Home Inspectors in FL Need to Be Licensed by July 2010
Home inspectors in FL are currently not required to obtain a state home inspection license before conducting house inspections across the state, except in Charlotte County where only professionals in the building industry are allowed to apply for a house inspection license.
But by July 1, 2010, the approximately 3,000 house inspectors across Florida are expected to have obtained their state licenses. In addition to these inspectors, an increasing number of mold inspectors and mold remediation specialists are also expected to get their licenses.
However, many of these inspectors have been expressing their frustration at the way the state Department of Business and Professional Regulation has been preparing for the eventual licensing of house inspectors.
The home inspectors claim that it is now only eight months before July 1, 2010 and there are still no rules for inspectors to follow and there are still no licenses available.
In response, professional and business licensing officials explained that there was no money appropriated by state
legislators when they passed the bill for home inspectors in FL in 2007. They said that they are waiting for legislators to tackle the issue in their next regular legislative session.
In the meantime, the department related that licensing officers have been conducting sessions around the state, gathering input for licensing and inspection rules.
Several home inspectors and owners of home inspection businesses raised their concerns about expected licensing rules and exams. They said they have been conducting house inspections for the past several years and they are concerned that they will undergo the same procedures as the new ones without any home inspection experience.
One home inspection business owner said that he has conducted over 2,000 house inspections for over 14 years.
Some inspectors suggested that new home inspection applicants should get job training and complete at least 250 house inspections before they are issued licenses.
Building contractors, on the other hand, proposed that house inspectors should complete 8,000 hours of job training, similar to what they have undergone to obtain their contracting licenses.
Another issue raised by the inspectors is the grandfathering clause which was removed from the home inspection bill by Florida Governor Charlie Crist when he signed the bill in 2007.
Grandfathering allows existing house inspectors to gradually comply with the licensing rules.
As the licensing officials are gathering data, they assured home inspectors in FL that their main goal is to ensure the safety of homeowners and not to put any home inspector out of business.
