What's happening
This bill requires home inspector license applicants in New York to pass the National Home Inspector examination.
Why it matters
Standardizes the qualification process. for home inspector licenses by requiring all applicants to pass the National Home Inspector Examination, ensuring a consistent and widely recognized benchmark for competency.
Removes discretion from the state secretary. to approve or create alternative exams, closing loopholes and potentially raising the bar for entry into the home inspection profession.
May impact current and future applicants. by invalidating previously accepted or alternative national exams, requiring those who haven't yet been licensed to take the specific National Home Inspector Examination, possibly increasing preparation time and costs.
Aligns New York with national standards. , which could improve consumer confidence in home inspections and facilitate reciprocity for inspectors moving between states that use the same exam.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require National Inspector Exam
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 4
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.592
- Referred to judiciary
- Reported and committed to rules
- Print number 649a
- Amend and recommit to judiciary
- Referred to judiciary
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Standardize Home Inspector Licensing
In Senate Committee · Judiciary · Sponsor Donna Lupardo
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
649--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 4, 2017
Introduced by Sen. BOYLE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the real property law, in relation to home inspection professional licensing
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subdivision 1 of section 444-e of the real property law, as amended by section 59 of part D of chapter 60 of the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows:
(c) have passed [a written or electronic] the National Home Inspector examination [approved by the secretary, and designed to test competence in home inspection practice as determined by a recognized role definition methodology and developed and administered to the extent practicable in a manner consistent with the American Educational Research Association's "Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing." An applicant who has passed an existing nationally recognized examination, as approved by the secretary, prior to the effective date of this article shall be in compliance with this paragraph]; and
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to applications for a license as a home inspector received on or after such date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02174-02-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the real property law, in relation to home inspection professional licensing
Purpose
The purpose of this bill is to replace the current New York State home inspector licensing examination with the National Home Inspector examination.
Summary of provisions
This bill would amend paragraph c of subdivision I of section 444-e of the Real Property Law to designate the National Home Inspector licensing exam as the exam required for licensure as a home inspector in New York State.
Justification
Currently over 35 states regulate the home inspector profession; 28 of those states use the National Home Inspector examination in the licensing process. Unlike the majority of states that regulate home inspectors, New York has chosen to use a state created exam with a more limited question pool and less methodological rigor. The national exam draws from a pool of nearly ten times as many questions as the New York exam, is updated more regularly, and is developed in closer consultation with actual home inspectors, who are the people most likely to be aware of new developments in the industry. Reflecting its role in the industry, the National Home Inspector Exam is already required for membership in the National Association of Home Inspectors and since it predated most licensing laws, was used to grandfather in home inspectors that had taken it when New York first passed its home inspector licensing law.
By switching to the national exam, New York will afford its residents a greater opportunity to work in neighboring states and will give home inspectors greater flexibility in the future. By adopting a policy similar to the majority of other states that license home inspectors, including New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Vermont, New York home inspectors will be able to better compete with home inspectors from neighboring states. Under current law, a New York home inspector who is already licensed in New York who wishes to also be licensed in New Jersey, must take the national exam and then apply for a license in the neighboring state, while home inspectors from neighboring states are able to take the National Exam, get licensed in their home state, and then simply pay a fee and be licensed in New York without the need for any additional testing.
Legislative history
New Bill.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
The act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to applications for a license as a home inspector received on or after such date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.