Washington HI licensing information from DOL

[James H. Bushart]

What did she tell you?

[Stephen W. Stanczyk]

Originally Posted by jbushart

What did she tell you?

You call her. I have and am happy with the results as posted previously. Never talk to a general operator when there over 30 divisions, each with their own rules and regulations. Because you choose not to call the person in charge of the program, you get to live with incorrect information.

[kpierce]

Originally Posted by jbushart

What did she tell you?

I don't know what she told Stephen but I can tell you that she's told me wrong information in the past. I should be able to trust what she says but since she's proven to be misinformed, I'll have to trust the letter of the law and the AG instead.

[kpierce]

Originally Posted by sstanczyk

...you get to live with incorrect information.

That's what you'll likely get from Rhonda, as proven to me already.

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by sstanczyk

You call her. I have and am happy with the results as posted previously. Never talk to a general operator when there over 30 divisions, each with their own rules and regulations. Because you choose not to call the person in charge of the program, you get to live with incorrect information.

You have chosen not to call her, too.

I called her and got her answering machine. I went on to the next call and ultimately spoke with a representative from the AG office. She was surprised that DOL handled home inspectors since your state's Department of Labor....which actually is an enforcement agency.....handles contractors.

She is looking into it deeper and sending me an email with what rights a member of the public has if accused of breaking the law by performing an inspection without a license. She doesn't seem to think that anyone has the power to simply assign a "fine" or other penalty and mail a letter. In her opinion...as mine....someone has to prove something to someone of authority (like a judge) in order for someone to be determined to be "guilty" of breaking a law....and then punished.

I will share her email when I get it.

[Stephen W. Stanczyk]

Originally Posted by jbushart

You have chosen not to call her, too.

I called her at 1:38 pm. We spoke for 15 minutes and 35 seconds.

I called her and got her answering machine. I went on to the next call and ultimately spoke with a representative from the AG office. She was surprised that DOL handled home inspectors since your state's Department of Labor....which actually is an enforcement agency.....handles contractors.
DOL in this instance stands for Department of Licensing while in some places it can also stand for Department of Labor, in this state, it is the Department of Labor and Industries and goes by www.lni.wa.gov not www.dol.wa.gov which is the Department of Licensing.

The DOL handles licensing from Architects to Realtors to Court Reporters to Security Guards to White River Outfitters. You have got to quit talking to the entry level employee that answers the phone at the general public number.

She is looking into it deeper and sending me an email with what rights a member of the public has if accused of breaking the law by performing an inspection without a license. She doesn't seem to think that anyone has the power to simply assign a "fine" or other penalty and mail a letter. In her opinion...as mine....someone has to prove something to someone of authority (like a judge) in order for someone to be determined to be "guilty" of breaking a law....and then punished.

I will share her email when I get it.

Thats what you get when you don't know what you are talking about with other people that don't know what you are talking about. Until you get ahold of Rhonda Myer, you are wasting your time.

[Darren Spencer]

My inspector approval # is 542, don't know if this will be a License # or not but numbers are climbing..

And yes Steve I am all good with test this week.

[James R. Szczesny]

Ok now, I have just Listened to the last board meeting's audio recording right here, 2 hours worth, http://www.dol.wa.gov/business/homei...dmeetings.html
In the last 5 minutes of the first audio the board makes it clear that licensing is not required nor is there any enforcement of any rule until july 1st 2010.

The sept '09 deadline is just for A Grandfather rule inspector to take a chance to get there's in first.

Everthing goes still till july 1st 2010.
interesting audio too.
Might not be a board too much longer.

[Mike O'Handley]

Originally Posted by jszczesny

Ok now, I have just Listened to the last board meeting's audio recording right here, 2 hours worth, http://www.dol.wa.gov/business/homei...dmeetings.html
In the last 5 minutes of the first audio the board makes it clear that licensing is not required nor is the any enforcement of any rule until july 1st 2010.

The sept '09 deadline is just for Grandfather rule inspector to take a chance to get there's in first.

Everthing goes still till july 1st 2010.
interesting audio too.
Might not be a board too much longer.

Hi,

James is correct; there is no requirement for anyone to have a license until July 1, 2010. However, anyone that was in business on June 12, 2008 and had completed at least 100 inspections as of that date, and who wants that experience to be recognized, so that all he or she has to do to be licensed is submit a list of completed inspections, prove that he or she had been in the business at least two years as of that date and then take and pass the tests, must have it all done by September 1st. This category of inspectors is believed to be the largest category in the state and it's this group that, when licensed, would be supervising inspectors during their 40 hours of supervised inspections.

Nick says that the AG is wrong about the deadline and that the law says that everyone has to be licensed by September 1st. I agree, at first blush it sure looks that way. The first portion of the law says:

1) Beginning September 1, 2009, a person shall not engage in or conduct, or advertise or hold himself or herself out as engaging in or conducting, the business of or acting in the capacity of a home inspector within this state without first obtaining a license as provided in this chapter.

If one goes on the face of that paragraph alone, it appears that Nick is right. However, if that were the case, why would the good Senator include the second paragraph which says:

(2) Any person performing the duties of a home inspector on June 12, 2008, has until July 1, 2010, to meet the licensing requirements of this chapter. However, if a person performing the duties of a home inspector on June 12, 2008, has proof that he or she has worked as a home inspector for at least two years and has conducted at least one hundred home inspections, he or she may apply to the board before September 1, 2009, for licensure without meeting the instruction and training requirements of this chapter

When the board learned months ago that Ms. Myers was telling folks, based on the first paragraph, that the deadline for everyone was September 1st, a member of the board contacted Senator Spanel to ask what her intent was when she drew up and introduced her bill. Once the board had clarification from the Senator, the board asked DOL to ask the AG to review the situation and determine whether Ms. Myers was correct or whether she had to allow everyone until July 1, 2010 to be licensed. After all, the board reasoned that, if the deadline for everyone is September 1st, why does the second paragraph clearly state that anyone performing duties on July 12, 2010 has until July 1, 2010 to meet the licensing requirements?

A couple of weeks later, the AG's response was essentially that, though the law isn't well written the intent is clear - that all inspectors must meet the instruction and training requirements and that anyone who was performing inspections on June 12, 2008 has until July 1st of 2010 to become licensed; however, more experienced inspectors would not have to meet the instruction and training requirements (but would have to take the tests) if they did so prior to September 1st.

Now, that's the gist of it. It is a call that the AG is empowered to make and I think it was to the benefit of the profession that he made the call that he did; otherwise, we might have seen complete chaos on September 2nd.

I think that any experienced inspector that doesn't make that September 1st deadline will have shot him/herself in the foot, because then they'll no longer be counted as "experienced" and will have to complete all of the same requirements that anyone entering the profession on September 2nd will. It will be a darn shame if inspectors who fit that "experienced' category, because they listened to some backroom lawyers on this board, blow off the deadline and are then forced into a situation where they have to spend thousands of dollars becoming re-trained - possibly by inspectors with a small fraction of their own experience, before they can become licensed.

As for the debate about advertising; since no licenses could be issued before July 1, 2009, nobody could, according to the law, legally advertise themselves as a "licensed" inspector until they'd officially received their license sometime after July 1st 2009. It's as simple as that. I know that it sucks that inspectors who immediately got their act together and did what they needed to do to become licensed will be able to advertise that they are licensed, and those who didn't/don't won't, but that's going to be a self-inflicted wound for anyone that falls into the "experienced" category that doesn't make the deadline. The best advice that I can give those folks is - stop carping, get cracking and get it done.

Kevin,

You are in that group of inspectors that's trapped between dates. It doesn't matter which profession it is, anytime there is a licensing law that goes into effect for anything, there will always be some folks that will get caught out; the trick is trying to set conditions so that as few as possible are trapped in that situation. It's unfortunate, but it isn't like Senator Spanel was planning specifically to screw Kevin Pierce any more than the Director at DOL was planning to specifically screw me over when my birthday means that I'll have to renew my license only 56 weeks after it was issued - that's just the way it fell out.

From what I've seen from you over the past couple of years, I'd say that you're a pretty competent inspector and a credit to the profession; it would be a shame to lose you because you want to make a point.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike O'Handley
Your Inspector LLC.
Kenmore, Washington

[kpierce]

Originally Posted by jszczesny

In the last 5 minutes of the first audio the board makes it clear that licensing is not required nor is there any enforcement of any rule until july 1st 2010.

That's not surprising given that it's been clearly communicated by the DOL and directly in the law that this is the case. I don't know what the confusion is.

[Stephen W. Stanczyk]

Originally Posted by dspencer1

My inspector approval # is 542, don't know if this will be a License # or not but numbers are climbing.. Yes, that will be your license number.

And yes Steve I am all good with test this week.

Darren, Glad you were able to take care of that today. FYI....They started with either 200 or 201.

James, yes, those that were in business on June 12, 2008 can still inspect until July 1, 2010 without a license. You just can't advertise with things like flyers or a website, hand out business cards or expect to get referrals from licensed real estate agents, mortgage brokers, insurance agents or any other State licensed individuals.

Good luck to all.

[Darren Spencer]

not 211?

[Darren Spencer]

any idea how many are in business now?

What is the link to the page of those registered for licensing?

[Darren Spencer]

also is the NACHI practice testing anything like what is on the National part?

[Stephen W. Stanczyk]

Originally Posted by dspencer1

not 211?

Glad you caught that This laptop is on it's last legs The number two is now a 1 or a 2, and my period key keeps falling off I am #221

The link to check is: https://fortress.wa.gov/dol/dolprod/bpdLicenseQuery/

Top menu pick "Licensed Home Inspector" and then you can pick by county at the bottom or by name