---
title: O.C.G.A. § 25-11-4. Certificate of competency.
collection: code
id: 25-11-4
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 25-11-4 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/25-11-4
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/25-11-4.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/25-11-4/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t24-t26-(v21)-2023-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=5423edd_0#page=198
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/25-11.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/25-11-3.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/25-11-5.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: FIRE PROTECTION AND SAFETY / REGULATION OF FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS AND PROFESSIONALS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 25-11-4. Certificate of competency.

(a) Any individual desiring to become a certificate holder shall submit to the Commissioner a completed application on forms prescribed by the Commissioner. Such individual shall remit with his or her application a nonrefundable certificate fee of $150.00 plus a one-time filing fee of $75.00. Such fee shall not be prorated for portions of a year.

(b) Prior to obtaining a certificate, the applicant shall demonstrate his or her competence and knowledge of water-based fire protection systems by:

(1) Successfully completing a competency test by means prescribed by rules and regulations as adopted and promulgated by the Commissioner; or

(2) Submitting to the Commissioner a certification from either the state fire commissioner or state fire marshal of another jurisdiction whenever a reciprocal agreement has been entered into between the two jurisdictions pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

(c)(1) If the applicant has paid the required fees and has met one of the requirements of subsection (b) of this Code section, the Commissioner shall issue a certificate of competency in the name of the applicant, unless such applicant has been cited under other provisions of this chapter. Such certificate shall expire annually as determined by the rules and regulations and shall be nontransferable.

(2) In no case shall a certificate holder be allowed to obtain a certificate of competency for more than one fire protection sprinkler contractor or more than one office location at a time. If the certificate holder should leave the employment of a fire protection sprinkler contractor or change office locations, he or she must notify the Commissioner in writing within 30 days.

(d) A certificate holder desiring to renew his or her certificate shall submit a renewal application to the Commissioner and remit therewith a renewal fee of $100.00 on or before the date determined by the rules and regulations of each year. If the state minimum fire safety standards regarding the installation or maintenance of fire protection sprinkler systems or water-spray systems promulgated by the Commissioner have been revised since the date the certificate holder’s expiring certificate was issued, the Commissioner may, upon 30 days’ notice, require the certificate holder to again meet one of the requirements of subsection (b) of this Code section prior to the renewal of his or her certificate.

## History

Code 1981, § 25-11-4, enacted by Ga. L. 1982, p. 1212, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 824, § 2; Ga. L. 1989, p. 1124, § 2; Ga. L. 1997, p. 1698, § 1; Ga. L. 2010, p. 9, § 1-52/HB 1055.

## Code Commission Notes

Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 1997, “state fire commissioner” was substituted for “state fire Commissioner” in paragraph (b)(2).