OAR 918-098-1100: 2016 Certification Transition

(1) Notwithstanding OAR 918-098-1025, the division may issue an equivalent Oregon Code Certification to a person with a valid Oregon Inspector Certification, a valid appropriate International Code Council Certification, or an appropriate nationally recognized certification or license, issued prior to April 1, 2016, for: (a) Commercial Building Inspector; (b) Commercial Building Plans Examiner; (c) Commercial Fire Plans Examiner; (d) Commercial Mechanical Inspector; (e) Residential Building Inspector; (f) Residential Mechanical Inspector; (g) Residential Plans Examiner; and (h) Any other International Code Council or other nationally recognized certification the division determines is equivalent to an Oregon Code Certification. (2) Notwithstanding OAR 918-098-1025, the division may issue an Oregon Building Official certification to a person with a valid Oregon Inspector Certification issued prior to April 1, 2016; and (a) Successfully passed an International Code Council Building Official Legal/Management examination prior to April 1, 2016; or (b) Obtained a valid International Code Council Certified Building Official certification prior to April 1, 2016. (3) The division may deny the issuance of an equivalent Oregon certification under (1) and (2) of this rule if: (a) A final order, including a consent order or default order, has been issued against the person pursuant to ORS chapter 455; (b) The person is unable to produce evidence of a valid nationally recognized certification or successful passage of an International Code Council Building Official Legal/Management examination; (c) The person has not completed all required continuing education for the certification pursuant to section (4) of this rule; or (d) In addition to any other authority, the division finds the person is not entitled to possess the equivalent Oregon certification because of any prejudicial or unlawful action, including but not limited to, demonstrated lack of code knowledge, failing to properly administer the code, and not acting in the public interest. (4) For the period between November 1, 2013 and November 1, 2016, code change continuing education is required for a person who received a certification before the effective date of a new applicable Oregon code for the certification. If the applicable Oregon code for the certification has not changed since the person received the certification, or if the division determined code change continuing education was not necessary for the applicable code, no code change continuing education is required. (5) If a certification holder fails to complete required continuing education for a given certification by the deadline for renewal of their Oregon Inspector Certification, the certification for which they did not complete continuing education will be denied and the person may not re-apply for the certification pursuant to OAR 918-098-1025 for the three-year period covered by the Oregon Inspector Certification. Instead, to obtain the certification, the person must reapply and successfully pass an examination administered by the division. (6) Applicants who fail the examination under section (5) of this rule may reapply and retest for a fee of $80. (7) Persons who have not obtained the appropriate Oregon certification by November 1, 2016 may not perform duties as a building official or perform inspections or plan reviews for which an Oregon Code Certification is required.