It is indisputable: electricity is an indispensable element of everyday life, including in Iowa, where electricians often enjoy steady and rewarding work. Whether you're servicing small towns or urban metropolitan areas like Des Moines, Waterloo, or Cedar Falls, your professional license is key to a long and happy career.
For that reason, take quick action to protect it, whether you're currently facing disciplinary measures or worry that it may happen in the future. The Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team can make the biggest difference in the trajectory of your career, so consult with them today by calling 888.535.3686 or filling out this contact form.
Who Has Authority Over Electrician Licenses in Iowa?
The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) houses the Building & Construction Division, which in turn heads the Electrical Bureau. Everything relevant to obtaining, renewing, and maintaining electrician licenses (and permits) is found here. The bureau has authority over the following types of licenses:
Apprentice Electrician
Most electricians start their careers by enrolling in apprenticeship programs, which combine classroom instruction with on-the-job (OTJ) training to teach the trade. Over the course of four years, they must complete 576 hours of educational courses in addition to 8,000 hours of OTJ training.
These programs are typically offered through community colleges and IBEWs, so a prospective apprentice should at least have a high school diploma and decent grades to qualify.
Journeyman Electrician
In Iowa, journeyman electricians are divided into two categories—class A and class B.
After completing an apprenticeship program, the natural next step is to become a class A journeyman electrician. Class B journeymen simply need to have accumulated 16,000 documented hours of work since January 1, 1998, which is mainly to accommodate electricians who would have otherwise been considered unqualified when the licensing laws changed in 2008.
Residential Electrician
Some journeymen go on to become residential electricians, provided they have OTJ residential training totaling at least 2,000 hours. Another possible path is to complete a two-year vocational degree and 6,000 hours of OTJ training. Either way, they can install, maintain, repair, and inspect electricity systems in houses and buildings with four or fewer units.
Master Electrician
The highest license level an Iowan electrician can hope to achieve is that of a master electrician. With proof of completed apprenticeship programs, one year of full-time work as journeymen, and passing scores on the master electrician exam, they can become class A master electricians. Class B masters must have documented 16,000 hours of master-level work, with 8,000 of them taking place after January 1, 1998.
Regardless of how they get there, master electricians can perform all the same tasks as other electricians. However, they can also plan and prepare installations and other jobs, in addition to supervising and training apprentices and journeymen.
Unlike residential electricians, they're also allowed to work on commercial and industrial projects. Nevertheless, some opt to become master residential electricians specifically, which is a separate license.
Electrical Contractor
Iowa electrical contractors focus more on the business side of electrical work. They can own and operate businesses that provide services in designing, planning, installing, repairing, and/or maintaining electrical systems.
Many electrical contractors are also masters, but those who are not simply need to have one on the payroll. Nevertheless, they should still have 8,000 documented hours of electrical work, as well as a certificate of liability insurance covering $1 million at minimum. They must also register as contractors with the Iowa Division of Labor.
As with master electricians, electrical contractors have the option of working on commercial and industrial jobs. However, some decide to get more specialized licenses as residential electrical contractors.
Special Electrician
Some types of electrical work require highly specific knowledge and experience. In Iowa, that's where special electricians come in. They're authorized to work on electrical projects that involve irrigation, air conditioning, refrigeration, sign installation, and similar. Usually, special electricians become proficient in just one of those areas.
Whichever one they select, special electricians can pursue their licenses after completing their apprenticeship programs and passing the state exam relevant to their choice.
Unclassified Person
Although they are not official electricians nor in training to become so, the Electrical Bureau requires electrician assistants to be licensed as “unclassified persons.” They're only allowed to perform electrical work when under constant and direct supervision by a qualified electrician. All you need to do to get this license is to have proof of 100 hours of continuous employment in this position without enrolling in an apprenticeship program.
Electrician License Violations in Iowa
Electrical work is usually crucial yet delicate. In Iowa, electricians must adhere to certain ethical standards and a safety code. Because of the potential dangers, the Electrical Bureau takes violations seriously. Disciplinary action is possible for any of the following:
Fraud or Misrepresentation
Deception is considered unacceptable at every stage of an electrician's career. Whether you lied about your qualifications to get your license, pretended to have skills or knowledge that you don't possess, or were dishonest or manipulative in your contracts and financial dealings with your clients or employers, fraud and misrepresentation usually lead to swift and harsh sanctions.
Unauthorized Use of License
Each type of electrician license gives its holder a specific authority and implies their qualifications. Practicing with an invalid license or performing tasks that you're not allowed to do, or aiding and abetting someone else in doing all those things, is an egregious violation of the bureau.
False Advertising
To some degree, every electrician needs to advertise themselves to get business, especially electrical contractors. However, all advertising efforts must convey true and accurate information that promises reasonable and probable results. Knowingly misleading others as to what they should expect from your work is false advertising, which is punishable in the eyes of the bureau.
Unsafe Work Habits or Results
Without regard for safety, electricians and everyone around them would be in danger of serious injuries, or worse. The Electrical Bureau has carefully developed safety guidelines, rules, and regulations. If you break any of them, you could be subject to severe discipline, especially if anyone gets hurt as a consequence.
Failing to Continue Education
To advance their skills and stay informed about the industry, the Electrical Bureau demands that Iowan electricians regularly take continuing education courses. In fact, the bureau considers it so important that it's a requirement to maintain your license.
Drug or Alcohol Abuse
It's one thing to use drugs or alcohol on your personal time, but if you grow addicted to the point that it affects your ability to work, the bureau will have a problem with it. The worse your unreliability, disrespect, sloppy execution, and other issues associated with intoxication, the more likely it is that the bureau will sanction your license.
Incompetence
Despite obtaining their licenses, some electricians prove to be inadequate in their trade. Everyone has weaknesses, and mistakes are inevitable, but they should be minor, as well as few and far between. However, if you're consistently making errors and producing substandard or even dangerous results, the bureau may discipline you for incompetence.
License Sanctions in Another State
Generally, the Electrical Bureau assumes that another state wouldn't have sanctioned an electrician's professional license without a good reason. If you've faced disciplinary action elsewhere, chances are the bureau will uphold it and/or penalize you even further.
If you moved to Iowa to get a fresh start after having career troubles in another state, this sanction is sure to derail you from that goal. To get your career on track after setbacks in your former home, you need legal help convincing the bureau that you deserve a clean slate.
How Does Iowa Discipline Electrician License Violations?
If you've been accused of violating the codes of ethics or safety, the Iowa Electrical Bureau will follow a particular disciplinary process designed to assess the situation accurately and choose a fair adjudication. You must prepare for it, so this is what to expect.
Investigation
After receiving a complaint in writing, the Electrical Bureau will first review it to make sure the violation for which you're accused appears legitimate and possible. If it does, then they'll organize an official investigation into the matter.
Depending on what is alleged to have happened, the bureau might compile all kinds of information and evidence. Witness testimonies, character statements, expert evaluations, photographs, videos, documents, communications, and even past records or complaints can all end up in the final report.
Formal Hearing
Once they think they have enough information, the bureau will schedule a formal hearing for you, notifying you within 30 days of when they want to hold it. This is where you'll get to present witnesses and information not included in the investigation, and you can cross-examine any witnesses the bureau has already contacted. You can also argue for your perspective and interpretation of any relevant laws, regulations, policies, and contracts.
Remember that your best chance at success rests on having the Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team advocate on your behalf.
Adjudication
When the hearing is done, the bureau will consider all the information and arguments both for and against you. If they don't choose to dismiss the complaint altogether, then they'll select any of the following license sanctions to discipline you.
Civil Penalty
One of the strongest punishments and deterrents that the bureau can impose is a civil penalty. Basically, it's a fine, going up to $1,000 per offense. The bureau will determine the exact amount based on the frequency and severity of the violations.
As if the impact on your everyday finances isn't bad enough, civil penalties make it harder for you to afford better equipment, competent employees, insurance premiums, and continuing education courses, all of which can affect your performance and legal standing. In other words, it's an expensive problem that could lead to additional sanctions down the road.
Official Reprimand
Perhaps the bureau will see no reason to punish you further than an official reprimand. It's usually a statement from the bureau explaining your violation and urging you to do better. As sanctions go, it's certainly among the tamest.
Nevertheless, that doesn't mean there are no repercussions beyond the reprimand itself. After all, reprimands are public record in Iowa, so there's a chance a client or employer will turn you down or fire you if they see it.
License Suspension
With a license suspension, the bureau would bar you from performing any electrical work for a maximum of two years. Before your license can be valid again, they might also demand that you fulfill a certain set of requirements or conditions; examples include continuing education courses and rehabilitation programs.
Since you wouldn't be able to work in your chosen field while your license is suspended, you'd have to find a different job, which might offer less income or cause scheduling conflicts with other obligations in your life. When you can finally work as an electrician again, employers might raise their eyebrows at the gap in your resume.
License Revocation
Like suspension, license revocation means that you can no longer work as an electrician in Iowa. The difference is that this sanction is permanent, at least until you're allowed to apply for reinstatement after one year, or longer, depending on how serious the violation was.
If you don't want to find another career, you would need to be prepared for a stringent and potentially expensive approval process to regain your license. You might also have trouble convincing employers and clients to hire you when they see the break in your employment history and learn the reason behind it. In the meantime, you might struggle to maintain your lifestyle with alternative income. For all these reasons, license revocation is arguably the most important sanction to avoid.
How Can the Lento Law Firm Help You?
You might be proficient at understanding the intricacies of electrical wiring, but that's vastly different from the intricacies of complaint investigations and resolutions. This isn't an obstacle that you should try tackling alone.
Instead, trust in the Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team. They know exactly how to fight this battle with tried-and-true defense strategies customized to your unique situation so that you win. If you're serious about saving your professional license, you need to get them on your team.
Don't Stop Bringing Electricity to Iowa
Iowa will always need electricians, so you'll never have trouble finding jobs as long as your license remains in good standing. Do everything you can to protect it. Remember that your chances of success are always best when you partner with the Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team, so schedule a consultation now by calling 888.535.3686 or filling out this contact form.
