DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Division of Professional Regulation

Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners

GENERAL NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

1800 Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners

The Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners, pursuant to 24 Del.C. § 1806(a)(2), proposes to amend its rules and regulations. The proposed regulation changes establish a continuing education requirement. This proposed amendment is offered in place of a previous proposal that was published in the Register at Vol. 26, Issue 9 because the new proposal is substantively different than the original submission.

These amendments were published on page 1046 of the June 1, 2023 issue of the Delaware Register of Regulations (26 DE Reg. 1046 (6/01/23)). The Board planned to hold a hearing on July 11, 2023 at 8:30 a.m., but the hearing was cancelled. As a result, the Board will now hold a public hearing on the proposed regulation change on September 12, 2023 at 8:30 a.m., in the Second Floor Conference Room B, Cannon Building, 861 Silver Lake Blvd., Dover, DE 19904 or virtually. Written comments should be sent to Nikki Pecora at the Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners, Cannon Building, 861 Silver Lake Blvd., Dover, DE 19904. Written comments will be accepted until September 27, 2023 pursuant to 29 Del.C. §10118(a).

The proposed rule changes are as follows, additions are indicated in underline and deletions are indicated in strikethrough:

5.0 Reserved

5.0 Continuing Education

5.1 Continuing education (CE) is required of all licensees and shall be completed by June 30 of any year in which a license is to be renewed starting October 31, 2024. Extra continuing education hours do not carry over to the next licensing period. Licensees will only get CE credit for their first attendance of CE courses during each licensing period. Licensees may retake a CE course in the same licensing period but will not receive additional CE credit.

5.2 Courses must be approved by the Board in order to qualify as CE. Approved courses appear on the website of the Division of Professional Regulation at https://www.dpr.delaware.gov. Licensees may also contact the Administrative Specialist of the Board at the Division of Professional Regulation to determine whether particular courses have been approved.

5.2.1 Courses shall be designed to maintain and enhance the knowledge and skills of licensees related to providing plumbing or HVACR services.

5.2.2 Sponsors or licensees can obtain Board approval of courses at any time by completing a form approved by the Board and including a course outline with the number of classroom hours showing breakdown of time allotted for each part of course content, the curriculum vitae or resume of the instructor and the appropriate fee set by the Division. The completed application will be presented for review at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting.

5.3 Licensees shall complete 5 hours of approved CE during each renewal period.

5.3.1 All licensees shall complete:

5.3.1.1 3 hours in Code changes; and

5.3.1.2 1 hour in safety;

5.3.2 Plumbing licensees shall complete 1 hour in cross connections and back flow;

5.3.3 HVACR licensees shall complete 1 hour in Energy Code.

5.3.4 Dual licensees (Plumbing and HVACR) shall complete the required hours as set forth in subsections 5.3.1 through 5.3.3.

5.3.5 Exceptions to the requirements in subsections 5.3.1 through 5.3.4 are:

5.3.5.1 A person licensed less than 1 year does not need to complete CE at the first renewal;

5.3.5.2 A person licensed 1 year but less than 2 years must submit 3 CE hours at the first renewal.

5.4 The Board may consider a waiver of CE requirements or acceptance of partial fulfillment based on the Board's review of a written request with supporting documentation of hardship.