28 TAC § 34.616 sets the requirement twice, once for each half of the work. The installation of all fire detection and fire alarm devices or systems, INCLUDING MONITORING EQUIPMENT, must be performed by or under the DIRECT ON-SITE SUPERVISION of a licensed fire alarm technician, residential fire alarm technician, residential fire alarm superintendent, or fire alarm planning superintendent — for the work permitted by the license. The maintenance or servicing of all such devices or systems must be performed by or under the direct on-site supervision of the same list of classes, on the same condition. Two sentences, one standard, and a qualifier at the end of each that does the real work: FOR THE WORK PERMITTED BY THE LICENSE. A residential fire alarm technician appears on that list, and Chapter 4 established that this class may only supervise in a single-family or two-family dwelling.

The same rule also allocates responsibility across firms, which matters on any job with more than one. The licensee responsible for the planning must be licensed under the certificate of registration number of the registered firm responsible for the PLANNING. The certifying licensee — licensed under the number of the firm responsible for the INSTALLATION — must be present for the final acceptance test prior to certification. And the registered firm responsible for the planning can be a different firm from the one responsible for the installation. Chapter 3 covered that split; what belongs here is its consequence on site, which is that “who is supervising?” and “whose certificate covers this?” are two questions with potentially two answers.

Now the seam this book has flagged since Chapter 2, in the place where it matters most. The RULE requires direct ON-SITE supervision. The STATUTE, in the construction exemption at Insurance Code § 6002.155, conditions that exemption on the installation being performed under the DIRECT SUPERVISION of and certified by a licensed employee or agent of a registered firm, with the registered firm assuming full responsibility — and the word on-site does not appear. These are two provisions, in two instruments, with two amendment paths, and they govern two different situations: the rule’s standard applies to licensed work generally, and the statute’s wording is a condition of an exemption from licensing. Whichever one is in front of you, quote that one. The safe practice is not to reason from one to the other.