Washington's Final Licensing Deadline Nears

[Michael P. O'Handley]

Hi All,

With less than 100 days remaining until every practicing home inspector in the state of Washington must either be licensed or close down the business until all requirements for licensure have been met, the Washington State Department of Licensing is trying to spread the word and ensure that all inspectors know what the new rules are.

On Friday, March 26, DOL issued the following via their list server:

Information about home inspector licensing!

All home inspectors must be licensed by July 1, 2010. There are four steps to becoming a licensed home inspector:

1. Get educated
2. Submit an exam application
3. Take the exam
4. Apply for your license

Here are detailed instructions on the steps to becoming a licensed home inspector!

1. Get educated

If you were not licensed before September 1, 2009, you are required to take a board approved, 120-hour home inspection fundamentals course and mentor with an experienced home inspector for 40 hours of field training to include 5 actual home inspections.

You can find a list of board approved fundamental courses on the Department of Licensing website.

2. Submit an exam application

After you finish your education and field training, submit your home inspection exam application packet. Your exam application must include:

1. Proof of completing a board approved home inspection fundamentals course
2. Proof of completing field training with an experienced home inspector with 5 actual home inspections
3. A complete home inspector exam application form

Mail your exam application to:
Home Inspectors
Department of Licensing
P O Box 9048
Olympia WA 98507-9048

Once your exam application has been evaluated and approved, you will receive an exam eligibility approval letter with contact information for the exam provider and instructions on completing the license process.

3. Take the exam

You must contact the exam provider to schedule your exam time and location and arrange payment for your exam. The cost for the full exam is $300.

When you pass the exam, the exam provider will give you state and national pass reports you will need for your license application.

If you fail all or a portion of the exam, you must wait 24 hours before scheduling with the exam provider to retake your exam. The cost to retake your exam is $125 for the state portion and $250 for the national portion.

4. Apply for your license

After passing your home inspector exam, submit your home inspector license application. Your license application must include:

1. A copy of your state and national pass reports from the exam provider
2. A complete home inspector license application form with your date of birth and Social Security Number required by RCW 26.23.150
3. Your $680 licensing fee made payable to Washington State Treasurer

Mail your license application to:
Home Inspectors
Department of Licensing
P O Box 9048
Olympia WA 98507-9048

For more information, please contact us at:

Home Inspectors
Department of Licensing
P O Box 9015
Olympia WA 98507-9015

Email: DOLINTHomeInspectors@dol.wa.gov
Phone: 360-664-6487
Fax: 360-586-0998

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[David D. Whitt]

It appears that he majority of your continuing education can be from Nachi. If you go to their website International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) you can take most of those courses for free.
I had to jump through similar hoops.
What gets me is that you must "mentor with an experienced home inspector for 40 hours of field training to include 5 actual home inspections.
Do they really want you to mentor with an experienced HI or a LICENSED one. If I am not mistaken, YOU are an experienced HI. If Washington didn't have Licensing aren't all of you experienced.
All I can say after that rant is I wish you all the best.

[Michael P. O'Handley]

Hi David,

No, for initial licensure only in-classroom training that conforms with the curriculum set down by the board can apply to licensure.

Because they were concerned there might not be enough licensed inspectors available for mentoring during ramp up, DOL has specifically allowed inspectors to do the supervised inspections with experienced inspectors until licensing is fully implemented after July 1st.

Under the rules, an "experienced" inspector had to have been in the business at least two years as of June 12, 2008 and to have had at least 100 inspections as of that date. That means that if the inspector is still in the business and has been successful, he or she has a minimum of about 45 months in the business by now and should have completed many more inspections.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike O'Handley, LHI
Your Inspector LLC.
Kenmore, Washington
Wa. Lic. Home Inspector #202