Section 13 AAC 50.035 - Permit required(a) A company designing, installing, testing, or maintaining fire alarm signaling systems or automatic fire suppression systems must employ sufficient personnel who hold valid permits in the appropriate classifications under this section to provide direct oversight and supervision of work being performed on the fire systems. A professional mechanical or electrical engineer registered under AS 08.48, who has relevant system design experience, and the company that employs that engineer are exempt from the permit requirements of this section for system design. A plumber holding a certificate of fitness under AS 18.62 and certified by the manufacturer of the system may perform multi-purpose residential suppression system installations conforming to NFPA 13D (2019 edition) or IRC P2904. Notwithstanding the requirements of this subsection, (1) owner maintenance may be performed without a permit; and (2) fire alarm systems may be installed under the direction of an electrical administrator licensed under AS 08.40 without a permit required by this section if the final acceptance test and certification of the system is conducted by a qualified person who holds a valid permit under this section. (b) A company that engages in the design, installation, or maintenance of a system shall record its work by annotating plans, test certificates, inspection reports, and system inspection tags with the permit holder's permit number, or professional engineer's registration number or seal. (c) A permit issued under this section expires three years from the date of issuance. The authority of a permit holder to design, install, or maintain a system under a permit ceases immediately upon expiration of the permit. A permit may be renewed upon application to the division of fire and life safety on forms provided by the division and a minimum of 15 documented credit unit hours of continuing education over the course of the permit being renewed. Continuing education credit units are based on an hour-for-hour formal training conducted within the permit type being renewed. However, instead of 15 documented continuing education units for renewal, an applicant for a state Class IB-Special permit described in (f)(3) of this section must provide a current electrician journeyman license for this state and a certificate of fitness under AS 18.62. (d) A company must employ at least one permit holder who holds a permit in the classifications specified in (e) of this section that cover the work the company wishes to perform. A company may only perform work within the scope of the permits held by its employees, except that system design drawings may be prepared for that company by another company or individual who has the necessary permits. If a permit holder terminates employment with the company, the company shall immediately stop all activities within the scope of work authorized by the permits held by that individual except that a company may complete work designed by a permit holder following the permit holder's termination of employment with the company if the design plans for that work have been prepared and approved under 13 AAC 50.027 before the date of termination. (e) A permit holder may, within the scope of the permit holder's permit classification as defined in (f) of this section, perform or supervise the preparation of technical drawings, and the installation, inspection, or maintenance of fire alarm signaling systems, fire suppression systems, or any part of a system. (f) The state fire marshal will issue permits under this section according to the following classifications: (1) Class IA: limited to the maintenance and testing of fire alarm signaling systems and related devices; (2) Class IB: limited to the installation, maintenance, and testing of fire alarm signaling systems and related devices; (3) Class IB-Special: limited to the installation of fire alarm signaling systems and related devices;(4) Class IC: limited to the design, installation, maintenance, and testing of fire alarm signaling systems and related devices; (5) Class IC-DO: limited to the design of fire alarm signaling systems and related devices; (6) Class IIA: limited to the maintenance and testing of fire sprinkler and standpipe systems beginning at the point the water supply is used exclusively for the fire suppression system; (7) Class IIB: limited to the installation, maintenance, and testing of water fire sprinkler and standpipe systems beginning at the point the water supply is used exclusively for the fire suppression system; (8) Class IIC: limited to the design, installation, maintenance, and testing of water fire sprinkler and standpipe systems beginning at the point the water supply is used exclusively for the fire suppression system; (9) Class IIC-DO: limited to the design of water fire sprinkler and standpipe systems beginning at the point the water supply is used exclusively for the fire suppression system; (10) Class IIIA: limited to the maintenance and testing of special hazard systems;(11) Class IIIB: limited to the installation, maintenance, and testing of special hazard systems; (12) Class IIIC: limited to the design, installation, maintenance, and testing of special hazard systems; (13) Class IIIC-DO: limited to the design of special hazard systems; (14) Class IV: limited to the installation, maintenance, and testing of preengineered dry and wet chemical fire suppression systems for restaurant and commercial hoods, ducts and associated cooking appliances. (g) To qualify for a permit under this section, an applicant (1) shall submit an application to the state fire marshal on a form provided by the division of fire and life safety; the permit will be issued within 10 working days from the date of submittal of a complete packet; a complete packet consists of the division of fire and life safety application form and supporting documents; the applicant will be notified by electronic mail and telephone before 10 working days if more information is required; (2) must be 18 years of age or older; and (3) at the time of application, must meet the following minimum requirements for the class of permit for which the applicant has applied: (A) Class IA: have (i) not less than two years cumulative experience in the fire alarm signaling system business; and (ii) passed the examination for NICET II certification elements in fire alarm systems or the equivalent; (B) Class IB: (i) have not less than two years cumulative experience in the fire alarm signaling systems business; (ii) be employed in a position of supervisory responsibility for the installation, maintenance, and testing of fire alarm signaling systems; and (iii) have passed the examination for NICET II certification elements in fire alarm systems or the equivalent; (C) Class IB-Special: (i) have completed an approved electrical apprentice program; (ii) be a current journeyman electrician in this state under AS 18.60.580 and AS 18.62; and (iii) not hold a position of supervisory responsibility; (D) Class IC: (i) have not less than five years cumulative experience in the fire alarm signaling systems business; (ii) be employed in a position of supervisory responsibility for the preparation of technical documents and the installation, maintenance, and testing of fire alarm signaling systems; and (iii) have passed the examination for NICET III certification elements in fire alarm systems or the equivalent; (E) Class IC-DO: (i) have not less than five years cumulative experience in the design of fire alarm signaling systems business; (ii) be employed in a position of supervisory responsibility for the design of fire signaling systems; and (iii) have passed the examination for NICET III certification elements in fire alarm systems or the equivalent; (F) Class IIA: (i) have not less than two years cumulative experience in the water-based fire suppression system business; and (ii) have passed the examination for NICET II certification elements in automatic sprinkler systems or the equivalent; (G) Class IIB: (i) have not less than two years cumulative experience in the water-based fire suppression system business; (ii) be employed in a position of supervisory responsibility for the installation, maintenance, and testing of water-based fire suppression systems; and (iii) have passed the examination for NICET II certification elements in inspection and testing of water based systems or the equivalent; (H) Class IIC: (i) have not less than five years cumulative experience in the water-based fire suppression system business; (ii) be employed in a position of supervisory responsibility for the preparation of technical documents and the maintenance and testing of waterbased fire suppression systems; and (iii) have passed the examination for NICET III certification elements in automatic sprinkler systems or the equivalent; (I) Class IIC-DO: (i) have not less than five years cumulative experience in the design of water-based fire suppression system business; (ii) be employed in a position of supervisory responsibility for the design of sprinkler systems; and (iii) have passed the examination for NICET III certification elements in automatic sprinkler systems layout or the equivalent;(J) Class IIIA: (i) have not less than two years cumulative experience in the special hazard systems business; and (ii) have passed the examination for NICET II certification elements in special hazard systems or the equivalent; (K) Class IIIB: (i) have not less than two years cumulative experience in the special hazard systems business;(ii) be employed in a position of supervisory responsibility for the installation, maintenance, and testing of special hazard systems; and (iii) have passed the examination for NICET II certification elements in special hazard systems or the equivalent; (L) Class IIIC: (i) have not less than five years cumulative experience in the special hazard systems business; (ii) be employed in a position of supervisory responsibility for the preparation of technical documents and the maintenance and testing of special hazard systems; and (iii) have passed the examination for NICET III certification elements in special hazard systems or the equivalent; (M) Class IIIC-DO: (i) have not less than five years cumulative experience in the design of special hazard system business; (ii) be employed in a position of supervisory responsibility for the design of special hazard systems; and (iii) have passed the examination for NICET III certification elements in special hazard systems layout or the equivalent; (N) Class IV: (i) have not less than two years cumulative experience in the kitchen fire suppression system maintenance business; (ii) have passed the examination for NICET II or the equivalent, or the International Code Council/National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors FK Pre-engineered Kitchen Fire Extinguishing System Technician Certification test; (iii) possess at least one manufacturers training certificate; and (iv) possess the specific system manuals for the systems to be serviced. (h) If a company or individual is involved in the installation, maintenance, or design of a fire suppression system or fire alarm signaling system and does not possess a required permit, the state fire marshal may order work stopped by service of an order in writing in accordance with 13 AAC 50.070. (i) The state fire marshal or fire systems permit program manager will provide written notice to a permit holder at least 10 days before an action to revoke or suspend a permit. The fire marshal or fire systems permit program manager may revoke or suspend a permit (1) if a permit holder has materially misrepresented that individual's qualifications in obtaining or renewing the permit or is subject to revocation under 13 AAC 55.100(c); (2) if a permit holder is found, after an administrative investigation, to be negligent, incompetent, or to have committed substantial misconduct in the preparation of technical drawings, or the installation or maintenance of a system; (3) based upon documented and repeated violations of 13 AAC 50-13 AAC 55 by a permit holder; or (4) for other good cause found by the state fire marshal or fire extinguisher permit program manager. (j) An order of suspension must state the length of the suspension. The period of suspension may not be less than 30 days and may not exceed one year from the date of the order; (k) An order of revocation must state the length of the revocation. The period of revocation may not be less than one year and may not exceed two years from the date of the order. (l) If the state fire marshal or the fire systems permit program manager issues an order of suspension or revocation, the permit holder may, within seven days after receiving the order, file a written appeal to the state fire marshal. Within 10 days after receiving the appeal, the state fire marshal will review the order and issue a written decision. The appeal must be postmarked within seven days following the date of receipt of the order. The order must be complied with within the time specified in the order unless the state fire marshal revokes the order. The state fire marshal's decision on an appeal under this subsection is a final order of the department for purposes of AS 18.70.100. (m) In this section, (1) "company" means any individual, partnership, firm, group, organization, corporation, or any other entity that performs or represents itself as qualified to perform any of the following functions related to a fire alarm signaling system or fire suppression system, or any portion of a system: (A) preparation of technical design, specification development, consultation, evaluation, and project management as it relates to the permit; (B) installation, either in whole or in part; (2) "design" means the preparation of detailed drawings of fire alarm detection, signaling, or fire suppression systems and the calculations and specifications for those systems completed in accordance with the requirements of 13 AAC 50-13 AAC 55, including the direction or performance of fire protection system surveys, consultation, investigation, evaluation, preparation of technical design documents, specification development, project management, planning, observation of construction, and the organizational and economic aspects of these activities as it relates to the permit; (3) "direct oversight and supervision" means that a company must have sufficient personnel on site with appropriate permits to inspect and certify that work being performed on systems is in compliance with applicable laws, product listings, and manufacturer's installation instructions for each phase of installation and at the functional checkout and commissioning of the system; (4) "equivalent" means relevant formally approved experience and training in the design, installation, or maintenance of fire protection systems; whether that experience and training is substantially equivalent or more is (A) determined by the state fire marshal; and (B) achieved primarily through (i) union apprenticeship recognized by the division of fire and life safety;(ii) a college or industry trade programs; or (iii) appropriate professional engineer attainment; (5) "fire alarm signaling system" means any signaling system that is either automatically or manually activated to notify persons on or off the property of a fire condition; (6) "fire suppression system" means a system that is either automatic or manual and designed to protect a process, building, or structure from fire; "fire suppression system" includes piping, fire mains, standpipes, and thermal systems connected to the system; (7) "installation" means the initial placement of equipment or the extension, modification, or alteration of a system after the initial placement; (8) "maintenance" means to repair, service, or replace a system or a system component when, for any reason, it becomes undependable or inoperative; "maintenance" includes periodically recurrent inspections and tests required to keep a system and its component parts in an operative condition at all times;(9) "NICET" means the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies; (10) "owner maintenance" means basic maintenance performed by an owner or the owner's representative who is capable of performing maintenance in accordance with the law and nationally recognized standards of good practice; owner maintenance includes the following nontechnical repairs: (A) replacing sprinkler heads; (C) replacing damaged or missing pipe hangers; (E) replacing indicator lamps; (F) tightening electrical connections; (G) replacing damaged or inoperative detection or audible devices; or (H) monthly fire extinguisher inspections as required by the United States Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or NFPA 10; (11) "permit" means the document issued under this section by the state fire marshal to an individual as verification of that individual's qualifications to design, install, and maintain fire protection systems in accordance with this section; (12) "permit holder" means an individual who has been issued a permit under this section by the state fire marshal; (13) "special hazard system" means a system that uses gases, chemicals, or foam as the fire suppression agent and includes Halon systems, CO2 systems, wet chemical systems, dry chemical systems, aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) systems, and protein foam systems; (14) "system" means a fire alarm signaling system or fire suppression system; (15) "water-based fire suppression system" means a system that uses water as the suppression agent; "water-based fire suppression system" includes automatic fire sprinkler systems and standpipe systems and water mist systems.Eff. 6/10/93, Register 126; am 8/31/96, Register 139; am 9/13/2007, Register 183; am 11/16/2012, Register 204; am 5/19/2017, Register 222, July 2017; am 10/28/2022, Register 244, January 2023Copies of NICET publications are available from the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies, 1420 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314.
Authority:AS 18.70.010
AS 18.70.080
AS 18.70.090