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Letter sent by Elwood A. Mosley, Executive Director-Commission of Real Appraisers and Home Inspectors to Maryland Association of Home Inspectors.
“As you may be aware, the implementation of the law governing the licensure and regulation of home inspectors was delayed for a number of years due to the absence of funding. Effective October 1, 2006, funding was allocated by the Maryland Legislature to implement a home inspector licensing program under the direction of the Maryland Commission of Real Appraisers and Home Inspectors.
The Commission expects to begin issuing home inspector licenses to qualified individuals who has completed the pre-licensing education at minimum of 48 hours of an on-site course approved by the Commission shortly after April 1, 2007 (provision of the law under the Business Occupation and Professions Articles, Annotated Code of Maryland, 16-3A-03). Licenses will be subject to renewal every two years. Later in 2007, an enforcement date will be announced by the Commission, after which it will be illegal to provide home inspection services in Maryland without a license.
This letter is a request for proposal (RFP) to provide educational content for the licensing requirements for the 48-hour on-site training course (provision of the law under Business and Professions Article, Annotated Code of Maryland, 16-3A03(1)). The key course topics by category and corresponding request minimum hours are provided in the attached matrix. A critical component of this request for a proposal wil be the ability of a home inspection license applicant to qualify for licensure by demonstrating completion of the 48 hours of on-site core curriculum area of home inspection services after passing an end of course examination offered and administrated by a trained provider that has been approved by the Commission of Real Estate Appraisers and Home Inspectors.
The course content requires that the applicant pass a examination to demonstrate minimum competency in order to qualify for a license. Consequently, the education and the application process by the home inspector license applicant will be measured of the applicant’s qualification as a home inspector. In order to verify the quality of the pre-license education under the legislation, The Commission restricts qualifying education to classroom instruction by an approved instructor. To that end, course content and delivery methodology will require student applicants to demonstrate in the classroom their comprehension of the topics covered in the training by passing the end of course examination which is required of all applicants for licensure.
Interested providers should include the following criteria for qualification when developing the course content.
1. Providers will be required to develop and provide curricula for a minimum requirement for a total of 48 hours in the following areas (provision of the law under the Business and Professions Articles, Annotation Code of Maryland, 16-3A-03(1)):
Topics** Course Hours
- Structural Systems 8
- Exterior Systems 6
- Interior Systems 4
- Roofing Systems 6
- Plumbing Systems 4
- Electrical Systems 5
- Air Conditioning Systems 3
- Insulation and Ventilation Systems 2
- Fireplace and Solid Burning Systems 2
- Heating Systems 8
Total 48 hours
2. Providers will be required to develop a Supplemental Cirriculum of 16 hours in the following areas:
Topics** Course Hours
- Structural Systems 2
- Exterior Systems 2
- Interior Systems 1
- Roofing Systems 2
- Plumbing Systems 2
- Electrical Systems 2
- Air Conditioning Systems 1
- Insulation and Ventilation Systems 1
- Fireplace and Solid Burning Systems 1
- Heating Systems 2
Total 16 Hours
3. Providers will be required to administer, through a qualified instructor, an end of course examionation that demonstrates the minimum retention of the participants of key learning points, prinicples, and competency in all areas of the course content of home inspectors. The examination must be given and passed by participants in a minimum 48-hour course or the minimum 16-hour supplemental course.
4. Providers must supply method used to certify instructors and a list of certified instructors who will or may be a trainer or facilitator for the delivery of course content.
5. Providers must submit their developed curriculum of home inspector course offerings for certification to the Commission in advance of delivery.
6.Providers must furnish the period of time required by participants to complete their 48-hour and/or 16-hour home inspector courses.
**Business Occupation and Professions Article, Annotates Code of Maryland, 16-208(a)-01-02 (b)
All providers will submit all of the above requirements to the Commission of Real Estate Appraisers and Home Inspectors by close of business May 4, 2007. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 410-230-6379.”
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