KRS § 198B.658 Qualifications for licensure and certification.

198B.658 Qualifications for licensure and certification. (1) An applicant for a master heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contractor's license shall: (a) Be at least eighteen (18) years of age; (b) Be a citizen of the United States or be a resident alien who is authorized to do work in the United States; (c) 1. Have been regularly and principally employed or engaged in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning trades as a journeyman heating, ventilation, and air conditioning mechanic for not less than two (2) years under the direction and supervision of a master heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contractor; 2. Have been regularly and principally employed or engaged in the practice of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contracting as a master heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contractor, or equivalent thereof, for not less than two (2) years in Kentucky or in a jurisdiction other than Kentucky, as demonstrated by verifiable documentation; or 3. Have been regularly and principally licensed and employed as a mechanical engineer in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, or a jurisdiction other than Kentucky, for not less than two (2) years, as demonstrated by verifiable documentation; (d) Have passed an examination prescribed by the department to determine the applicant's competency to practice heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contracting; and (e) Have paid a fee as established in administrative regulations promulgated by the department. (2) An applicant for a journeyman heating, ventilation, and air conditioning mechanic's license shall: (a) Be at least eighteen (18) years of age; (b) Be a citizen of the United States or be a resident alien who is authorized to do work in the United States; (c) 1. Have been regularly and principally employed or engaged in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning trades for not less than two (2) years under the direction and supervision of a master heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contractor; or 2. Have been regularly and principally employed or engaged in the performance of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning work for not less than two (2) years in Kentucky or in a jurisdiction other than Kentucky, as demonstrated by verifiable documentation; (d) Have passed an examination prescribed by the department to determine the applicant's competency to install, maintain, and repair heating and cooling systems, heating and cooling service, burner service, and hydronic systems; and (e) Have paid a fee as established in administrative regulations promulgated by the department. (3) If an applicant has obtained, while exempt from licensure under 198B.674(2), (7), (8), (10), (13), or (14), work experience that the department determines to be equivalent to the requirements of subsection (1)(c) or (2)(c) of this section, that experience may be considered as equivalent to one (1) year of employment toward the licensure requirements for a master heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contractor or journeyman heating, ventilation, and air conditioning mechanic, as applicable, not to exceed one (1) year. (4) (a) The department shall issue an apprentice heating, ventilation, and air conditioning mechanic's certificate to any person who registers as an apprentice with the department. (b) The department shall establish by administrative regulation the minimum number of hours of experience required by apprentices and shall maintain an apprentice register to credit an apprentice for hours worked under the supervision of a master heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contractor and journeyman heating, ventilation, and air conditioning mechanic. Experience gained under the supervision of a Kentucky licensed master heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contractor while registered as an apprentice with the Education and Labor Cabinet, Department of Workforce Development, in cooperation with the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training shall be accepted toward the two (2) year experience requirement for a journeyman heating, ventilation, and air conditioning mechanic license. (c) The apprentice register shall include the name, address, Social Security number, employer, and dates of employment of the apprentice. (d) The apprentice shall notify the department in writing of any change in address or employer. (e) Apprentices and pre-apprentices shall not be required to pay a fee to obtain a certificate of registration or to renew a registration. (5) The satisfactory completion of one (1) academic year of a department-approved curriculum or one (1) year of professional training in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning work may be considered as equivalent to one (1) year of employment toward the licensure requirements for a journeyman heating, ventilation, and air conditioning mechanic, not to exceed one (1) year. (6) The satisfactory completion of one (1) academic year of teaching experience in a department-approved or state-approved technical education program in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning shall be considered as equivalent to one (1) year of employment, as required by subsection (1)(c) or (2)(c) of this section. No more than one (1) year of approved teaching experience may be used in meeting the requirements of subsection (1)(c) or (2)(c) of this section. Effective:July 1, 2022 History: Amended 2022 Ky. Acts ch. 236, sec. 97, effective July 1, 2022. -- Amended 2019 Ky. Acts ch. 7, sec. 1, effective June 27, 2019; and ch. 173, sec. 11, effective June 27, 2019. -- Amended 2018 Ky. Acts ch. 22, sec. 2, effective July 14, 2018. -- Amended 2017 Ky. Acts ch. 169, sec. 47, effective June 29, 2017. -- Amended 2014 Ky. Acts ch. 93, sec. 3, effective July 15, 2014. -- Amended 2010 Ky. Acts ch. 24, sec. 289, effective July 15, 2010. -- Amended 1998 Ky. Acts ch. 579, sec. 2, effective July 15, 1998. -- Amended 1996 Ky. Acts ch. 105, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1996. -- Created 1994 Ky. Acts ch. 59, sec. 5, effective July 15, 1994. Legislative Research Commission Note (7/15/2014). In codification, the Reviser of Statutes has altered the internal numbering of subsection (4) of this statute from the way it appeared in 2014 Ky. Acts ch. 93, sec. 3 under the authority of KRS 7.136(1)(a).