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New Georgia home inspector license law bill HB 1217

By Scott Patterson, ACI

Home Inspector with Trace Inspections, LLC TN #17

February 17, 2008 02:42 AM

This has been a work in progress for a few years with help form the Georgia Association of Home Inspectors and the Georgia ASHI Chapter. They have taken the good and the bad from other states laws and have formulated a fair, but not perfect piece of legislation in this bill.

It is very likely that this license bill will pass this year as is it pretty much supported by the major factions in the state. With GA passing home inspector licensing it would make for fairly easy reciprocity with inspectors from TN and Alabama as they have similar or more stringent license requirements. NC & SC would most likely have difficulty obtaining reciprocity due to their testing requirements. But only time will tell as to what the legislators will do.

I have just been sent the link to the new Georgia home inspector bill. Take a look and comment as you want and if you have some additional details please post them.

http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2007_08/fulltext/hb1217.htm

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Scott Patterson, ACI

Trace Inspections, LLC - Spring Hill, TN

Home Inspector, Middle TN

Hank, your question about the education requirement is answered in this section:

(A) Completed a board approved course of study of no less than 80 hours that covers all of the following components of a residential building of four units or less: heating system, cooling system, plumbing system, electrical system, structural components, foundation, roof covering, exterior and interior components, and site aspects as they affect the building; or (B)(i) Presented documentation as required by the board that he or she has been engaged in the practice of home inspection for compensation for not fewer than three years prior to the effective date of this chapter; and (ii) Performed not fewer than 100 home inspections for compensation;

So with three years and 100 inspections under your belt you do not need to meet the education requirement.

Feb 18, 2008 06:24 AM

Hank Spinnler

Harmony Home Inspection Services of GA - Hoschton, GA

Atlanta Home Inspector

Thanks Scott. I re-read that passage and missed the operative word "or" :)

Feb 18, 2008 09:43 AM

Erby Crofutt

B4 U Close Home Inspections&Radon Testing (www.b4uclose.com) - Lexington, KY

The Central Kentucky Home Inspector, Lexington KY

Where is the real true "Consumer" calling for legislation? I haven't seen one. Has anyone else?

I've seen the legislator calling for it because his staffer got a bad termite inspection. (What does that have to do with home inspection?) New Jersey.

I've seen realtors and builders calling for it, even though most builders are unlicensed.

But where's the consumer calling for it?

Mar 25, 2008 02:12 AM

Scott Patterson, ACI

Trace Inspections, LLC - Spring Hill, TN

Home Inspector, Middle TN

As with most pieces of legislation the public does not even know about it until it is law. I think that GA is just falling in line with all of the other Southern states. They are the only Southern state that is not licensed, well excluding FL and their lack luster law that was passed last year.

Mar 25, 2008 02:28 AM

Scott Patterson, ACI

Trace Inspections, LLC - Spring Hill, TN

Home Inspector, Middle TN

I just had an update from a good source in GA. The legislation is moving along and is in the final postion for passage. It looks like GA will the 33rd state to license. Time will only tell.

Mar 31, 2008 06:30 AM

Anonymous

Anon

How can you prove to them that you have done 100 inspections? Names & Addresses!

Apr 03, 2008 06:53 AM

Scott Patterson, ACI

Trace Inspections, LLC - Spring Hill, TN

Home Inspector, Middle TN

How can you prove to them that you have done 100 inspections? Names & Addresses!

Well, if they follow what other states have done it is a simple process. Anyone who claims the 100 inspections will either submit a list with the address, sign an affidavit attesting to the 100 inspections or both. Then after everything is up and running the agency will start random audits of those who claimed the 100 inspections. Illinois did this and they caught a very large number of folks who had fibbed. They then lost their license to practice as a home inspector and they were fined for lying on the affidavit!

Apr 03, 2008 10:14 AM

Scott Patterson, ACI

Trace Inspections, LLC - Spring Hill, TN

Home Inspector, Middle TN

House bill # 1217 is on the governors desk waiting for signature.

Looks like Georgia will be the next state to license home inspectors!!

Apr 05, 2008 09:12 AM

Scott Patterson, ACI

Trace Inspections, LLC - Spring Hill, TN

Home Inspector, Middle TN

House bill # 1217 is on the governors desk waiting for signature.

Looks like Georgia will be the next state to license home inspectors!!

Apr 05, 2008 09:12 AM

Scott Patterson, ACI

Trace Inspections, LLC - Spring Hill, TN

Home Inspector, Middle TN

The governor has signed the bill into law. Georgia is the second state this year to license home inspectors!

May 06, 2008 08:18 AM

Anonymous

Matt

I think you jumped the gun Scott...as of May 13 @ 1453 HB 1217 is not listed as having been signed yet.

May 13, 2008 06:55 AM

#12

Carla Horne

Grand View Home Inspections, LLC. - Meredith, NH

NH licensed Home Inspector

NH is soon to follow, the senate will concur with the house on their amendments and then it will be enrolled and on the gov. desk

the amended bill is not so bad

Carla

May 14, 2008 04:18 AM

Anonymous

Anon

House Bill 1217

House Bill 1217 provides a regime to license Georgia's home inspectors. I am cognizant and respectful of the fact that the advocates for the legislation chose to use and were approved by the Georgia Occupational Regulation Review Council (GORRC). I have come to believe that GORRC review should be the initial threshold for the creation of a new licensing board. I am also aware that the private sector provides several, voluntary professional organizations to achieve the goals of the legislation. It is my preference that the market - not the State - regulate as many of our industries as possible. Thus, in order to not supplant the good work of the free market with taxpayer funds, I VETO House Bill 1217.

Sonny Purdue rejects the home inspectors bill! I think he did this because organizations like ASHI and GAHI were trying to lock none members out of the business. IMO ASHI & GAHI should have presented legislation that covered all practicing inspectors, instead of just their members.

May 14, 2008 08:51 AM

#15

Scott Patterson, ACI

Trace Inspections, LLC - Spring Hill, TN

Home Inspector, Middle TN

Thank you for the update. I just received the same notice from Troutman. The legislation was ridiculous anyway, it made a person have code certs from all of the various code organization's just to cite a code on something that was wrong.

May 14, 2008 10:31 AM

Jacques Mountain

Dream Home Inspections/203K Consultant - Fayetteville, GA

Inspector/203K Consultant

The Governor vetoed the Home Inspector Bill here in Georgia.

He said he didn't want to make any more government agencies and that the home inspector agencies should oversee the credentials of home inspectors.

Sep 09, 2008 02:34 PM

Anonymous

Hank Spinnler

Robert, What Sonny said was posted Anonymously to threads above your thread.

Sep 09, 2008 02:43 PM

#18

Anonymous

Hank Spinnler

I meant to say "two" threads not to threads.

Sep 09, 2008 02:44 PM

#19

Jacques Mountain

Dream Home Inspections/203K Consultant - Fayetteville, GA

Inspector/203K Consultant

I was not scared to say it!

Sep 09, 2008 02:45 PM

Scott Patterson, ACI

Trace Inspections, LLC - Spring Hill, TN

Home Inspector, Middle TN

Hey Robert,

Thanks for stopping by. Yep, the old governor used that Veto power. With GA being the only unlicensed state in the South (FL passed a stinker of a law, but I have doubts that it will be read when the time comes) it is only a matter of time. It would be nice if all of the home inspector organizations had stringent requirements and testing, but we all know this is not the case.

The GA Governor is living in another world if he thinks that membership organizations will police the profession.

Sep 10, 2008 04:08 AM

Anonymous

Georgia Home Inspector

Your idea is so good carry on with your new ideas.

Aug 12, 2009 09:47 PM

#22

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