HB 4500 Summary

• Creates a home inspectors board and establishes licensing requirements for home inspectors, including 80 credit hours of education, 200 supervised inspections, and passage of an acceptable examination (such as the national home inspection examination).

• Requires home inspection contracts to be in writing and include descriptions of services, disclaimers, exclusions, and required disclosures about inspector conflicts of interest or ownership stakes in inspected properties.

• Establishes standards for home inspections covering four major systems: electrical, heating/air conditioning, plumbing, and structure/foundation; home inspectors must disclose any systems they cannot inspect and cannot repair properties they have inspected.

• Adds "home inspectors" to the board member term commencement table in Section 303a, effective July 1, with heightened criminal penalties for unlicensed home inspectors (up to 4 years imprisonment and $25,000 fines for offenses causing death or serious injury).

• Requires home inspection reports to include written statements about limitations, retain privilege between inspector and client, and establishes a 12-month statute of limitations for complaints; includes 20 hours annual continuing education requirement to be established by rule.