(1) (a) Before any person's name shall appear before the voters on election day as a candidate for the office of property valuation administrator in any primary or general election, except a current property valuation administrator already qualified as a candidate to succeed himself or herself in office, or before that person may be appointed property valuation administrator, except as an interim appointee as provided by KRS 132.375, that person shall hold a certificate issued by the department, showing that he or she has been examined by the department and is qualified for the office.
(b) All certificates issued shall expire one (1) year from the date of issuance.
(c) The examinations shall be written and formulated so as to test fairly the ability and fitness of the applicant to serve as property valuation administrator.
(d) The department shall hold the examination at a central location during the month of November of each year immediately preceding each year in which property valuation administrators are to be elected.
(e) The department shall, at least thirty (30) days prior to the examination, issue a statewide press release announcing the examination and post the announcement on the department's Web site.
(f) Any person desiring to take an examination shall appear at the time and place designated.
(2) (a) If, after the giving of the examination, as provided in subsection (1) of this section, there is no person qualified to be a candidate in the county, the department shall hold a second examination.
(b) Applicants from only those counties having no person qualified shall be eligible to take the examination.
(c) Notice of the second examination shall be made by issuing a press release in those counties and posting an announcement for the examination on the department's Web site at least fourteen (14) days prior to the second examination.
(3) (a) If no qualified candidate files for the office, a special examination shall be given at a time determined by the department.
(b) Notice of and registration for the special examination shall be provided in the same manner as provided in subsection (2) of this section.
(4) (a) Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of property valuation administrator to be filled by appointment or by election, and there is not more than one (1) person holding a valid certificate and eligible for appointment or election, the department shall hold a special examination for applicants seeking a certificate for the office.
(b) If, after the giving of a special examination, only one (1) person is qualified, the county judge/executive may request a second examination.
(c) Notice of and registration for the special examination shall be provided in the same manner as provided by subsection (2) of this section.
(5) (a) Examinations shall be given and graded in accordance with rules of the department published at the time of the examination.
(b) Within ten (10) days after the examination, a certificate of fitness and qualification to fill the office of property valuation administrator shall be issued by the department to each person passing the examination.
(6) Examination records shall be preserved by the department for twelve (12) months after the examination, and the record of any person who took the examination may be seen by him or her at the office of the department in Frankfort, Kentucky.