(a) Qualifying education.

1. (1)

   1. (A) An applicant for initial home inspector registration not applying under 17 CAR § 200-103 or 17 CAR § 200-504 shall have successfully completed eighty (80) hours of qualifying education in a course of study pursuant to 17 CAR § 200-507.
   2. (B) All qualifying education must be completed within the three-year period immediately preceding the date of application for initial home inspector registration.
   3. (C) Qualifying education requirements shall only be accepted from education providers and courses approved by the State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors.

2. (2) The following persons shall be exempt from the qualifying education requirements for initial registration, but not from the requirements concerning the competency examination (individuals under this exemption may be required to provide proof of qualification for exemption):

   1. (A) City inspectors certified by the International Code Council; and
   2. (B) Contractors who hold a builder’s license and have ten (10) years’ experience as a contractor.

(b) Competency examinations.

1. (1) An applicant for initial home inspector registration not applying under reciprocity shall successfully pass both:

   1. (A) The current version of the National Home Inspector Examination as provided by the Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors; and
   2. (B) The current version of the Standards and Ethics Examination as provided by the American Society of Home Inspectors.
2. (2) A request to sit for the examination shall be made directly to the test provider.
3. (3) A passing score for the examination is set by the test provider and shall be valid for a period of five (5) years.
4. (4) The applicant shall follow all written and oral instructions, procedures, and appropriate standards of conduct established by the State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors or testing service administering the examination.
5. (5) Failure to comply with all instructions, procedures, and appropriate standards of conduct established by the State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors or the testing service shall be grounds for denial of the application or disciplinary action.