Except as otherwise provided in this title: an individual may not personally provide security systems services unless the individual is registered as a security systems technician; a person licensed under this title may not employ or contract with an individual with access to circumventional information unless the individual is registered as required under this subtitle; neither a licensee nor a registrant may provide access to circumventional information to an individual who is not registered under this subtitle; and an employee of a person licensed under this title may not obtain access to circumventional information unless the employee is registered as an individual with access to circumventional information.

To qualify for registration as a security systems technician or other individual who has access to circumventional information, an applicant shall: be at least 18 years old; and be of good moral character. In addition to any other requirements and except for those applicants who survey properties only for the purpose of installing a security system, an applicant for registration as a security systems technician shall meet any training requirements that the Secretary establishes by regulation. The State Department of Education, in conjunction with the Secretary, may establish by regulation a cooperative education program under which a minor may learn the security systems trade with on–site supervision by a security systems registrant under the auspices of cooperative education registration with the schools.

An applicant for registration shall: submit to the Secretary an application in the manner and format designated by the Secretary; submit the documents required by this section; and pay to the Secretary in a method approved by the Secretary: an application fee that is the higher of $15 or an amount the Secretary determines based on actual processing costs; and the cost of any background checks. The application provided by the Secretary shall contain a statement advising the applicant that willfully making a false statement on an application is a misdemeanor, subject to a fine or imprisonment or both, as provided under § 18–504 of this title. An applicant for registration shall submit with the application two complete sets of the applicant’s legible fingerprints taken in a format approved by the Director of the Central Repository and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Secretary may waive the requirements of this section and register an applicant who: provides adequate evidence that the applicant: is licensed in another state to engage in the business of providing security systems services or registered in another state as a security systems technician or other individual who has access to circumventional information; and became licensed or registered in the other state: after meeting qualifications that are at least equivalent to those required in this State; and after submitting to a State and national criminal records check; and pays to the Secretary, in a method approved by the Secretary, a processing fee that is the higher of $15 or an amount the Secretary determines based on actual processing costs. A minor in an apprenticeship program approved by the Maryland Department of Labor or a cooperative education program established under § 18–3A–02 of this subtitle is not required to meet the criminal background check and fingerprint requirements of this section.

Except for registration under § 18–3A–03(d) of this subtitle, the Secretary shall conduct a State and national criminal history records check of an applicant before registering the applicant. An applicant shall pay to the Secretary the cost of any background checks before the applicant may be registered.

The Secretary shall register each applicant who meets the requirements of this subtitle. The Secretary shall include on each registration that the Secretary issues: the full name of the registrant; the current address of the registrant; the date of issuance of the registration; and the date on which the registration expires. For all registrations other than temporary registrations, the Secretary shall issue to each registrant a pocket identification card that includes: a photograph of the registrant, supplied by the registrant; and the expiration date of the registrant’s registration. Each registrant shall give the Secretary written notice of any change of address within 10 business days after the change.

While an individual is registered as a security systems technician and employed by or under contract with a security systems agency licensed under this title, the individual is authorized to personally provide security systems services. While an individual is registered as a security systems technician and employed by or under contract with a security systems agency licensed under this title, the individual is authorized to have access to circumventional information.

By regulation, the Secretary shall stagger the terms of the registrations under this subtitle. Unless a registration is renewed for a 3–year term as provided in this section, the registration expires on the date the Secretary sets. At least 90 days before a registration expires, the applicant shall submit to the Secretary: a renewal application in the manner and format designated by the Secretary; the amount of the renewal fee in a method approved by the Secretary; and the amount of any late fee, as determined by the Secretary. An individual periodically may renew a registration for an additional 3–year term if the individual: otherwise is entitled to be registered; pays to the Secretary in a method approved by the Secretary: a renewal fee that is the higher of $15 or an amount which the Secretary determines based on the actual processing costs; the fee authorized under § 10–221(b)(7) of the Criminal Procedure Article for access to Maryland criminal history records; the mandatory processing fee required by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history records check; and any late fee required under this subtitle; and submits to the Secretary: a renewal application in the manner and format designated by the Secretary; two complete sets of the applicant’s legible fingerprints taken in a format approved by the Director of the Central Repository and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and satisfactory evidence of compliance with any other requirements under this section for renewal of registration. In accordance with §§ 10–201 through 10–235 of the Criminal Procedure Article, the Central Repository shall forward to the applicant and the Department of State Police a printed statement of the applicant’s criminal history records information. Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, if a complete application for renewal of registration as required under this subtitle is not received by the Secretary at least 30 calendar days before the certification expires, the Secretary shall assess a late fee of $5 per day until the application is received by the Secretary. The total amount of late fees assessed under this subsection may not exceed $150. The Secretary may not register any applicant under this title if the applicant has outstanding late fee obligations. The Secretary may waive the national criminal history records check required under subsection (d) of this section for an applicant who was registered under § 18–3A–03 of this subtitle if the applicant pays to the Secretary, in a method approved by the Secretary, a processing fee of $15. If the renewal application was submitted as required under this section and the national criminal history records check required under this section is not completed before a registration expires, the Secretary shall allow the applicant to operate in a temporary registration status if the applicant otherwise meets the requirements of this section. The temporary registration status shall expire at the earlier of: the completion of the national criminal history records check of the applicant; or the renewal or denial of the registration. The Secretary shall renew the registration of each individual who meets the requirements of this section. Within 5 days after the Secretary refuses to renew the registration of an individual under this title, the Secretary shall send written notice of the refusal to the individual who submitted the renewal application.

Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Secretary shall temporarily register any individual who: does not have the training required under § 18–3A–02(b) of this subtitle but otherwise meets the requirements for registration under this title; or does not have the State and national criminal history records check required under § 18–3A–04(a) of this subtitle. If the Secretary determines after a preliminary background investigation that the issuance of a temporary registration to an individual would result in a potential threat to public safety, the Secretary may refuse to temporarily register that individual. Temporary registration of a registrant under this section shall expire at the earlier of: if the temporary registration was issued pursuant to subsection (a)(1) of this section, acquisition by the registrant of the training required under § 18-3A-02(b) of this subtitle; or if the temporary registration was issued pursuant to subsection (a)(2) of this section, completion of the State and national criminal records check required under § 18-3A-04(a) of this subtitle. An applicant obtaining temporary registration under this section: shall receive a form of identification as determined by the Secretary; and shall work under the supervision of an individual who has met the requirements of §§ 18-3A-02, 18-3A-03, and 18-3A-04 of this subtitle and is registered under § 18-3A-05 of this subtitle.

Subject to the hearing provisions of § 18-3A-10 of this subtitle, the Secretary may deny registration to any applicant, reprimand any registrant, fine any registrant, or suspend or revoke a registration if the applicant or registrant: fraudulently or deceptively obtains or attempts to obtain a registration for the applicant or registrant or for another; fraudulently or deceptively uses a registration; has a similar license or registration denied, suspended, or revoked in another jurisdiction; pleads guilty or nolo contendere to or is convicted of a felony, theft offense, or crime of moral turpitude; aids an individual in obtaining or attempting to obtain fraudulently or deceptively registration under this title; while not registered as a security systems technician and employed by or under contract with a security systems agency licensed under this title, solicits to engage in or willfully engages in personally providing security systems services; while not registered as a security systems technician and employed by or under contract with a security systems agency licensed under this title, willfully advertises as a security systems technician; willfully makes a false statement or misrepresentation in any renewal application or in any other document that the Secretary requires to be submitted; or violates any other provision of this title or any regulation adopted by the Secretary under this title.

Before the Secretary denies the registration of an applicant under § 18-3A-09(4) of this subtitle, the Secretary shall consider the following factors: the length of time that has passed since the applicant pleaded guilty or nolo contendere or was convicted of the felony, theft offense, or crime of moral turpitude; whether the applicant was a security systems technician prior to the requirement of registration under this subtitle; and any evidence that the applicant has been a good citizen since the applicant pleaded guilty or nolo contendere or was convicted of the felony, theft offense, or crime of moral turpitude.

Before the Secretary takes any final action under § 18-3A-09 of this subtitle, the Secretary shall give the individual against whom the action is contemplated an opportunity for either: a hearing before the Secretary; or a hearing before an advisory panel consisting of the following members appointed by the Secretary: a member of the Department of State Police; a representative of the security systems industry; one member who has engaged the services of a security systems agency; and two members representing consumers. A hearing before an advisory panel under this section does not preclude a hearing before the Secretary. The Secretary or the advisory panel shall give notice and hold the hearing in accordance with Title 10, Subtitle 2 of the State Government Article. The hearing notice to be given to the individual shall be sent by certified mail to the last known address of the individual at least 10 business days before the hearing. The Secretary or the advisory panel may administer oaths in connection with any proceeding under this section. The individual may be represented at the hearing by counsel. If, after due notice, the individual against whom the action is contemplated fails or refuses to appear, the Secretary or the advisory panel may, nevertheless, hear and determine the matter.

Any person aggrieved by a final decision of the Secretary in a contested case, as defined in § 10-202 of the State Government Article, may take an appeal as allowed in Title 10, Subtitle 2 of the State Government Article.