California Code of Regulations
Title 19 - Public Safety
Division 1 - State Fire Marshal
Chapter 3 - Fire Extinguishers
Article 8 - Licensing and Certificates of Registration
Section 595.5 - Fire Extinguisher License Types

Universal Citation: 19 CA Code of Regs 595.5

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024

(a) Types of licenses are as follows:

(1) Type A. A class of license to service any or all types of fire extinguishers including (2), (3), (4), (5), and (6), below.

(2) Type B. A class of license to perform maintenance and recharging of water based fire extinguishers, and external maintenance of carbon dioxide fire extinguishers.

(3) Type C. A class of license to conduct hydrostatic tests of low pressure fire extinguisher cylinders and the fire extinguisher concern shall posses the test equipment as specified in section 594.3(a) for non-D.O.T. specification cylinders. A fire extinguisher concern possessing this class of license shall be a D.O.T. approved cylinder requalification facility if D.O.T. specification cylinders are tested and the fire extinguisher concern shall posses the test equipment as specified in section 594.2.

(4) Type D. A class of license to perform maintenance and recharging of dry chemical, dry powder and external maintenance of halogenated agent fire extinguishers.

(5) Type E. A class of license to conduct hydrostatic tests of high pressure fire extinguisher cylinders, and perform internal maintenance and recharging of carbon dioxide fire extinguishers. A fire extinguisher concern possessing this class of license shall be a DOT approved cylinder requalification facility.

(6) Type F. A class of license to perform internal maintenance, recharge and recover halogenated agents from portable fire extinguishers. A fire extinguisher concern possessing this license shall have a listed Halon 1211 closed recovery system.

(7) Type L. (Limited). A class of license, limited to public or private entities that are not engaged in the business of servicing fire extinguishers and which only maintain their own portable fire extinguishers. A Type L licensee may only perform external annual maintenance on all fire extinguishers.

EXCEPTION: A California State Fire Marshal Type L (limited) Concern licensed prior to January 1, 2013 may continue to conduct internal maintenance of stored pressure dry powder and dry chemical, water type and wet chemical type fire extinguishers.

(b) Every class of license shall be identified by type as specified above according to the act or acts performed by the licensee or by any of the owner's employees. Every licensed concern shall be staffed by qualified personnel and shall be properly equipped to perform the act or acts for the type of license issued.

(c) Any licensed concern may take orders for the performance of any acts for which the concern is not classified provided these orders are consigned to another licensed concern that is classified (based on 595.5(d)) to perform such acts.

(d) Every licensed concern who is not authorized to perform specific acts shall have on file with the State Fire Marshal reciprocal letters of agreement to perform those specific acts from licensed concerns who are authorized. All required reciprocal letters of agreement shall be submitted to the State Fire Marshal with each original, renewal and status change application for a license. Any changes to reciprocal letters of agreement shall be reported to the State Fire Marshal within 15 days of the change.

(e) A licensee is only authorized to perform those specific acts for which a license has been granted by the State Fire Marshal. Qualifications for a licensee shall consist of having the necessary tools, equipment, service manuals, recharging agents and materials, lubricants, replacement parts and qualified experienced personnel for each specific act. Each licensed concern shall submit evidence of qualifications to the State Fire Marshal with each original, renewal and status change application for license.

(f) A prospective licensee must provide written proof of their service experience in order to be licensed. The prospective licensee shall provide written documentation that they have at least 24 months of experience with portable fire extinguishers in all the following areas:

(1) Servicing,

(2) Maintenance,

(3) Recharging,

(4) Repairing,

(5) Hydrostatic testing and

(6) Installation.

This shall be accomplished by having their fire extinguisher service employer submit letter (s) on their letter head attesting to this experience. This correspondence shall indicate their length of employment, an estimate of the number and type of portable fire extinguishers that they have experience with and a statement that the individual has the necessary experience to obtain a license. Additional documentation may include training certificates from the various fire extinguisher manufacturers and college classes related to Fire Science.

EXCEPTION: An applicant for a Limited License does not need to meet the 24 month of experience but shall submit their work experience and lesson plan/work instructions for performing an annual external maintenance in lieu of the 24 month requirement.

1. Repealer and new section filed 3-4-92; operative 4-3-92 (Register 92, No. 15).
2. Amendment of section heading and section filed 12-27-2001; operative 1-1-2002 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2001, No. 52).
3. Amendment of subsection (a)(3) and new subsection (f) filed 11-21-2002; operative 1-1-2003 (Register 2002, No. 47).
4. Amendment of subsection (a)(7), new EXCEPTION to subsection (a)(7), amendment of subsection (f), new subsections (f)(1)-(6) and new EXCEPTION to subsection (f) filed 7-17-2013; operative 10-1-2013 (Register 2013, No. 29).

Note: Authority cited: Section 13160, Health and Safety Code. Reference: Section 13163, Health and Safety Code.

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