Code of Maine Rules
19 - DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
498 - OFFICE OF TOURISM AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Chapter 300 - CERTIFICATION STANDARDS FOR MUNICIPAL CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND THIRD-PARTY INSPECTORS
Section 498-300-5 - RECERTIFICATION STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES
Current through 2024-38, September 18, 2024
Except as provided in section 10, all code enforcement officers shall be recertified in each specific area and in legal issues and enforcement techniques within six (6) years of obtaining any certification.
1. Recertification Standards
A code enforcement officer may become recertified by examination as described in section 4.
An examination is not required for recertification. A candidate who chooses not to become recertified through examination shall demonstrate, through recertification training or training activity, that the candidate has remained current in the candidate's specific areas of job responsibility.
To become recertified by completing training activity, a code enforcement officer shall demonstrate successful completion of twelve (12) contact hours of recertification training or training activity for each specific area of job responsibility and twelve (12) contact hours for legal issues and enforcement techniques every six (6) years. This paragraph does not apply to building standards recertification standards which are set forth in the paragraph below.
For recertification, a code enforcement officer shall demonstrate successful completion of recertification training or recertification training activity for each applicable code in the building standards specific area every six (6) years. The following number of contact hours is required for each applicable code:
Recertification training contact hours may be gained through either basic training provided by the Office or training provided by another organization. Recertification training contact hours must be applicable as determined by the Office.
A code enforcement officer may apply for up to six (6) alternative recertification contact hours using the Office's application form. Alternative recertification contact hours must be directly related to a specific area of code enforcement, as determined by the Office. The Office applies the training activity contact hours to the most closely-related specific area of certification. Applicable training activity may consist of:
A code enforcement officer may apply work experience in municipal codes administration to that officer's recertification. Work experience may be applied based on the following years of full-time service:
If a code enforcement officer has part-time work experience in municipal codes administration, the Office converts any part-time employment period into its full-time equivalency.
A code enforcement officer may apply post-secondary education towards that officer's recertification. Education must be directly related to a specific area of certification and must be applied based on the following types of academic learning:
A code enforcement officer who holds an applicable professional license in the state of Maine or a state or national professional certification may apply two (2) contact hours per specific area in each six-year recertification cycle towards that officer's recertification.
The building standard recertification requirements in this section may be waived if the code enforcement officer holds a valid certification from a nationally recognized, building or energy code-related, professional certification program. The Office determines whether the certification is applicable and applies the waiver to the most closely related building standards code.
A code enforcement officer may apply documented time spent in a professional activity towards the officer's recertification. One contact hour may be applied for each hour of actual time spent in a professional activity during the current six-year certification period. A maximum of six (6) contact hours may be applied towards recertification in each specific area in a six-year certification cycle.
For purposes of legal issues and enforcement techniques recertification, professional activity may mean documented work experience using Rule 80K procedures such as filing court documents, preparing for court or appearing in court. The same contact hours may not be used for both legal issues and enforcement techniques recertification and Rule 80K recertification in section 6.
2. Recertification Procedures
A candidate for recertification shall file evidence of successful completion of training activity for recertification on application forms provided by the Office. The code enforcement officer is responsible for obtaining and keeping track of required documentation.
3. Recertification for Building Standards
A code enforcement officer need only be recertified in the individual code(s) within the building standards specific area that are applicable, meaning the code(s) for which that officer has responsibility to enforce.
For purposes of this section, the definition of "enforce" in section 2.15 of this chapter applies.
For purposes of this section, the definition of "any building code" in section 2.2 of this chapter applies.
As of July 1, 2013, a code enforcement officer in a municipality that has a population of more than 4,000 residents and that has not adopted any building code by August 1, 2008, shall be recertified in the building standards specific area.
A code enforcement officer in a municipality that has a population of less than 4,000 residents may be recertified in the building standards specific area at any time, but no later than upon the expiration of the officer's current six-year certification period.
B Requirements for Six-year Recertification Cycle
All code enforcement officers shall be recertified in the building standards specific area within six years, except as provided in section 10.
Contact hours needed for recertification must be acquired in accordance with sections 5.1 and 5.2.
