(1) The practice of or the offer to practice septic tank contracting services by registrants through a parent corporation, corporation, subsidiary of a corporation, or partnership offering septic tank contracting services to the public through registrants under this chapter as agents, employers, officers, or partners is permitted, provided that one or more of the principal officers of the corporation or one or more partners of the partnership and all personnel of the corporation or partnership who act in its behalf as septic tank contractors or master septic tank contractors in this state are registered as provided by this part, and further provided that the corporation or partnership has been issued a certificate of authorization by the department as provided in this section. A registered contractor may not be the sole qualifying contractor for more than one business that requests a certificate of authorization. A business organization that loses its qualifying contractor has 60 days following the date the qualifier terminates his or her affiliation within which to obtain another qualifying contractor. During this period, the business organization may complete any existing contract or continuing contract, but may not undertake any new contract. This period may be extended once by the department for an additional 60 days upon a showing of good cause. Nothing in this section shall be construed to mean that a certificate of registration to practice septic tank contracting shall be held by a corporation. No corporation or partnership shall be relieved of responsibility for the conduct or acts of its agents, employees, or officers by reason of its compliance with this section, nor shall any individual practicing septic tank contracting be relieved of responsibility for professional services performed by reason of his or her employment or relationship with a corporation or partnership.

(2) For the purposes of this section, a certificate of authorization shall be required for a corporation, partnership, association, or person practicing under a fictitious name, offering septic tank contracting services to the public, except that when an individual is practicing septic tank contracting in his or her own given name, he or she shall not be required to register under this section.

(3) Each certification of authorization shall be renewed every 2 years. Each partnership and corporation certified under this section shall notify the department within 1 month of any change in the information contained in the application upon which the certification is based.

(4) Disciplinary action against a corporation or partnership shall be administered in the same manner and on the same grounds as disciplinary action against a registered septic tank contractor or master septic tank contractor.

(5) When a certificate of authorization has been revoked, any person authorized by law to provide septic tank contracting services may not use the name or fictitious name of the entity whose certificate was revoked, or any other identifiers for the entity, including telephone numbers, advertisements, or logos.

History.—ss. 5, 10, ch. 87-310; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 10, ch. 96-303; s. 52, ch. 97-98; s. 28, ch. 98-151; s. 6, ch. 98-420.