3.5 Fees, the Two-Year Renewal Cycle and Late Renewal
Key Takeaways
- A renewal of a registration certificate or license is valid for two years, and the renewal fee for each year of the two-year period is payable on renewal (§ 6002.201(a)).
- At least 30 days before expiration the state fire marshal must send written notice of the impending expiration to the holder's last known address (§ 6002.202).
- Expired 90 days or less: pay the renewal fee plus a fee not exceeding one-fourth of the initial fee. Expired more than 90 days but less than two years: pay all unpaid renewal fees plus a fee not exceeding the initial fee (§ 6002.203(b)–(c)).
- Expired two years or longer: the certificate or license cannot be renewed; the person must meet the requirements for an initial credential and, under § 34.615(c), take and pass another test.
- Continuing education is voluntary — § 6002.159(b) states that participation in commissioner-certified continuing education programs is voluntary; there is no mandatory CE hour requirement in Chapter 6002 or Subchapter F.
Why This Section Matters
Renewal arithmetic is one of the most reliably tested topics on TFM11 because the numbers are fixed and the tiers are crisp. It is also where bad study material does the most damage — several widely circulated Texas fire alarm summaries invent a mandatory continuing-education requirement that does not exist in Texas law.
1. The Two-Year Term (§ 6002.201)
"A renewal of a registration certificate or license issued under this chapter is valid for a period of two years. The license or registration renewal fee for each year of the two-year period is payable on renewal."
That construction explains the whole fee table: § 6002.054 caps fees per year, and § 34.614 states them as two-year totals. So a $100 per-year cap becomes a $200 two-year renewal.
The commissioner may adopt staggered expiration dates; for a partial first year the fee is prorated monthly (§ 6002.201(b)). A license or certificate expires at midnight on the date printed on it (§ 6002.203(f)).
2. Current Fee Schedule (28 TAC § 34.614(c))
| Item | Initial | Two-year renewal | Late 1–90 days | Late 91 days–2 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of registration | $500 | $1,000 | $125 + $37.50 per branch office | $500 + $150 per branch office |
| Branch office | $150 | $300 | — | — |
| Certificate of registration – single station | $250 | $500 | $62.50 | $250 |
| Single-station branch office | None | None | — | — |
| FAL, AMT, RAS-SS, RAS, APS licenses | $120 | $200 | $30 | $120 |
| RAL license | $50 (one year) | $100 | $12.50 | $50 |
| Training school approval | $500 (one year) | $500 (one year) | — | — |
| Instructor approval | $50 (one year) | $50 (one year) | — | — |
| Change of address request | — | — | — | $0 |
| Duplicate/revised certificate, approval, license, or other requested change | $20 | |||
| Initial test / retest (if SFMO-administered) | $20 / $20 |
Payment must be by cashier's check or money order payable to the Texas Department of Insurance, or by online payment; except for overpayments resulting from mistakes of law or fact, all fees are nonrefundable (§ 34.614(a)). All fees are forfeited if the applicant does not appear for the scheduled test (§ 34.614(d)).
3. Verify the Late Fees Against the Statute
Section 6002.203 states the late fees as fractions, and § 34.614 states them as dollars. They agree:
| Tier | Statutory formula | FAL license example |
|---|---|---|
| Expired 90 days or less | Renewal fee + a fee not exceeding one-fourth of the initial fee | $200 renewal + $30 (¼ × $120) |
| Expired more than 90 days but less than two years | All unpaid renewal fees + a fee not exceeding the initial fee | $200 renewal + $120 (= initial fee) |
| Expired two years or longer | May not renew — must obtain a new credential | New application, new fees, and a new test under § 34.615(c) |
Section 34.614(f) confirms the arithmetic: "Fees for certificates and licenses that have expired for less than two years include both renewal and late fees."
Do not use "1.5× / 2×" shortcuts. Those percentages appear in some third-party study guides and do not match either the statutory caps or the published dollar amounts.
4. Renewal Mechanics
| Rule | Requirement |
|---|---|
| § 6002.202 | The state fire marshal must send written notice of impending expiration at least 30 days before the expiration date, to the last known address |
| § 6002.203(a) | An unexpired holder renews by paying the required renewal fee before the expiration date |
| § 6002.203(f) | The renewal application and fee must be postmarked on or before the expiration date to be timely |
| § 34.613(d)(1) | A complete renewal deposited with the USPS is deemed timely filed regardless of actual delivery, if postmarked before expiration |
| § 6002.203(g) | If the renewal application is incomplete but there has been no lapse in required insurance, the applicant gets 30 days from notice of deficiencies to comply; failure to correct allows a late fee |
| § 6002.203(e) | The section does not prevent the department from denying or refusing renewal under applicable law or rules |
| § 6002.204 / § 34.613(d)(2) | A licensee not employed by a registered firm may renew, but may not engage in any licensed activity until employed and qualified by a registered firm |
| § 34.615(c) | No test is required for a licensee whose license is renewed within two years of expiration |
TDI adds that renewal notices are sent 90 days before a license expires and, after the initial renewal, every two years.
5. Continuing Education Is Voluntary (§ 6002.159)
"(a) The commissioner may adopt procedures for certifying and may certify continuing education programs. (b) Participation in the continuing education programs is voluntary."
There is no biennial CE hour requirement for a Texas fire alarm license — no 8 hours, no 16 hours, no ethics component. If an answer choice asserts mandatory CE, it is wrong. (Contrast this with the mandatory 7-hour training course an RAL applicant must complete before licensure under § 6002.158(e) and § 34.628 — that is pre-licensure training, not continuing education.)
6. Worked Renewal Problems
Problem 1. An FAL license expired 45 days ago. → Tier 1. Pay the $200 two-year renewal plus a $30 late fee (one-fourth of the $120 initial fee). The licensee may not work until the renewal is processed, because § 34.611(f)(1) requires an unexpired license.
Problem 2. An ACR with three branch offices expired 120 days ago. → Tier 2. Pay the $1,000 renewal plus a $500 late fee plus $150 per branch office ($450) — $1,950 total under § 34.614(c)(1)(D), plus each branch's own $300 renewal.
Problem 3. An APS license expired 26 months ago. → Beyond two years. Cannot renew (§ 6002.203(d)). The person must apply as a new applicant and, under § 34.615(c), take and pass another test — TFM11 plus the applicable technical qualification.
Problem 4. A licensee is laid off two months before renewal. → § 6002.204 lets the license be renewed, but the licensee may not perform any licensed activity until employed and qualified by a registered firm.
Problem 5. A renewal is postmarked the day before expiration but arrives a week late. → Timely. Section 6002.203(f) and § 34.613(d)(1) key timeliness to the postmark, not delivery.
A Texas Fire Alarm Technician license has been expired for 60 days. Under § 6002.203(b) and 28 TAC § 34.614(c)(3), what must the licensee pay?
What continuing education must an individual Texas fire alarm licensee complete for each two-year renewal?
A fire alarm planning superintendent license has been expired for 26 months. What is required to become licensed again?