37-68-305. Journeyman and residential electricians -- application -- qualifications -- contents of examination. - Montana Statutes

     37-68-305. Journeyman and residential electricians -- application -- qualifications -- contents of examination. (1) An applicant for a journeyman electrician's license shall furnish written evidence of at least one of the following:
     (a) completion of an approved apprenticeship program in the electrical trade;
     (b) completion of an appropriate training program conducted by a bona fide union or trade association;
     (c) 8,000 hours of legally obtained practical experience in the wiring for, installing, and repairing of electrical apparatus and equipment for light, heat, and power; or
     (d) work in the electrical maintenance field for at least 20,000 hours, accompanied by written certification by the applicant's employer that the employer considers the applicant qualified to take the examination for which the applicant is applying and that the applicant has attained at least 20,000 hours in the electrical maintenance field while working for the employer. A minimum of 8,000 of these hours must be practical experience.
     (2) Applications for license and notice to the applicant must be made and given in the same manner as for master electricians' licenses. The examination for a journeyman's license must consist of at least 60 questions designed to fairly test the applicant's knowledge and the applicant's technical application skills in the following subjects:
     (a) the national electric code; and
     (b) board rules and applicable laws under Title 37.
     (3) An applicant for a residential electrician's license shall furnish written evidence of at least one of the following:
     (a) completion of an approved residential electrician apprenticeship program;
     (b) 4,000 hours of legally obtained practical experience in the wiring for, installing, and repairing of electrical apparatus and equipment for light, heat, and power in residential construction consisting of less than five living units in a single structure;
     (c) completion of an appropriate training program conducted by a bona fide union or trade association; or
     (d) work in the electrical maintenance field for at least 20,000 hours, accompanied by written certification by the applicant's employer that the employer considers the applicant qualified to take the examination for which the applicant is applying and that the applicant has attained at least 20,000 hours in the electrical maintenance field while working for the employer. A minimum of 8,000 of these hours must be practical experience.
     (4) Application for license and notice to the applicant must be made and given in the same manner as for master electricians' licenses. The examination for a residential electrician's license must consist of at least 50 questions designed to fairly test the applicant's knowledge and the applicant's technical application skills in the following subjects:
     (a) the national electric code; and
     (b) board rules and applicable laws under Title 37.
     (5) (a) For the purposes of this section "electrical maintenance" means the ordinary and customary installations in a plant or onsite in addition to modifications, additions, or repairs that are limited to replacing ballasts, relamping, trouble-shooting motor controls, and replacing motors, breakers, or magnetic starters in a kind-for-kind manner. The term includes the connection of specific items of specialized equipment that can be directly connected to an existing branch circuit panel by means of factory-installed leads.
     (b) The term does not include installation of a new circuit to operate the equipment described in subsection (5)(a) or installation that requires the size of supply conductors to be increased.

     History: En. Sec. 7, Ch. 148, L. 1965; amd. Sec. 275, Ch. 350, L. 1974; R.C.M. 1947, 66-2807(2); amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 546, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 16, Ch. 196, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 112, Ch. 467, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 257, L. 2009.