Requirements, license levels, and the issuing authority, sourced from Montana's official board.
Montana licenses fire sprinkler work through the Department of Labor and Industry's Fire Protection License Program rather than through a fire marshal: the company holds a business entity licence and each worker holds an individual endorsement, and state rule expressly defines a fire sprinkler system as a fire extinguishing system.
| Requirements | Section 50-39-101, MCA requires a person or entity to obtain a license from the Department of Labor and Industry before engaging in the business of servicing fire extinguishers or of selling, servicing or installing fire alarm systems, special agent fire suppression systems, or fire extinguishing systems, and requires each employee other than an apprentice who performs that work to obtain an individual endorsement. Administrative Rules of Montana 24.144.301 defines fire sprinkler system to mean a fire extinguishing system, so sprinkler work falls under the fire extinguishing systems endorsement. Under ARM 24.144.502 the department issues an endorsement to an individual who pays the fee and shows one of the following: that the applicant currently holds the equivalent of the endorsement in another jurisdiction and meets or exceeds Montana's qualifications; a letter of certification specific to the endorsement sought showing NICET Level II or higher or candidacy for NICET Level II or higher, or ESA/NTS certified alarm technician level II or higher for a fire alarm endorsement, or certification from a national testing agency approved by the department; current licensure as an engineer in a jurisdiction with standards at least as stringent as Montana's; or successful completion of a department-approved apprenticeship program. ARM 24.144.501 exempts an apprentice who works under the immediate personal supervision of an endorsement holder, an owner or occupant of a single family residence installing fire protection equipment where the authority having jurisdiction approves, and owners or maintenance staff doing monthly extinguisher inspections on their own facilities. The business entity licence application fee is $200, and an entity selling, servicing or installing fire alarm systems, special agent fire suppression systems or fire extinguishing systems must file commercial general liability insurance with a minimum limit per occurrence of $1,000,000 including premises/operations and products/completed operations coverage, plus verification of workers' compensation unless it is an independent contractor with no employees. The business entity must have an individual staff member holding a valid applicable individual fire protection endorsement for the type of work the business does. Individual endorsement fees are $100 each. |
| Reciprocity | ARM 24.144.502(1)(a) provides that the department shall issue an endorsement to an individual who currently holds the equivalent of the endorsement in another jurisdiction, meaning a state, territory, the federal government, a federally recognised tribe, a country or a local government, provided the applicant meets or exceeds the qualifications for endorsement in Montana. |
| Renewal | The business entity licence must be renewed annually on or before May 31; the renewal fee is $200 and the late fee for renewal after May 31 is $200. Renewal of endorsements is $100 regardless of the number of endorsements an individual holds. Under ARM 24.144.2101 endorsees must obtain a minimum of four hours of continuing education annually and affirm their duty to comply as part of licence renewal; the requirement does not apply until the endorsee's first full year of endorsement, hours may not be carried over, documentation must be kept for three years, the department may audit up to 50 percent of renewed endorsees, and non-compliance may result in administrative suspension. |
| Notes | Montana licenses fire sprinkler work through the Department of Labor and Industry's Fire Protection License Program rather than through a fire marshal: the company holds a business entity licence and each worker holds an individual endorsement, and state rule expressly defines a fire sprinkler system as a fire extinguishing system. |
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Sources: boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov, mca.legmt.gov, boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov, boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov. Always confirm current requirements with the issuing authority.
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