State Fights Licensing Violations

Between Nov. 2008 and Aug. 30, 2010, 100 individuals were fined for committing electrical licensing violations in the state of Arkansas.

A team of five investigators report to the Arkansas Department of Labor, Electrical Division. A statewide database tracking the number of licensing and code violations keeps up with total violations. Described as a progressive policy, penalties range from a maximum of $250 for the first violation to $1,000 for the third.

“We are generally complaint-driven,” said David Faulkner, a lawyer with the ADL. “If someone encounters unlicensed individuals performing unlicensed work, our agency is glad to investigate. We issue penalties on a regular basis.”

While Faulkner described unlicensed electricians as a “pretty big problem,” he also said it has not necessarily gotten better or worse in recent years.