(1) The board, by rule, shall establish fees to be paid for applications, examination, reexamination, transfers, licensing and renewal, reinstatement, and recordmaking and recordkeeping. The examination fee shall be in an amount that covers the cost of obtaining and administering the examination and shall be refunded if the applicant is found ineligible to sit for the examination. The application fee is nonrefundable. The fee for initial application and examination for certification of electrical contractors may not exceed $400. The initial application fee for registration may not exceed $150. The biennial renewal fee may not exceed $400 for certificateholders and $200 for registrants. The fee for initial application and examination for certification of alarm system contractors may not exceed $400. The biennial renewal fee for certified alarm system contractors may not exceed $450. The board may establish a fee for a temporary certificate as an alarm system contractor not to exceed $75. The board may also establish by rule a delinquency fee not to exceed $50. The fee to transfer a certificate or registration from one business organization to another may not exceed $200. The fee for reactivation of an inactive license may not exceed $50. The board shall establish fees that are adequate to ensure the continued operation of the board. Fees shall be based on department estimates of the revenue required to implement this part and the provisions of law with respect to the regulation of electrical contractors and alarm system contractors.

(2) A person who is registered or holds a valid certificate may go on inactive status during which time he or she shall not engage in contracting, but may retain the certificate or registration on an inactive basis, on payment of a renewal fee during the inactive period, not to exceed $50 per renewal period.

(3) Four dollars of each fee under subsection (1) paid to the department at the time of application or renewal shall be transferred at the end of each licensing period to the department to fund projects relating to the building construction industry or continuing education programs offered to persons engaged in the building construction industry in Florida. The board shall, at the time the funds are transferred, advise the department on the most needed areas of research or continuing education based on significant changes in the industry’s practices or on the most common types of consumer complaints or on problems costing the state or local governmental entities substantial waste. The board’s advice is not binding on the department. The department shall ensure the distribution of research reports and the availability of continuing education programs to all segments of the building construction industry to which they relate. The department shall report to the board in October of each year, summarizing the allocation of the funds by institution and summarizing the new projects funded and the status of previously funded projects.

History.—ss. 4, 17, ch. 79-272; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; s. 89, ch. 83-329; ss. 5, 14, ch. 87-254; ss. 4, 21, 23, ch. 88-149; s. 63, ch. 89-162; s. 3, ch. 91-119; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 71, ch. 92-149; s. 272, ch. 94-119; s. 490, ch. 97-103; s. 38, ch. 98-419; s. 19, ch. 2001-186; s. 406, ch. 2011-142.