Any certification issued before July 1, 2005 remains valid. Building official, inspector, and plans examiner certifications issued prior to July 1, 2005 are now referred to as "Oregon Code Certifications."

Applying for a certification after October 1, 2005

Anyone applying for a new certification as a building official, plans examiner, or inspector, must comply with the new certification rules. These rules require all individuals who wish to work with a new certification, to possess both an Oregon Inspector Certification and the appropriate Oregon Code Certification or International Code Council Certification. Individuals must also meet an education or experience requirement. Persons enrolled in an approved educational, in-training, or cross-training program may choose to apply for an Oregon Code Certification under the old rules.

Oregon Inspector Certification

The new rules created the Oregon Inspector Certification, a new prerequisite for inspectors, plans examiners and building officials in Oregon. To qualify for the certification, an applicant must pass a division-administered exam to demonstrate mastery of Oregon laws relating to state building codes, including, but not limited to architectural barrier laws governing accessibility to buildings by disabled persons.

Transitional phase for building official certification

Between July 1, 2005 and December 31, 2005, applicants for the position of building official must either:

Obtain the Oregon Building Official certification; or
Obtain the Oregon Inspector Certification (OIC) and the legal/management portion of the International Codes Council (ICC) Certified Building Official certification.

Grace Period - Individuals obtaining an OIC may perform the duties of a building official, provided they also obtain the legal/management portion of the ICC Certified Building Official certification within 6 months of hire.

Other changes affecting certifications

Employer Duties - Building officials are responsible for verifying work experience before hiring an inspector or plans examiner.
Job Duties - Building officials, inspectors, and plans examiners must enforce not only appropriate building code statutes, rules, and specialty codes, but also statewide code interpretations, and alternate method rulings.
Scope of Residential Work - Persons certified as one- and two-family or residential plans examiners or inspectors may now review plans or conduct inspections for townhouses and row houses, but not apartments.
Continuing Education - (NOTE: This change does not apply to electrical and plumbing inspectors.)

Building officials must obtain 6 hours of continuing education each year, to include a division-approved law change class during legislative years.
Inspectors and plans examiners must obtain at least 16 hours of continuing education every 3 years, to include at least 8 hours of code-change coursework.

Tracking CE Credits - Building officials, inspectors, and plans examiners must maintain their own records of completion of continuing education courses, which may be audited by the division at any time.
Write it, Cite it - Beginning January 1, 2006, all inspectors and plans examiners, issuing corrective notices, must cite the applicable codes, rules, or statutes whenever re-inspections are required.

Employment requirements for certified individuals: Transitional period - October 1, 2005-December 31, 2005
Oregon Code Certifications issued prior to 10-1-05 remain valid. An OIC is not necessary to work in that certification in Oregon. After 10-1-05, Any Oregon Code Certification issued after 10-1-05, and an OIC (in addition to meeting experience requirements) are necessary to work in any certification listed below.
Certification categories	Certifications necessary to work as a building official or inspector:
Building official	Oregon Building Official Certification obtained prior to 12-31-05	or	OIC and Successfully pass ICC Building official/legal management exam w/in 6 months of hire
Plumbing inspector, residential	Oregon residential plumbing inspector certification issued prior to 10-1-05	or	OIC and Oregon residential plumbing inspector certification issued after 10-1-05
Plumbing inspector	Oregon plumbing inspector certification issued prior to 10-1-05	or	OIC and Oregon plumbing inspector certification issued after 10-1-05
Limited plumbing inspector, building sewers	Oregon limited plumbing inspector certification-building sewers inspector issued prior to 10-1-05	or	OIC and Oregon limited plumbing inspector-building sewers inspector certification issued after 10-1-05
Residential electrical inspector	Oregon residential electrical inspector certification issued prior to 10-1-05	or	OIC and Oregon residential electrical inspector certification issued after 10-1-05
Electrical inspector	Oregon electrical specialty code inspector certification issued prior to 10-1-05	or	OIC and Oregon electrical specialty code inspector certification issued after 10-1-05
Manufactured structure construction inspector	Oregon manufactured structure construction inspector certification issued prior to 10-1-05	or	OIC and Oregon manufactured structure construction inspector certification issued after 10-1-05
Manufactured structure installation inspector	Oregon manufactured structure installation inspector certification issued prior to 10-1-05	or	OIC and Oregon manufactured structure installation inspector certification issued after 10-1-05
Park and camp inspector	Oregon park and camp inspector certification issued prior to 10-1-05	or	OIC and Oregon park and camp inspector certification issued after 10-1-05
Recreational vehicle inspector	Oregon recreational inspector certification issued prior to 10-1-05	or	OIC and Oregon recreational inspector certification issued after 10-1-05


Employment requirements for certified individuals-structural and mechanical: After July 1, 2005
Oregon Code Certifications issued prior to 7-1-05 remain valid. After 7-1-05, both an OIC and an appropriate International Code Council Certification (in addition to meeting the experience requirements) are necessary to work in the following certifications in Oregon. Oregon no longer issues (OCCs in these categories): Phase-in for individuals in approved training programs prior to 7-1-05 may apply under former rules for OCC.
Certification categories	Certifications necessary to work as a plans examiner or inspector:
Residential mechanical inspector	Oregon residential mechanical inspector certification issued prior to 7-1-05	or	OIC and ICC residential mechanical inspector certification	Those enrolled in an approved training program prior to 7-1-05 may apply under former rules
A-level mechanical inspector	Oregon A-level mechanical inspector certification issued prior to 7-1-05	or	OIC and ICC commercial mechanical inspector certification	Those enrolled in an approved training program prior to 7-1-05 may apply under former rules
B-level mechanical inspector	Oregon B-level mechanical inspector certification issued prior to 7-1-05	or	OIC and ICC commercial mechanical inspector certification	Those enrolled in an approved training program prior to 7-1-05 may apply under former rules
Fire and life safety plans examiner	Oregon fire and life safety plans examiner certification issued prior to 7-1-05	or	OIC and ICC fire plans examiner certificate and ICC commercial building plans examiner certification	Those enrolled in an approved training program prior to 7-1-05 may apply under former rules
A-level structural plans examiner	Oregon A-level plans examiner certification issued prior to 7-1-05	or	OIC ICC commercial building plans examiner certification	Those enrolled in an approved training program prior to 7-1-05 may apply under former rules
B-level structural plans examiner	Oregon B-level plans examiner certification issued prior to 7-1-05	or	OIC ICC commercial building plans examiner certification	Those enrolled in an approved training program prior to 7-1-05 may apply under former rules
Residential structural plans examiner	Oregon residential structural plans examiner certification issued prior to 7-1-05	or	OIC ICC residential building inspector certification	Those enrolled in an approved training program prior to 7-1-05 may apply under former rules.
A-level structural inspector	Oregon A-level structural inspector certification issued prior to 7-1-05	or	OIC and ICC commercial building inspector certification	Those enrolled in an approved training program prior to 7-1-05 may apply under former rules
B-level structural inspector	Oregon B-level structural inspector certification issued prior to 7-1-05	or	OIC and ICC commercial building inspector certification	Those enrolled in an approved training program prior to 7-1-05 may apply under former rules
Residential building inspector	Oregon residential building inspector structural inspector certification issued prior to 7-1-05	or	OIC and ICC residential building inspector certification	Those enrolled in an approved training program prior to 7-1-05 may apply under former rules

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