The purpose of this chapter is to ensure that all mobile and manufactured homes are installed by a certified manufactured home installer in accordance with the state installation code, chapter 296-150B WAC, in order to provide greater protections to consumers and make the warranty requirement of *RCW 46.70.134 easier to achieve.
[ 1994 c 284 § 14; ]
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.
"Authorized representative" means an employee of a state agency, city, or county acting on behalf of the department.
"Certified manufactured home installer" means a person who is in the business of installing mobile or manufactured homes and who has been issued a certificate by the department as provided in this chapter.
"Department" means the department of labor and industries.
"Director" means the director of labor and industries.
"Manufactured home" means a single-family dwelling built in accordance with the department of housing and urban development manufactured home construction and safety standards act, which is a national, preemptive building code.
"Mobile or manufactured home installation" means all on-site work necessary for the installation of a manufactured home, including:
Construction of the foundation system;
Installation of the support piers and earthquake resistant bracing system;
Required connection to foundation system and support piers;
Skirting;
Connections to the on-site water and sewer systems that are necessary for the normal operation of the home; and
Extension of the pressure relief valve for the water heater.
"Manufactured home standards" means the manufactured home construction and safety standards as promulgated by the United States department of housing and urban development (HUD).
"Mobile home" means a factory-built dwelling built prior to June 15, 1976, to standards other than the HUD code, and acceptable under applicable state codes in effect at the time of construction or introduction of the home into the state. Mobile homes have not been built since introduction of the HUD manufactured home construction and safety standards act.
"Training course" means the education program administered by the department, or the education course administered by an approved educational provider, as a prerequisite to taking the examination for certification.
"Approved educational provider" means an organization approved by the department to provide education and training of manufactured home installers and local inspectors.
[ 2007 c 432 § 3; 1998 c 124 § 6; 1994 c 284 § 15; ]
Beginning on July 1, 2007, the department shall perform all the consumer complaint and related functions of the state administrative agency that are required for purposes of complying with the regulations established by the federal department of housing and urban development for manufactured housing, including the preparation and submission of the state administrative plan.
The department may enter into state or local interagency agreements to coordinate site inspection activities with record monitoring and complaint handling. The interagency agreement may also provide for the reimbursement for cost of work that an agency performs. The department may include other related areas in any interagency agreements which are necessary for the efficient provision of services.
The department of commerce shall transfer all records, files, books, and documents necessary for the department to assume these new functions.
The directors of commerce and of labor and industries shall immediately take such steps as are necessary to ensure that chapter 432, Laws of 2007 is implemented on July 1, 2007.
The director shall enforce manufactured housing safety and construction standards adopted by the secretary of housing and urban development under the national manufactured housing construction and safety standards act of 1974 (800 Stat. 700; 42 U.S.C. Secs. 5401-5426). Furthermore, the director may make agreements with the United States government, state agencies, or private inspection organizations to implement the development and enforcement of applicable provisions of this chapter and the national manufactured housing construction and safety standards act of 1974 (800 Stat. 700; 42 U.S.C. Secs. 5401-5426) regarding the state administrative agency program.
[ 2007 c 432 § 2; 1995 c 399 § 74; 1993 c 124 § 1; ]
A person desiring to be issued a certificate of manufactured home installation as provided in this chapter shall make application to the department, in such a form as required by the department.
Upon receipt of the application and evidence required in this chapter, the director shall review the information and make a determination as to whether the applicant is eligible to take the training course and examination for the certificate of manufactured home installation. An applicant must furnish written evidence of six months of experience under the direct supervision of a certified manufactured home installer, or other equivalent experience, in order to be eligible to take the training course and examination. The director shall establish reasonable rules for the training course and examinations to be given to applicants for certificates of manufactured home installation. Upon determining that the applicant is eligible to take the training course and examination, the director shall notify the applicant, indicating the time and place for taking the training course and examination.
The requirement that an applicant must be under the direct supervision of a certified manufactured home installer for six months only applies to applications made on or after July 1, 1996. For applications made before July 1, 1996, the department shall require evidence of experience to satisfy this requirement.
The director may allow other persons to take the training course and examination on manufactured home installation, without certification.
[ 1994 c 284 § 17; ]
The department shall prepare a written training course and examination to be administered to applicants for manufactured home installer certification. The examination shall be constructed to determine whether the applicant:
Possesses general knowledge of the technical information and practical procedures that are necessary for manufactured home installation;
Is familiar with the federal and state codes and administrative rules pertaining to manufactured homes; and
Is familiar with the local government regulations as related to manufactured home installations.
The department shall certify the results of the examination and shall notify the applicant in writing whether the applicant has passed or failed the examination. An applicant who failed the examination may retake the training course and examination. The director may not limit the number of times that a person may take the training course and examination.
[ 1994 c 284 § 18; ]
The department shall adopt rules to establish and administer a process of approving educational providers as an alternative to the department training course for installers and local inspectors.
[ 1998 c 124 § 7; ]
The department shall issue a certificate of manufactured home installation to an applicant who has taken the training course, passed the examination, paid the fees, and in all other respects meets the qualifications. The certificate shall bear the date of issuance, a certification identification number, and is renewable every three years upon application and completion of a continuing education program as determined by the department. A renewal fee shall be assessed for each certificate. If a person fails to renew a certificate by the renewal date, the person must retake the examination and pay the examination fee.
The certificate of manufactured home installation provided for in this chapter grants the holder the right to engage in manufactured home installation throughout the state, without any other installer certification.
The department shall immediately suspend the license or certificate of a person who has been certified pursuant to RCW 74.20A.320 by the department of social and health services as a person who is not in compliance with a support order or a *residential or visitation order. If the person has continued to meet all other requirements for reinstatement during the suspension, reissuance of the license or certificate shall be automatic upon the department's receipt of a release issued by the department of social and health services stating that the licensee is in compliance with the order.
[ 1997 c 58 § 874; 1994 c 284 § 19; ]
The department may revoke a certificate of manufactured home installation upon the following grounds:
The certificate was obtained through error or fraud;
The holder of the certificate is judged to be incompetent as a result of multiple infractions of the state installation code, *WAC 296-150B-200 through 296-150B-255; or
The holder has violated a provision of this chapter or a rule adopted to implement this chapter.
Before a certificate of manufactured home installation is revoked, the holder must be given written notice of the department's intention to revoke the certificate, sent using a method by which the mailing can be tracked or the delivery can be confirmed to the holder's last known address. The notice shall enumerate the allegations against the holder, and shall give the holder the opportunity to request a hearing. At the hearing, the department and the holder may produce witnesses and give testimony. The hearing shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 34.05 RCW.
[ 2011 c 301 § 11; 1994 c 284 § 21; ]
The fees shall be limited to covering the direct cost of issuing the certificates, administering the examinations, and administering and enforcing this chapter. The costs shall include only essential travel, per diem, and administrative support costs.
[ 2007 c 432 § 11; 1994 c 284 § 22; ]
The manufactured home installation training account is created in the state treasury. All receipts collected under this chapter and RCW 46.17.150 and any legislative appropriations for manufactured home installation training shall be deposited into the account. Moneys in the account may only be spent after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may only be used for the purposes of this chapter. Unexpended and unencumbered moneys that remain in the account at the end of the fiscal year do not revert to the state general fund but remain in the account, separately accounted for, as a contingency reserve.
[ 2011 c 158 § 3; 1994 c 284 § 23; ]
Any local government mobile or manufactured home installation application and permit shall state either the name and registration number of the contractor or licensed manufactured home dealer or the certification identification number of the certified manufactured home installer supervising such installation. A local government may not issue final approval for the installation of a manufactured home unless the certified installer or the installer's agent has posted at the set-up site the manufactured home installer's certification number and has identified the work being performed on the manufactured home installation on a form prescribed by the department.
[ 1998 c 124 § 8; 1994 c 284 § 20; ]
After July 1, 1995, a mobile or manufactured home may not be installed without a certified manufactured home installer providing on-site supervision whenever installation work is being performed. The certified manufactured home installer is responsible for the reading, understanding, and following [of] the manufacturer's installation instructions and performance of noncertified workers engaged in the installation of the home. There shall be at least one certified manufactured home installer on the installation site whenever installation work is being performed.
A manufactured home installer certification shall not be required for:
Site preparation;
Sewer and water connections outside of the building site;
Specialty trades that are responsible for constructing accessory structures such as garages, carports, and decks;
Pouring concrete into forms;
Painting and dry wall finishing;
Carpet installation;
Specialty work performed within the scope of their license by licensed plumbers or electricians. This provision does not waive or lessen any state regulations related to licensing or permits required for electricians or plumbers;
A mobile or manufactured homeowner performing installation work on their own home; and
A manufacturer's mobile home installation crew installing a mobile or manufactured home sold by the manufacturer except for the on-site supervisor.
Violation of this section is an infraction.
[ 1994 c 284 § 16; ]
An authorized representative of the department may issue a notice of infraction if the person supervising the manufactured home installation work fails to produce evidence of having a certificate issued by the department in accordance with this chapter. A notice of infraction issued under this chapter shall be personally served on or sent using a method by which the mailing can be tracked or the delivery can be confirmed to the person named in the notice by the authorized representative.
[ 2011 c 301 § 12; 1994 c 284 § 25; ]
An authorized representative may investigate alleged or apparent violations of this chapter. Upon presentation of credentials, an authorized representative, including a local government building official, may inspect sites at which manufactured home installation work is undertaken to determine whether such work is being done under the supervision of a certified manufactured home installer. Upon request of the authorized representative, a person performing manufactured home installation work shall identify the person holding the certificate issued by the department in accordance with this chapter.
[ 1994 c 284 § 24; ]
Each day in which a person engages in the installation of manufactured homes in violation of this chapter is a separate infraction. Each worksite at which a person engages in the trade of manufactured home installation in violation of this chapter is a separate infraction.
[ 1994 c 284 § 27; ]
It is a violation of this chapter for any contractor, manufactured home dealer, manufacturer, or home dealer's or manufacturer's agent to engage any person to install a manufactured home who is not certified in accordance with this chapter.
[ 1994 c 284 § 28; ]
The department shall prescribe the form of the notice of infraction issued under this chapter.
The notice of infraction shall include the following:
A statement that the notice represents a determination that the infraction has been committed by the person named in the notice and that the determination is final unless contested as provided in this chapter;
A statement that the infraction is a noncriminal offense for which imprisonment may not be imposed as a sanction;
A statement of the specific infraction for which the notice was issued;
A statement of a monetary penalty that has been established for the infraction;
A statement of the options provided in this chapter for responding to the notice and the procedures necessary to exercise these options;
A statement that, at a hearing to contest the determination, the state has the burden of proving, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the infraction was committed, and that the person may subpoena witnesses including the authorized representative who issued and served the notice of the infraction; and
A statement that failure to respond to a notice of infraction is a misdemeanor and may be punished by a fine or imprisonment in jail.
[ 2006 c 270 § 11; 1994 c 284 § 26; ]
Unless contested in accordance with this chapter, the notice of infraction represents a determination that the person to whom the notice was issued committed the infraction.
[ 1994 c 284 § 30; ]
A person found to have committed an infraction under this chapter may be assessed a monetary penalty of two hundred fifty dollars for the first infraction and not more than one thousand dollars for a second or subsequent infraction. The department shall set by rule a schedule of monetary penalties for infractions imposed under this chapter.
The administrative law judge may waive, reduce, or suspend the monetary penalty imposed for the infraction.
Monetary penalties collected under this chapter shall be deposited into the manufactured home installation training account created in RCW 43.22A.100 for the purposes specified in this chapter.
[ 2017 c 10 § 1; 2007 c 432 § 5; 1994 c 284 § 31; ]
If a party desires to contest a notice of infraction and civil penalty issued under this chapter, the party must file a notice of appeal with the department within twenty days of the department mailing the notice of civil penalty. An administrative law judge of the office of administrative hearings shall hear and determine the appeal. Appeal proceedings must be conducted under chapter 34.05 RCW. An appeal of the administrative law judge's determination or order must be to the superior court. The superior court's decision is subject only to discretionary review under the rules of appellate procedure.
[ 2007 c 432 § 4; 1994 c 284 § 29; ]
The department may mediate disputes that arise regarding any warranty required in chapter 46.70 RCW pertaining to the purchase or installation of a manufactured home. The department may charge reasonable fees for this service and shall deposit the moneys collected in accordance with RCW 43.22A.100.
[ 2007 c 432 § 8; 1994 c 284 § 12; ]
The director may adopt rules in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW, make specific decisions, orders, and rulings, include demands and findings within the decisions, orders, and rulings, and take other necessary action for the implementation and enforcement of duties under this chapter.
[ 1994 c 284 § 32; ]
This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately [April 1, 1994].
[ 1994 c 284 § 35; ]