Section 150. Inspection certificate and inspection fees

A. Upon the inspection and determination that a boiler or pressure vessel is suitable and conforms to this chapter, the owner or user shall remit the payment for an inspection certificate in one of the following forms and amounts for each item required to be inspected under the Act.

1. Payment of $20 may be sent from the owner or user to the chief inspector by check, credit card or money order. Payment of inspection certificate fees should be made payable to the Treasurer of Virginia; or

2. Payment may be presented to a special inspector, where the inspector is authorized to collect and forward such fees on the department's behalf. The commissioner may authorize special inspectors to collect and forward to the chief inspector $16 for each inspection certificate. Pursuant to § 40.1-51.10:1 of the Code of Virginia, special inspectors may charge owners or users a fee not exceeding $4.00 for collecting and forwarding inspection certificate fees.

An inspection certificate will not be issued to the owner or user until payment is received by either the department or, if previously authorized, by a special inspector. A fee of $10 will be charged for each reprint of an inspection certificate.

B. The chief inspector may extend an inspection certificate for up to three additional months beyond a two month grace period following the expiration of a certificate. Such extension is subject to a satisfactory external inspection of the boiler or pressure vessel and receipt of a fee of $20 for each month of extension.

C. When the chief inspector determines that no contract fee inspectors are available to inspect a regulated uninsured boiler or pressure vessel in a timely manner, a commonwealth inspector may be directed to conduct a certification inspection. Contract fee inspection service shall be determined unavailable where (i) at least two contract fee inspectors contacted will not agree to provide inspection services to the owner or user within at least 21 days from the request and (ii) the owner's or user's inspection certificate will expire within that same period.

The following rates per inspected object, in addition to inspection certificate fees, shall apply for certification inspections conducted by a commonwealth inspector:

	1. Power boilers and high pressure, high temperature water boilers	$135
	2. Heating boilers	$70
	3. Pressure vessels	$50

D. The review of a manufacturer's or repair organization's facility for the purpose of national accreditation will be performed by the chief inspector or his qualified designee for an additional fee of $1,000 per review or survey.

E. The owner or user who causes a boiler or pressure vessel to be operated without a valid certificate shall be subject to the penalty as provided for in § 40.1-51.12 of the Act.

F. Inspection certificates are not required for unfired pressure vessels inspected by an authorized owner-user inspection agency. However, the agency shall keep on file in its office in the establishment where the equipment is located a true record or copy of the report of the latest of each inspection signed by the inspector who made the inspection.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR425-01-75 § 2.14, eff. July 1, 1974; amended, eff. November 1, 1978; July 1, 1991; September 1, 1993; amended, Volume 15, Issue 05, eff. January 1, 1999; Volume 19, Issue 19, eff. July 2, 2003; Volume 29, Issue 05, eff. December 12, 2012.

Statutory Authority

§ 40.1-51.6 of the Code of Virginia.