(1) Any person wishing to engage in the installation, alteration, service, replacement or maintenance of equipment covered by this chapter within the state of Washington shall apply for a license with the department of labor and industries.

(2) Applicants for a category (01) license as identified under WAC 296-96-00910 shall demonstrate at least one of the following qualifications in order to obtain a license without an exam:

(a) Successfully completed an apprenticeship training program for elevator mechanics and have passed the final examination required by such program; or

(b) Performed at least five thousand four hundred hours of acceptable work experience in construction, installation, maintenance, service or repair of elevators or other conveyances subject to this chapter, as verified by current and prior employers, and have passed a nationally recognized elevator mechanic's examination, such as that administered by the National Elevator Industry Education Program or as approved by the department; or

(c) Possess an elevator mechanic's license from another state that has standards substantially equal to those established in this chapter.

(3) Any person wishing to obtain a category (01) license coming from another state without licensing may obtain a license with examination by paying the required fee and submitting an application with documentation demonstrating the applicant has worked as an elevator mechanic without supervision for at least five thousand four hundred hours.

(4) Conditions for temporary elevator mechanics: In the event an elevator contractor encounters a verifiable shortage of licensed mechanics, an elevator contractor may request that the department issue temporary elevator mechanic licenses to persons certified by the licensed elevator contractor to have an acceptable combination of documented experience and education to perform elevator work without direct and immediate supervision. Each license shall recite that it is valid for one year to the holder as long as he or she is employed by the licensed elevator contractor that certified the individual as qualified.

As part of the initial licensing process the applicant shall have seventy-five percent of both education and training hours to obtain a license (see WAC 296-96-00908).

(5) Conditions for emergency elevator mechanics: If the governor should declare a state of emergency due to a disaster, or an act of God, or other extenuating circumstances and the number of persons in the state holding valid licenses is insufficient to cope with the emergency, an elevator contractor may request emergency elevator mechanic licenses for persons who are not licensed to perform work subject to this chapter but are certified by the elevator contractor to have an acceptable combination of documented experience and education to perform elevator work without direct and immediate supervision. Each such license shall be valid for a period of thirty days and renewable as long as the emergency exists.

(6) The department may deny renewal or application, or suspend an individual's license if they have an outstanding final judgment.

(7) Qualify for licensing:

(a) For conveyance work covered by all categories identified in WAC 296-96-00910 except personnel hoists (04), material lifts (05), residential conveyances (06), residential inclined elevators (07) and temporary licenses (09), the applicant shall comply with the applicable mechanic licensing requirements as follows:

(i) Test.

(A) The applicant shall provide acceptable proof to the department that shows the necessary combination of documented experience and education credits in the applicable license category (see WAC 296-96-00910) of not less than three years' work experience in the elevator industry under the general direction of a licensed elevator mechanic performing conveyance work in the same category as verified by current and previous employers licensed to do business in this state or as an employee of a public agency;

Acceptable proof may include department-approved forms documenting years of experience, affidavits, letters from previous employers, declarations of experience, education credits, copies of contractor registration information, etc. Additional documentation may be requested by the department to verify the information provided on the application; and

(B) Pass an examination administered by the department on chapter 70.87 RCW and this chapter with a minimum passing score of eighty percent; or

(ii) National exam/education.

(A) Have obtained a certificate of completion and successfully passed the mechanic examination of a nationally recognized training program for the elevator industry such as the National Elevator Industry Educational Program or its equivalent; or

(B) Have obtained a certificate of completion of an apprenticeship program for an elevator mechanic, having standards substantially equal to those of chapter 70.87 RCW and this chapter, and registered with the Washington state apprenticeship and training council under chapter 49.04 RCW; or

(iii) Reciprocity. The applicant shall provide acceptable proof to the department that shows that the applicant is holding a valid license from a state having entered into a reciprocal agreement with the department and having standards substantially equal to those of chapter 70.87 RCW and this chapter.

(b) For conveyance work performed on personnel hoists as identified in WAC 296-96-00910(4):

(i) Test. The applicant shall provide acceptable proof to the department that shows the necessary combination of documented experience and education credits in the applicable license category (see WAC 296-96-00910) of not less than one year's work experience in the elevator industry or not less than three years (for the purpose of this category one year will be equivalent to seven hundred hours) documented experience and education credits in conveyance work under the general direction of a licensed elevator mechanic as described in category (04) performing conveyance work in the same category as verified by current and previous employers licensed to do business in this state; and

(ii) Pass an examination administered by the department on chapter 70.87 RCW, A10.4 and this chapter with a minimum passing score of eighty percent.

(iii) Reciprocity. The applicant shall provide acceptable proof to the department that shows the applicant is holding a valid license from a state having entered into a reciprocal agreement with the department and having standards substantially equal to those of chapter 70.87 RCW and this chapter.

(c) For conveyance work performed on material lifts as identified in WAC 296-96-00910(5):

(i) Test. The applicant and the licensed elevator contractor/employer shall comply with the provisions of RCW 70.87.245; and

(ii) The applicant shall pass an examination administered by the department on chapter 70.87 RCW and this chapter with a minimum passing score of eighty percent;

(d) For residential conveyance work covered by category (06) as identified in WAC 296-96-00910:

(i) Test. The applicant shall provide acceptable proof to the department that shows the necessary combination of documented experience and education credits in the applicable license category (see WAC 296-96-00910) of not less than two years' work experience in the elevator industry performing conveyance work as verified by current and previous employers licensed to do business in this state; and

(ii) Pass an examination administered by the department on chapter 70.87 RCW and this chapter with a minimum passing score of eighty percent.

(e) For residential inclined conveyance work covered by category (07) as identified in WAC 296-96-00910;

(i) Test. The applicant shall provide acceptable proof to the department that shows the necessary combination of documented experience and education credits in the applicable license category (see WAC 296-96-00910) of not less than one year's work experience in the elevator industry or not less than three years' documented experience and education credits in conveyance work as described in category (01) performing conveyance work as verified by current and previous employers licensed to do business in this state; and

(ii) Pass an examination administered by the department on chapter 70.87 RCW and this chapter with a minimum passing score of eighty percent.

(f) For temporary mechanic licenses as identified in WAC 296-96-00910 category (09) the applicant shall provide acceptable proof from a licensed elevator contractor that attests that the individual is competent to perform work under chapter 70.87 RCW and this chapter.

(8) Complete and submit a department-approved application.

An applicant who is required to take an examination under the provisions of this section may not perform the duties of a licensed elevator mechanic until the applicant has been notified by the department that he/she has passed the examination.

(9) Pay the fees specified in WAC 296-96-00922.

(10) The department may deny application of a license under this section if the applicant owes outstanding final judgments to the department or does not meet the minimum criteria established in the elevator laws and rules.