·  Reference: Complete Rules Governing Inspectors

1. Citizen of the United States or a lawfully admitted alien
2. Resident of Texas at the time application is filed
3. At least 18 years of age
4. Found to be honest, trustworthy, & possessing integrity (Background Investigation through DPS)
5. Qualifies in one of the following ways: A. Has been actively licensed as a Real Estate Inspector for at least 12 months during 24 month period prior to filing Professional Application AND has completed 128 classroom hours of core real estate inspection courses, eight of which must be related to the study of standards of practice, legal issues, or ethics related to the profession of real estate inspections. (includes the 90 completed as an apprentice) AND has completed 200 inspections (175 of which are performed under indirect supervision while licensed as a R.E. Inspector & 25 of which were completed under direct supervision as an apprentice)
     or
   B. Has completed 448 classroom hours of core real estate inspection courses. This total consists of the following:
   8 hours of the study of standards of practice, legal issues, or ethics related to the profession of real estate inspections;
   320 hours in specific professional inspector education alternative courses (professional inspector education alternative courses must be offered by TREC approved education providers. A link to a list of providers and courses can be found on the TREC web site, on the main page of the Inspector tab area);
   and 120 hours of other Core real estate inspection courses;
     or
   C. 128 classroom hours of core real estate inspection courses AND five years experience as a licensed or registered architect, professional engineer, or engineer-in-training;
     or
   D. 128 classroom hours of core real estate inspection courses AND can provide two reference letters documenting seven years of personal experience inspecting, installing, servicing, repairing or maintaining each of the structural, mechanical and electrical systems found in improvements to real property. (The 128 hours includes the 8 classroom hours in the study of standards of practice, legal issues, or ethics related to the profession of real estate inspections).

Documentation of experience must be in verified form and from persons other than the applicant who have personal knowledge of the applicant's occupation and work.

6. File the Professional Inspector License Application form
7. Pass Professional Inspector licensing exam

$60.00 (+ $20.00 eval. fee if not paid within previous 1 year) = $80.00
$59.00 exam fee paid to PSI when scheduling exam
$100.00 Recovery Fund paid to TREC after exam is passed

·  Three hours, 150 questions, multiple choice
·  Six months to pass test after applying
·  May take 3 times during six months
·  No required waiting time between tests
(If an applicant fails the exam three consecutive times in connection with the same application, the applicant may not apply for reexamination or submit a new license application with the commission for six months from the date the last exam was failed.)

Timely:

Fee:

Education for Renewal:

NOTE: Increase in Education Hours Required as of January, 2006:
To renew your license on ACTIVE status, you must have completed 16 classroom hours of commission-approved core/continuing education real estate inspection courses for each twelve month period between your most recent license expiration date and your next license expiration date.


Form Required: Original Renewal Form, Duplicate Renewal Form, or Letter

Renewal length: Two years

Expired: (Up to two years)

Up to two years after license expiration, an individual can file another application for a license with no additional examination required; however, at least 16 classroom hours of commission-approved core real estate inspection courses are required.

Any business day

200 inspections as a professional inspector
License must be active
Submit letter notifying TREC of intent to sponsor

1. To be licensed as a Professional Inspector, an individual must be a citizen of the United States or a lawfully admitted alien, eighteen (18) years of age or older and a legal resident of Texas.
2. The filing of an application authorizes an investigation of the applicant's background. Information revealed in an investigation may be cause for disapproval of an application even though other requirements for a license are met. If an investigation is necessary, it may not be conducted until the applicant has passed the examination.
3. The Professional Inspector applicant must have been licensed as a Real Estate Inspector for at least 12 months; show evidence of having performed at least 175 inspections under the indirect supervision of a Professional Inspector qualified to sponsor; proof of completion of at least 30 classroom hours in "core real estate inspection courses" approved by the Commission, and 8 hours related to the study of standards of practice, legal issues or ethics related to the profession of real estate inspection. Evidence of successful completion of the courses shall be presented via credit transcript or certificate accompanying the application.

As an alternative to being previously licensed as a Real Estate Inspector and having performed at least 175 inspections, a Professional Inspector applicant may substitute additional education or experience in a related field.

• The education alternative:

The Professional Inspector applicant utilizing the education alternative would need to complete an additional 320 hours in specific professional inspector education alternative courses. This path requires a total of 448 hours of education. Professional inspector education alternative courses must be offered by TREC approved education providers. A link to a list of providers and courses can be found on the TREC web site, on the main page of the Inspector tab area.

• The experience alternative:

The Professional Inspector applicant utilizing the experience alternative would need to have five years of experience as a licensed or registered architect, professional engineer, or engineer-in-training, or provide two reference letters documenting at least seven years of personal experience inspecting, installing, servicing, repairing or maintaining each of the structural, mechanical and electrical systems found in improvement to real property. Documentation of experience must be in verified form and from persons other than the applicant who have personal knowledge of the applicant's occupation and work. Also required in this path would be the regular 128 classroom hours of core inspector education which includes 8 classroom hours in the study of standards of practice, legal issues, or ethics related to the profession of real estate inspections.
The form, Request for Evaluation of Inspector Experience and Education Documents must be submitted prior to submitting an application. A fee of $20.00 is required if not paid during the last 12 months. The fee should be submitted in the form of a single check or money order payable to the Texas Real Estate Commission. Submit copies of transcripts and/or course completion certificates. Keep the original(s) for your personal files. Educational documents may be retained by the commission only for a short period of time and will not be returned.

4. A filing fee of $60.00 must be submitted at the time of filing an application. An application received without the appropriate fee will be rejected and returned. The fee should be submitted in the form of a single check or money order payable to the Texas Real Estate Commission.

THE FEES LISTED ABOVE ARE NONREFUNDABLE. Fees not pertaining to this application should NOT accompany the application.

5. License examinations are administered by PSI, a testing service company. Once your application has been received, processed and accepted, you will receive notification that you may obtain a copy of the Candidate Information Brochure (CIB) to register for the exam. The CIB will provide instructions on how to make reservations to take the examination and contains study material and instructions about licensing. A copy of the CIB can be downloaded from the PSI web site at http://www.psiexams.com. Please DO NOT attempt to register for the exam without first receiving notification from our office.

Note: The license examination must be passed within six months from the date the application for a license is filed or the application terminates. If a license applicant fails the examination three consecutive times in connection with the same application, the applicant may not apply for reexamination or submit a new license application with the commission for six months from the date he or she failed the last examination.

6. State law prohibits the renewal of a license if a licensee has defaulted on a student loan guaranteed by the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation (TGSLC) unless the licensee has entered into a repayment agreement with TGSLC. YOU SHOULD CONTACT TGSLC BEFORE FILING THIS APPLICATION if you have defaulted on a student loan. An application or renewal may be rejected if this agency has received information from TGSLC that the applicant has defaulted on a student loan. The Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation can be reached at:

Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation
P.O. Box 15996
Austin, Texas 78761-5996
Telephone: 1-800-222-6297

7. The time involved in processing an application depends on work volume. Inquiry as to the status of an application delays processing. Inquiry should not be made unless there is reason to believe that information submitted to the Commission has not been received.

NOTE: An incomplete application might not be returned for completion. In such a case, a letter will be mailed requesting the additional information.