28 Tex. Admin. Code § 34.613

Current through Reg. 49, No. 24; June 14, 2024
Section 34.613 - Applications
(a) Approvals and certificates of registration.
(1) Applications for approvals, certificates, and branch office certificates must be submitted on the forms adopted by reference in § 34.630 of this title (relating to Application and Renewal Forms) and be accompanied by all fees, documents, and information required by Insurance Code Chapter 6002, concerning Fire Detection and Alarm Device Installation, and this subchapter. An application will not be deemed complete until all required forms, fees, and documents have been received in the State Fire Marshal's Office.
(2) Applications must be signed by the sole proprietor, or by each partner of a partnership, or by an officer of a corporation. For applicants using an assumed name, the application must also be accompanied by evidence of compliance with the Assumed Business or Professional Name Act, Texas Business and Commerce Code Chapter 71. The application must also include written authorization by the applicant permitting the state fire marshal or the state fire marshal's representative to enter, examine, and inspect any premises, building, room, or establishment used by the applicant while engaged in the business to determine compliance with the provisions of Insurance Code Chapter 6002 and this subchapter.
(3) For corporations, the application must also include the name of each shareholder owning more than 25% of the shares issued by the corporation; the corporate taxpayer identification number; the charter number; a copy of the corporate charter of a Texas corporation or, in the case of a foreign corporation, a copy of the Texas certificate of authority to do business; and a copy of the corporation's current franchise tax certificate from the State Comptroller's Office showing it is in active status.
(4) A registered firm must employ at least one full-time licensed individual at each location of a main or branch office.
(5) Insurance is required as follows:
(A) The state fire marshal will not issue a certificate of registration under this subchapter unless the applicant files with the State Fire Marshal's Office evidence of an acceptable general liability insurance policy.
(B) Each registered firm must maintain in force and on file in the State Fire Marshal's Office a certificate of insurance identifying the insured and the exact nature of the business insured. In identifying the named insured, the certificate of insurance must include either an assumed name or the name of the corporation; partners, if any; or sole proprietor, if applicable.
(6) A firm billing a customer for monitoring is engaged in the business of monitoring and must comply with the insurance requirements of this subchapter for a monitoring firm.
(7) Applicants for a certificate of registration who engage in monitoring must provide the specific business locations where monitoring will take place and the name and license number of the fire alarm licensees at each business location. A fire alarm licensee may not serve in this capacity for a registered firm other than the firm applying for a certificate of registration. In addition, the applicants must provide evidence of listing or certification as a central station by a testing laboratory approved by the commissioner and a statement that the monitoring service complies with NFPA 72, as adopted in § 34.607 of this title (relating to Adopted Standards).
(8) Applicants for a certificate of registration--single station must provide a statement, signed by the sole proprietor, a partner of a partnership, or by an officer of the corporation, indicating that the firm exclusively engages in the business of planning, certifying, leasing, selling, servicing, installing, monitoring, or maintaining single station devices.
(b) Fire alarm licenses.
(1) To be complete, applications for a license from an employee or agent of a registered firm must be submitted on forms provided by the state fire marshal and be accompanied by all fees, documents, a criminal history report from the Texas Department of Public Safety, and information required by Insurance Code Chapter 6002 and this subchapter. Applications must be signed by the applicant and by a person authorized to sign on behalf of the registered firm. All applicants for any type of license must successfully complete a qualifying test as required in Insurance Code Chapter 6002 and this subchapter as designated by the State Fire Marshal's Office. The qualifying test, given as part of the training for residential fire alarm technician license, must include questions regarding Insurance Code Chapter 6002 and this subchapter. For a natural person to be eligible for any fire alarm license, the natural person must start the application or registration process by submitting a formal request for a fingerprint service code by completing the fingerprinting process information required on the department's website at www.tdi.texas.gov/fire/fingerprinting-process.html. The requesting natural person must submit information necessary to complete the fingerprint service code request, including the natural person's name, natural person's state of residence, natural person's email address, and license type the natural person is applying for.
(2) Applicants for fire alarm technician licenses must:
(A) furnish notification from the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) or the Electronic Security Association (ESA), confirming the applicant's successful completion of the test requirements in work elements pertaining to fire alarm systems, as determined by the state fire marshal; or
(B) successfully complete a technical qualifying test as designated by the State Fire Marshal's Office.
(3) Applicants for a fire alarm monitoring technician license must successfully complete a technical qualifying test as designated by the State Fire Marshal's Office, or provide evidence of current registration in Texas as a registered engineer.
(4) Applicants for a residential fire alarm superintendent (single station) license must successfully complete a technical qualifying test as designated by the State Fire Marshal's Office.
(5) Applicants for a residential fire alarm superintendent license must:
(A) furnish notification from NICET or ESA confirming the applicant's successful completion of the test requirements in work elements pertaining to fire alarm systems, as determined by the state fire marshal; or
(B) successfully complete a technical qualifying test as designated by the State Fire Marshal's Office.
(6) Applications for a fire alarm planning superintendent license must be accompanied by one of the following documents as evidence of technical qualifications for a license:
(A) proof of registration in Texas as a professional engineer; or
(B) a copy of NICET's or ESA's notification letter confirming the applicant's successful completion of the test requirements for NICET or ESA certification at Level III for fire alarm systems.
(7) An applicant for a residential fire alarm technician license must provide evidence of the applicant's successful completion of the required residential fire alarm technician training course from a training school approved by the State Fire Marshal's Office.
(c) Instructor and training school approvals.
(1) Instructor approvals. An applicant for approval as an instructor must:
(A) hold a current fire alarm planning superintendent license, residential fire alarm superintendent license, or fire alarm technician license issued by the State Fire Marshal's Office;
(B) submit a completed Instructor Approval Application, Form No. SF247, signed by the applicant, that is accompanied by all fees; and
(C) furnish written documentation of a minimum of three years of experience in fire alarm installation, service, or monitoring of fire alarm systems unless the applicant has held a fire alarm planning superintendent license, residential fire alarm superintendent license, or fire alarm technician license for three or more years.
(2) Training school approvals.
(A) An applicant for approval of a training school must submit a completed Training School Approval Application, Form No. SF 246, to the State Fire Marshal's Office. To be complete, the application must be:
(i) signed by the applicant, the sole proprietor, by each partner of a partnership, or by an officer of a corporation or organization as applicable;
(ii) accompanied by a detailed outline of the proposed subjects to be taught at the training school and the number and location of all training courses to be held within one year following approval of the application; and
(iii) accompanied by all required fees.
(B) After review of the application for approval for a training school, the state fire marshal will approve or deny the application within 60 days following receipt of the materials. A letter of denial will state the specific reasons for the denial. An applicant that is denied approval may reapply at any time by submitting a completed application that includes the changes necessary to address the specific reasons for denial.
(d) Renewal applications.
(1) In order to be complete, renewal applications for certificates, licenses, instructor approvals, and training school approvals must be submitted on the forms adopted by reference in § 34.630 of this title and be accompanied by all fees, documents, a criminal history report from the Texas Department of Public Safety, and information required by Insurance Code Chapter 6002 and this subchapter. A complete renewal application deposited with the United States Postal Service is deemed to be timely filed, regardless of actual date of delivery, when its envelope bears a postmark date that is before the expiration of the certificate or license being renewed.
(2) A licensee with an unexpired license who is not employed by a registered firm at the time of the licensee's renewal may renew that license, but the licensee may not engage in any activity for which the license was granted until the licensee is employed and qualified by a registered firm.
(e) Complete applications. The application form for a license, registration, instructor approval, and training school approval must be accompanied by the required fee and must, within 180 days of receipt by the State Fire Marshal's Office of the initial application, be complete and accompanied by all other information required by Insurance Code Chapter 6002 and this subchapter, or a new application must be submitted including all applicable fees.

28 Tex. Admin. Code § 34.613

The provisions of this §34.613 adopted to be effective February 27, 1995, 20 TexReg 1021; amended to be effective November 27, 1995, 20 TexReg 9449; amended to be effective August 26, 1996, 21 TexReg 7663; amended to be effective December 4, 1996, 21 TexReg 11521; transferred effective September 1, 1997, as published in the Texas Register November 14, 1997, 22 TexReg 11091; amended to be effective July 14, 1999, 24 TexReg 5212; amended to be effective June 3, 2004, 29 TexReg 5402; amended to be effective April 1, 2006, 31 TexReg 1711; amended to be effective July 5, 2011, 36 TexReg 4111; amended to be effective February 14, 2013, 38 TexReg 662; amended to be effective July 29, 2014,39 TexReg 5761; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 41, Number 29, July 15, 2016, TexReg 5189, eff. 7/19/2016; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 44, Number 34, August 23, 2019, TexReg 4484, eff. 8/29/2019; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 48, Number 14, April 7, 2023, TexReg 1841, eff. 4/16/2023