Fees and other charges equal as nearly as may be to the cost of the services rendered shall be assessed and collected from applicants in accordance with the following provisions unless otherwise provided in the cooperative agreement under which the services are furnished, or as provided in §53.8.

(a) Fees based on hourly rates. Except as otherwise provided in this section, fees for service shall be based on the time required to render the service, calculated to the nearest 15-minute period, including time required for the preparation of certificates and travel of the official grader in connection with the performance of service. A minimum charge for 1 hour shall be made for service pursuant to each request notwithstanding that the time required to perform service may be less than 60 minutes. The base hourly rate shall be $29.40 per hour for work performed between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on legal holidays; $32.80 per hour for work performed before 6 a.m. or after 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and anytime Saturday or Sunday except on legal holidays; and $58.80 per hour for all work performed on legal holidays.

(b) Travel charges. When service is requested at a place so distant from an official grader's headquarters, or place of prior assignment on a circuitous routing that a total of one-half hour or more is required for the grader to travel to such place and back to the headquarters, or to the next place of assignment on a circuitous routing, the charge for such service shall include a mileage charge administratively determined by the Chief, and travel tolls, if applicable, for such travel prorated against all the applicants furnished the service involved on an equitable basis, or where the travel is made by public transportation (including hired vehicle), a fee equal to the actual cost thereof. However, the applicant will not be charged a new mileage rate without notification before the service is rendered.

(c) Per diem charges. When service is requested at a place away from the official grader's headquarters, the fee for such service shall include a per diem charge if the employee performing the service is paid per diem in accordance with existing travel regulations. Per diem charges to applicants will cover the same period of time for which the grader receives per diem reimbursement. The per diem rate will be administratively determined by the Chief. However, the applicant will not be charged a new per diem rate without notification before the service is rendered.

(d) Fees for extra copies of certificates. In addition to copies of certificates furnished under §53.16, any financially interested person may obtain not to exceed three copies of any such certificate within 1 year from its date of issuance upon payment of a fee of $1.00, and not to exceed three copies of any such certificate at any time thereafter, while a copy of such certificate is on file in the Department, upon payment of a fee of $5.00.

(e) Other charges. When costs, other than costs specified in paragraphs (a), (b), (c), and (d) of this section, are involved in providing the services, the applicant will be charged for these costs. The amount of these charges will be determined administratively by the Chief. However, the applicant will not be charged for such cost without notification before the service is rendered of the charge for such item of expense.

[42 FR 53902, Oct. 4, 1977, as amended at 47 FR 54927, Dec. 7, 1982; 48 FR 16874, Apr. 20, 1983]