(a)  This chapter does not forbid the employment of one properly limited-registered apprentice electrician working with and under the direct personal supervision of a licensed journeyperson electrician. Additionally, this chapter does not forbid the employment of: (1) One properly registered apprentice burnerperson working with and under the direct personal supervision of a licensed burnerperson; (2) One properly registered apprentice fire alarm installer working with and under the direct personal supervision of a licensed fire alarm installer; (3) Two (2) properly registered apprentice electrical sign installers working with and under the direct personal supervision of a licensed electrical sign installer; (4) One properly registered apprentice maintenance electrician working with and under the direct personal supervision of a valid Class C or Class D license holder; or (5) One properly registered apprentice lightning-protection installer working with and under the direct personal supervision of a licensed lightning-protection installer (LPI). Apprentices are required to register with the division of professional regulation immediately upon employment with a properly licensed electrical contractor or lightning-protection contractor.

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(b)  Indentured apprentice electricians are required to work a minimum of eight thousand (8,000) hours over a period of time of not less than four (4) years and successfully complete one hundred forty-four (144) hours of related instruction per year in an indentured apprenticeship program approved by the Rhode Island department of labor and training, to qualify for the journeyperson “B” electrician examination; provided, however, apprentices may receive credit for one hundred forty-four (144) hours of classroom training gained in a vocational school authorized by the board of education, or a maximum of two hundred eighty-eight (288) hours of classroom training gained over two (2) academic years (one hundred forty-four (144) per academic year), upon the successful completion of a course of study in a fully accredited trade school that has been approved by the Rhode Island office of postsecondary commissioner and by the Rhode Island department of labor and training apprenticeship council. Provided, that the test applicant has possessed, for at least four (4) years prior to the filing of the application, a certificate of registration in full force and effect from the department of labor and training of Rhode Island specifying the person as an indentured apprentice, and the application of an applicant is accompanied by an affidavit or affidavits of his or her employer or former employers or other reasonably satisfactory evidence showing that the applicant has been actually engaged in electrical work as an apprentice in Rhode Island during those four (4) years; or the application is accompanied by an affidavit or other reasonably satisfactory evidence showing that the applicant has successfully completed a course of study in a recognized college or university and has pursued a course of electrical technology for at least two (2) academic years or is the recipient of an associate degree in electrical technology, and has thereafter been indentured by the department of labor and training as an apprentice for at least four (4) years and employed as an indentured apprentice by a duly licensed electrician master in this state for a period of four (4) years; or a showing that the applicant possesses a certificate of license issued under the laws of another state, based on training equal to that required by the state of Rhode Island. Limited-registered apprentice electricians shall be required to work a minimum of four thousand (4,000) hours over a period of time of not less than two (2) years.

(c)  Indentured apprentice maintenance electricians are required to work a minimum of six thousand (6,000) hours over a period of time of not less than three (3) years and successfully complete one hundred forty-four (144) hours of related instruction per year in an indentured apprenticeship program approved by the Rhode Island department of labor and training, to qualify for the journeyperson “M” electrician examination. Provided, however, that the test applicant has possessed for at least three (3) years prior to the filing of the application a certificate of registration in full force and effect from the department of labor and training specifying the person as an indentured apprentice, and the application of an applicant is accompanied by an affidavit or affidavits of his or her employer or former employers or other reasonably satisfactory evidence showing that the applicant has been actually engaged in electrical work as an apprentice in Rhode Island during those three (3) years. Class M journeyperson electricians may qualify to take the journeyperson “B” electrician examination upon registering as a fourth-year apprentice and becoming employed by a properly licensed Class A electrical contractor for that period of time.

(d)  Apprentice lightning-protection installers are required to work a minimum of four thousand (4,000) hours over a period of time of not less than two (2) years to qualify for the lightning-protection installer (LPI) examination. Provided, that the test applicant has possessed for at least two (2) years prior to the filing of the application a certificate of registration in full force and effect from the department of labor and training specifying the person as an apprentice lightning-protection installer, and the application of an applicant is accompanied by an affidavit or affidavits of his or her employer or former employers or other reasonably satisfactory evidence showing that the applicant has been actually engaged in lightning-protection work as an apprentice during those two (2) years.