You asked if an electrician who holds a license issued by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico automatically forfeits it if he obtains a Connecticut license through the reciprocity provisions of PA 05-214.

This office is not authorized to render legal opinions and this report should not be construed as one.

SUMMARY

Both Connecticut and Puerto Rico require electricians to be licensed and authorize their licensing boards to enter into reciprocal licensing agreements with other licensing jurisdictions. These agreements allow someone holding a license in one jurisdiction to become licensed in another without taking a licensing examination or meeting certain other prerequisites. The Connecticut licensing board has not entered into a reciprocal licensing agreement with any other jurisdiction.

One of Puerto Rico’s requirements to obtain an expert electrician license (the top rung on the licensing ladder in Puerto Rico) is to be a resident of Puerto Rico.

If the licensing boards in both jurisdictions enter into a reciprocal licensing agreement, and if the licensing board in Puerto Rico determines that an electrician licensed under a reciprocal agreement by another jurisdiction is no longer a Puerto Rican resident, then it may determine that he no longer qualifies for a license.

CONNECTICUT

PA 05-214 allows the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) commissioner to issue a Connecticut license without examination to contractors and journeymen licensed by a U. S. commonwealth, territory, licensure jurisdictions within another state (e. g. , counties), and the District of Columbia in the same way and under the same conditions that he may issue such licenses to people licensed by another state. This is known as reciprocal licensure. The act applies to electricians and to other tradesmen. The law allows DCP to issue a license on a reciprocal basis if the other jurisdiction’s requirements are (1) at least equal to those of Connecticut and (2) the privilege is provided to Connecticut residents on a reciprocal basis. The applicant must pay the appropriate annual licensing fee ($ 75 for a contractor and $ 60 for a journeyman). The law allows the DCP commissioner to adopt regulations with the advice and consent of the appropriate licensing boards (CGS § 20-333a).

The regulations, adopted in 1993, authorize DCP’s licensing boards, including the electricians’ licensing board, to enter into reciprocal licensure agreements under which licenses without examination are issued if the applicant: (1) meets the statutory licensing requirements; (2) submits an application and required fee; (3) submits a certified statement from his home licensing authority attesting to the date, method, and type of examination the licensee passed and the fact that his license is not under suspension, revocation, probation or other penalty; (4) applies for an equivalent or lesser type license; and (5) complies with all other applicable statutes and regulations (Regs. Conn. State Agencies, § 20-332-21a).

None of the DCP licensing boards have made such an agreement to date.

COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO

Puerto Rico authorizes its licensing board to establish reciprocal licensing agreements with its counterparts in “any state of the United States” that has licensing qualifications for an “expert electrician” similar to those in Puerto Rico (20 L. P. R. A. § 2710).

The requirements to become an expert electrician include residency in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (20 L. P. R. A. § 2707).

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