Section 661.277.5. Contractor application and fees.

       277.5(1) Application. Any contractor seeking certification as an alarm system contractor shall submit a completed application form to the fire marshal. The application shall be filed no later than 30 days prior to the date on which certification is required or on which an existing certification expires. An application form may be obtained from the fire marshal or from the Web site of the alarm system contractor and installer certification program. The application form shall be submitted with all required attachments and the required application fee established in subrule 277.5(2). An application shall not be considered complete unless all required information is submitted, including required attachments and fees, and shall not be processed until it is complete.

Note: The Web site for the alarm system contractor and installer certification program is: http://www.dps.state.ia.us/fm/alarm/index.shtml.

       277.5(2) Certification fee. The certification fee for alarm system contractors shall be $300 for three years. If an application for certification provides for more than one responsible managing employee pursuant to rule 661—277.3(100C), there shall be an additional fee of $50 for each responsible managing employee beyond the first. If an application for certification provides for more than one endorsement as provided in subrule 277.1(2), there shall be an additional fee of $50 for each endorsement beyond the first. If an application is denied, all except $100 of the fee may be refunded if the applicant applies to the fire marshal for a refund. No refund of the certification fee shall be made if the certification is revoked or if the denial of the certification is based on the applicant’s knowingly including false or misleading information on the application.

       277.5(3) Payment. The certification fee shall be submitted by draft, check, or money order in the applicable amount payable to the Department of Public Safety. The memo portion of the check, if the payment is by check, shall be completed as follows: Alarm System Contractor and Installer Certification Program.

       277.5(4) Amended certification fee. The fee for issuance of an amended certification is $100. The fee shall be submitted with the request for an amended certification.

        a.           A contractor shall request and the fire marshal shall issue an amended certificate for any of the following:

       (1)             A change in the designation of a responsible managing employee;

       (2)             A change in insurance coverage; or

       (3)             A change in any other material information included in or with the initial or renewal application. A change in the location of a business is a material change; however, no fee shall be charged for the issuance of an amended certificate if the sole reason for amending the certificate is to reflect a change in location which was necessitated by disaster emergency conditions and the business was located in an area subject to a disaster emergency proclamation issued by the governor pursuant to Iowa Code section 29C.6.

        b.           Other changes in the information required in the application form, including renewal of insurance coverage with a new expiration date, shall be reported to the fire marshal but shall not require issuance of an amended certification or payment of the amended certification fee.

       277.5(5) Attachments. Required attachments to the application for certification include, but are not limited to, the following:

        a.          Documentation verifying that the contractor has in force the insurance coverage required by subrule 277.4(2). The documentation shall include an acknowledgment that the contractor’s insurance coverage extends to any work performed by the contractor within the scope of certification pursuant to this chapter. The documentation may consist of a letter from the insurance carrier or a copy of the insurance certificate with an endorsement showing the required information.

        b.           Documentation verifying that the person designated as the responsible managing employee and any persons designated as alternate responsible managing employees have met the applicable certification requirements.

       277.5(6) National criminal history check. Each applicant for certification as a contractor shall submit fingerprints and the applicable fee as directed by the division of criminal investigation for a national criminal history check conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.