Getting ready to take my NYS test this Monday, decided to pull up the NYS site and double check the address and times, only to find out it’s canceled for Monday (state wide)…
The NYS Home Inspector Exams scheduled statewide for December 2, 2019 have been cancelled due to the recent legislative change requiring Home Inspector applicants to pass the National Home Inspector Examination. This page will be updated in the near future with information regarding the National Home Inspector Examination.
Yep - this just happened. Kind of a big deal. Just know that the NHIE is way harder than the NYS test was. The NYS test was like a multiple choice kindergarten test. You may want to take a practice test before you try the NHIE
I agree and am shocked I have not heard anything on this until just now. Do you know if there were any other changes made in the Law? I just went on the NY site and it is still the 2016 copy.
@mgleeson There are some other changes coming down the pike too. One of them is making the course 180 hours instead of 140 (with the addition of 40 more hours of field time). There are some other tweaks too, but farther down the road a bit. I have not done any “hard calculations”, but I imagine that the retirement and failure rate of inspection companies in NY combined with the average fail rate of the NHIE will bring the number of inspectors waaaay down in NY
currently, I am a licensed in NJ by the state and Internachi and I was trying to figure out myself if my qualifications are good to be licensed by NY too and so far haven’t got an answer.
The nys hi web page not fully updated, but the legislation page does have the new test requirements. Nothing about the 180 hours, but the law did task the secretary of state to review the training requirements an adjust at necessary.
My understanding is no, you need the 140 hours of classroom training OR 100 unpaid inspections with a licensed nys inspector. You need to check one of the blocks on the application… see attached…
I said it was coming down the pike… Not already here. The 180 hour course is one of the next things they want. They will need to change the course if they want students to pass the NHIE
The reply was to yfisgus21 about NJ inspectors wanting to also get a NY license (not about the 180 hours).
They can not just submit for a license because they passed the national test, they still need the 140 (180) hours OR 100 NY inspections with a NY inspector.
tvalosin
(Thomas G. Valosin, NYS Lic 16000005194)
14
Nope, the InterNACHI test will not be recognized.
Being a NY State authorized Home Inspector Qualification Training Instructor I received an email about this from NYSAHI Thanksgiving Eve. This is important for those presently in classes as well as future home inspector qualification students
A brief background on the elimination of the NYS Test.
About 5 years ago NYSAHI (New York State Association of Home Inspectors) introduced proposed legislation via legislators in both houses. The legislation proposed to get rid of "the impotent State test and replace it with the National Home Inspector Exam (NHIE). Part of their thinking was that, due to the "mobility"of home inspectors the NHIE would qualify everyone in any jurisdiction. Also, bordering states that used NHIE refused reciprocity for inspectors wishing to be licensed in multiple states because they live near state boundaries.
Lo and behold, our Governor Mario Cuomo (called by some Prince Mario due to his proclivity to declare things and sign them into law on a whim - the NY SAFE Act, the renaming of the Tappan Zee Bridge after his Father) signed the bill into law just as the legislators left for the Thanksgiving recess. Effective immediately.
When I contacted the DOS/Division of Licensing Services they told me “this was dumped on them, they had no time to prepare all the details and notify the public about the changes. No idea about fees, who administers the tests or anything else. They don’t anticipate a required change of home inspection training curriculum. Stay posted to the state website for updates.”
And yes, some tweaking of the classes will be needed, now we need to teach about techniques not seen in the great NorthEast - straw roof coverings, adobe construction, swamp cooling, straw bale homes come to mind. Of course - there is the “equality” for the inspector changing locales. The inspector from Southern Arizona or a similar area will need to know about oil heat or other things common here in the New York and New England.
Tom Valosin,
ASKUS Consulting Services and ASKUS Home Inspector Training & Continuing Education
Thanks for the info, I just passed the test in November and have completed my required classroom and field training. Any Idea if this will impact me getting a license?
tvalosin
(Thomas G. Valosin, NYS Lic 16000005194)
16
I am not the state so I am speaking on a “best estimate”. No, I do not think it will cause an issue with you because you took and passed the test prior to the law change. The State test was “the law of the land” at that time. Looks like you squeezed under the wire. Congrats - get the paperwork into the State and join the inspection world!
Hi Thomas, thanks for the info, I appreciate your reply. I’m working on getting all the needed information together for NYS.
I would like to ask you a few more questions as I see you are a NYS licensed Home Inspector. Would you be willing? Let me know, thanks again.
tvalosin
(Thomas G. Valosin, NYS Lic 16000005194)
18
Sure enough! Give me a call. 518 827 4852 (O) or my cell 518 231 1508. Good to 9 PM. Where are you located?
