Home inspector licensing sunrise report issued

The Department of Licensing has issued its draft report on home inspector licensing. DOL recommends that the legislature regulate the home inspection services. In general, most persons testifying in the process were in favor of state regulation including: a testing process, continuing education requirements, pre-employment training and oversight by a state agency or board. The report states:

In light of the testimony by stakeholders from many disciplines, the evidence of consumer harm, the lack of methods of recourse, the lack of any form of standardization in education and experience, the potential for collusion between the real estate and home inspection profession, and the evidence of inconsistency of inspection practices, the Department of Licensing recommends that the Legislature consider licensure of the industry. (page 3)

The AIA/WA testified that we would support home inspector registration if the legislature chooses to enact such a law. However, we would expect that architects and engineers be exempted from the registration requirements. Architects and engineers provide inspection services as part of their professional practices and are already strictly regulated under state law.

The report notes that architects and engineers have “been exempted in previous legislation proposals for Home Inspector regulation. Both of these disciplines are currently required to be licensed (RCW 18.08 and 18.43 respectively) and have strongly voiced opposition being required to maintain a Home Inspector license as well. ”

The next step is for the legislative committees to review the report and a final report will be issued later this year. It is expected that new legislation will be introduced in January 2008.

For a copy of the report and background materials visit the Department of Licensing’s website at: http://www.dol.wa.gov/about/sunrise.html.