training provided by another
				  organization. Recertification training contact hours must be applicable as
				  determined by the Office.
4.
Alternative Recertification Contact Hours
A code enforcement officer may apply for up to six (6)
				  alternative recertification contact hours using the Office's application form.
				  Alternative recertification contact hours must be directly related to a
				  specific area of code enforcement, as determined by the Office. The Office
				  applies the training activity contact hours to the most closely-related
				  specific area of certification. Applicable training activity may consist
				  of:
a.
Work Experience
(1) A code enforcement officer may apply work
				experience in municipal codes administration to that officer's recertification.
				Work experience may be applied based on the following years of full-time
				service:
(a) five (5) to nine (9) years = 2
				contact hours
(b) ten (10) to
				fourteen (14) years = 4 contact hours
(c) fifteen (15) or more years = 6 contact
				hours
(2) If a code
				enforcement officer has part-time work experience in municipal codes
				administration, the Office converts any part-time employment period into its
				full-time equivalency.
b.
Post-secondary Education
A code enforcement officer may apply post-secondary education
				  towards that officer's recertification. Education must be directly related to a
				  specific area of certification and must be applied based on the following types
				  of academic learning:
(1) Completed
				bachelor's degree = three (3) contact hours
(2) Completed associate's degree = two (2)
				contact hours
(3) Completed
				two-year vocational program = two (2) contact hours
(4) Completed certificate program = one (1)
				contact hour
(5) Completed
				apprenticeship or internship = one (1) contact hour
(6) Post-secondary courses credited towards a
				new degree during the six-year certification cycle = one (1) contact hour per
				credit
c.
Professional License or Certification
(1) A code enforcement officer who holds an
				applicable professional license in the state of Maine or a state or national
				professional certification may apply two (2) contact hours per specific area in
				each six-year recertification cycle towards that officer's
				recertification.
(2) The building
				standard recertification requirements in this section may be waived if the code
				enforcement officer holds a valid certification from a nationally recognized,
				building or energy code-related, professional certification program. The Office
				determines whether the certification is applicable and applies the waiver to
				the most closely related building standards code.
d.
Professional Activity
(1) A code enforcement officer may apply
				documented time spent in a professional activity towards the officer's
				recertification. One contact hour may be applied for each hour of actual time
				spent in a professional activity during the current six-year certification
				period. A maximum of six (6) contact hours may be applied towards
				recertification in each specific area in a six-year certification
				cycle.
(2) For purposes of legal
				issues and enforcement techniques recertification, professional activity may
				mean documented work experience using Rule 80K procedures such as filing court
				documents, preparing for court or appearing in court. The same contact hours
				may not be used for both legal issues and enforcement techniques
				recertification and Rule 80K recertification in section 6.