SECTION 363.2. General Qualifications

(a) To be eligible to receive any license or registration issued by the Board an applicant must be:

(1) a citizen or national of the United States; or

(2) an alien or non-immigrant eligible for licensure by the State of Texas.

(b) In order to qualify for any license, registration, endorsement, and/or renewal an applicant must:

(1) meet all of the requirements of the Board;

(2) submit documentation evidencing successful submittal of fingerprints for criminal history background checks as may be required by subsection (f) of this section or the PLL, if applicable;

(3) pay the required fee; and

(4) successfully complete and pass the examination, if applicable.

(c) An applicant may qualify for a Master Plumber License, Journeyman Plumber License, Tradesman Plumber-Limited License, Plumbing Inspector License, or Plumber's Apprentice Registration.

(1) A licensed Plumbing Inspector, Master Plumber, or Journeyman Plumber may obtain a Medical Gas Piping Installation Endorsement, Multipurpose Residential Fire Protection Sprinkler Specialist Endorsement, or Water Supply Protection Specialist Endorsement.

(2) A Tradesman Plumber-Limited may obtain a Drain Cleaner Registration.

(3) A registered Plumber's Apprentice may obtain a Residential Utilities Installer Registration, a Drain Cleaner-Restricted Registration, or a Drain Cleaner Registration.

(d) A Plumber's Apprentice or Tradesman Plumber-Limited Licensee applying to take an examination must submit an Employer's Certification Form (ECF) showing that the applicant has accrued the required hours of experience working in the plumbing trade.

(1) If the applicant accrued the hours through employment with multiple employers, the applicant must submit a separate ECF completed by each employer the applicant worked for.

(2) The ECF shall be completed by the Responsible Master Plumber (RMP) who was the RMP for the company at the time the applicant worked there or the licensee who supervised the applicant on the job.

(3) If currently employed, the applicant shall:

(A) submit a request for an ECF in writing; and

(B) provide an ECF to the RMP or the licensee who supervised the applicant.

(4) Once a written request for an ECF is received, the RMP or licensee shall return the completed ECF to the applicant within thirty (30) business days.

(5) Upon separation of employment, or the end of a contract, an employer shall automatically provide a completed ECF to a Plumber's Apprentice or Tradesman Plumber-Limited or send it to the Board.

(e) To receive credit for experience working in the trade, the applicant must hold either a valid Plumber's Apprentice Registration or Tradesman Plumber-Limited License at the time the hours were worked.

(f) Fingerprinting Requirements. In accordance with §1301.4521 and Chapter 53 of the Occupations Code, the Board conducts reviews of individuals seeking licensure by the Board with a criminal background to evaluate their fitness and determine whether their criminal background disqualifies them from being licensed by or registered with the Board. In accordance with §411.122 of the Government Code, the Board is authorized to access criminal background records from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Federal Bureau of Investigations to conduct such reviews, including the submittal and registration with DPS of fingerprints from an individual seeking licensure with the Board, in order to obtain such records. Specifically, the Board's fingerprinting requirements are as follows:

(1) Fingerprints required. The submittal and registration of fingerprints with DPS is required when applying for the following license or registration types: Master Plumber license, Tradesman Plumber-Limited License, and Journeyman Plumber license.

(2) Resubmittal of fingerprints. The requirement to submit and register fingerprints applies to both an initial application for a license or registration as well as applications for renewal. However, once fingerprints have been submitted and registered with DPS, an individual ordinarily will not be required to re-submit their fingerprints, including renewals of a license or registration, or when applying for a different license or registration type. The foregoing notwithstanding, re-submittal of fingerprints may be required to the extent required by DPS or its third-party fingerprint processing vendor; for example, to comply with new or enhanced fingerprint records requirements, or if additional biometric data is required to conduct criminal background checks.

(3) Fingerprint procedures; fees. An applicant required to submit and register their fingerprints with DPS in accordance with paragraph (1) of this subsection must follow all instructions and procedures outlined by DPS and its third-party fingerprint processing vendor. The applicant is responsible for and must make payment directly to DPS and/or its designated third-party fingerprint processing vendor, all fees associated with the criminal background fingerprinting process, which is separate from the application fee imposed by the Board.

Source Note: The provisions of this §363.2 adopted to be effective September 1, 2017, 42 TexReg 3771; amended to be effective August 1, 2019, 44 TexReg 2714; amended to be effective July 1, 2021, 46 TexReg 3608; amended to be effective February 16, 2023, 48 TexReg 682