(a) A person may not perform or offer to provide plan review or inspection services unless the person is a certified registered accessibility specialist. To be certified, an individual must:
  (1) meet one of the following qualifications:
    (A) hold a degree in architecture, engineering, interior design, landscape architecture, or equivalent, and at least one year experience related to building inspection, building planning, accessibility design or review, accessibility inspection, or equivalent;
    (B) have at least eight years of experience related to building inspection, building planning, accessibility design or review, accessibility inspection, or equivalent; or
    (C) have at least four years of experience related to building inspection, building planning, accessibility design or review, accessibility inspection, or equivalent, and certification by a model building code organization as an accessibility inspector or plans examiner;
  (2) pass an examination approved by the department;
  (3) successfully pass a criminal history background check; and
  (4) submit the required fee under §68.80.
(b) An applicant must submit the following required documentation in a manner prescribed by the department:
  (1) a complete application on a department approved form; and
  (2) verifiable evidence that the applicant meets the requirements in subsection (a)(1).
(c) Each applicant who satisfies all requirements will be provided a wallet card and a wall certificate. The wallet card is the actual certificate of registration.
(d) An applicant must complete all requirements, including passing the examination in subsection (a)(2), no later than one year from the date the application is submitted. After that year the applicant will be required to submit a new application and all required materials in addition to paying a new application fee.

Source Note: The provisions of this §68.70 adopted to be effective November 5, 2001, 26 TexReg 8807; amended to be effective February 1, 2005, 30 TexReg 382; amended to be effective March 1, 2007, 32 TexReg 884; amended to be effective May 15, 2017, 42 TexReg 2333; amended to be effective August 31, 2023, 48 TexReg 4642