| (iv) exceptions from use of the form; (v) review of typical comments for each heading in the report; and (vi) review of generally accepted technical writing techniques. (K) Other Approved Courses as they relate to real estate inspections, which shall include the following topics: (i) Environmental Protection Agency; (ii) Consumer Product Safety Commission; and (iii) general business practices. (6) A course approved to satisfy the additional education hours required by subsection (b)(1)(B) of this section in lieu of the number of real estate inspections required by Chapter 1102, Texas Occupations Code, and in lieu of the requirement that the applicant has previously been licensed for a specified time as an apprentice inspector or a real estate inspector must meet each of the following requirements. (A) The course must cover one subject only. (B) The course must include all the topics as described for each subject under subsection (a)(5) of this section. (C) The total hours of credit to be awarded for the course must be equal to the hours required for each subject under subsection (b)(1)(B) of this section. (D) A classroom course may include up to 10% of classroom time on site for appropriate field work relevant to the course topic. Such field work may not be included as part of correspondence or alternative delivery courses. (7) A course that combines more than one subject into a composite course may be approved by the commission to satisfy core course education requirements under Texas Occupations Code §§1102.108 and 1102.109; however, composite courses will not satisfy the additional education requirements to obtain a professional inspector license under Texas Occupations Code §1102.111 and subsection (b)(1)(B) of the section. (8) A course approved under subsection (a)(5) of this section may not be used more than once by an applicant to satisfy education course requirements under Texas Occupations Code §§1102.108 and 1102.109, and additional education course requirements under Texas Occupations Code §1102.111. (9) An applicant must not have completed more than one course with substantially the same course content within a two year period. (b) Experience and additional education requirements. (1) An applicant may substitute the following experience or additional education in lieu of the number of real estate inspections required by Chapter 1102, Texas Occupations Code and in lieu of the requirement that the applicant has previously been licensed for a specified time as an apprentice inspector or a real estate inspector: (A) For a real estate inspector license, the applicant must have completed at least 30 additional hours of core real estate inspection courses acceptable to the commission, with at least 10 hours of credit each for the structural, mechanical (including appliances, plumbing, and HVAC components) and electrical systems found in improvements to real property, or the applicant must provide documentation satisfactory to the commission to establish that the person has been licensed or registered at least three years as an architect, professional engineer, or engineer-in-training, or has at least five years of personal experience inspecting, installing, servicing, repairing or maintaining each of the structural, mechanical and electrical systems found in improvements to real property. Documentation of experience must include two reference letters from persons other than the applicant who have personal knowledge of the applicant's occupation and work. (B) Prior to January 1, 2005, for a professional inspector license, the applicant must have completed at least 60 additional hours of core real estate inspection courses acceptable to the commission, with at least 20 hours of credit each for the structural, mechanical (including appliances, plumbing, and HVAC components) and electrical systems found in improvements to real property, or provide documentation satisfactory to the commission to establish that the person has been licensed or registered at least five years as an architect, professional engineer, or engineer-in-training, or has at least 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. 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. (C) Effective January 1, 2005, for a professional inspector license, the applicant must have completed at least 320 additional hours of education acceptable to the commission. The additional 320 education hours must include 45 hours in Foundation Systems, 40 hours in Roof Systems, 45 hours in Framing, 40 hours in Electrical Systems, 40 hours in HVAC Systems, 40 hours in plumbing, 20 hours in Building Enclosure, 10 hours in Appliances, 15 hours in Standards of Practice/Legal/Ethics,15 hours in Standard Report Form/Report Writing, and 10 hours of other approved courses or provide documentation satisfactory to the commission to establish that the person has been licensed or registered at least five years as an architect, professional engineer, or engineer-in-training, or has at least 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. Documentation of experience must include two reference letters from persons other than the applicant who have personal knowledge of the applicant's occupation and work. (2) For the purpose of measuring the number of inspections required to receive a license or to sponsor apprentice inspectors or real estate inspectors, the commission will consider an improvement to real property to be any unit which is capable of being separately rented, leased or sold. Subject to the following restrictions, an inspection of an improvement to real property which includes the structural and equipment/systems of the unit will constitute a single inspection. (A) Half credit will be given for an inspection limited to structural components only or to equipment/systems only. (B) No more than 80% of the inspections for which experience credit is given may be limited to structural components only or to equipment/systems components only. (C) A report which covers two or more improvements will be considered a single inspection. (D) Real estate inspectors and professional inspectors may not receive experience credit for an inspection performed by an apprentice under their supervision. (E) The commission may not give experience credit to the same applicant or professional inspector for more than three complete or six partial inspections per day. No more than three applicants may receive credit for the inspection of the same unit within a 30 day period, and no more than three apprentice inspectors may receive credit for an inspection of the same unit on the same day. (F) For the purpose of satisfying any requirement that a license be held for a period of time prior to an applicant's being eligible for a license as a real estate inspector or professional inspector, the commission may not give credit for periods in which a license was on inactive status. An applicant for a real estate inspector license must have been licensed on active status for a total of at least three months within the 12 month period prior to the filing of the application. An applicant for a professional inspector license must have been licensed on active status for a total of at least 12 months within the 24 month period prior to the filing of the application. |
