How To Look At A House

McGarry and Madsen's home inspection blog for buyers of  

site-built, mobile/manufactured and modular homes

Can a Florida licensed contractor do home inspections without having a home inspector license?

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

The State of Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) issued a ruling on May 15, 2012 in response to a petition for clarification by a  Florida licensed contractor as to whether home inspection was within the scope of licensing for Division 1 contractors (Certified Residential, Building, and General). Here’s what they said:

“Therefore, the Board hereby issues a declaratory statement that home inspection services as described in the Petition are within the scope of licensure of a Certified Division 1 Contractor, provided the Division 1 contractor is not holding themself out specifically as a home inspector licensed under Chapter 468, Florida Statutes.”

    Yes, you read that correctly. A Florida-certified residential, building, or general  contractor can do home inspections, just as long as they do not actually call themself a “HOME INSPECTOR.” The CILB ruling did not clarify, however, whether a contractor doing home inspections is required to comply with the ethical prohibitions that are mandated by Florida Statutes for a licensed home inspector.

    Here are several of them, as listed in Florida Statute 468.8319, Prohibitions - Penalties, (1) (f thru i):

(f) Perform or offer to perform any repairs to a home on which the inspector or the inspector’s company has prepared a home inspection report. This paragraph does not apply to a home warranty company that is affiliated with or retains a home inspector to perform repairs pursuant to a claim made under a home warranty contract.

(g) Inspect any property in which the inspector or the inspector’s company has any financial or transfer interest.

(h) Offer or deliver any compensation, inducement, or reward to any broker or agent therefor for the referral of the owner of the inspected property to the inspector or the inspection company.

(i) Accept an engagement to make an omission or prepare a report in which the inspection itself, or the fee payable for the inspection, is contingent upon either the conclusions in the report, pre-established findings, or the close of escrow.

    The first ethical prohibition in the statute, that an inspector cannot also offer to do any recommended repairs, was intended to eliminate the potential for an inspector to exaggerate the number and severity of defects during a home inspection in order to inflate the repair income later. Contractors doing home inspections are not bound by this restriction.

    The CILB ruling also did not require that a contractor doing home inspections maintain $300,000 in liability insurance specific to home inspection risks like licensed inspectors, or to comply with the extensive list of components of a home that must be checked as part of a home inspection, as defined by the Standards of Practice for home inspectors in the Florida Administrative Code (61-30.801). To see Florida’s Standards of Practice for home inspectors, go to our blog post “Are there any minimum standards that a Florida licensed home inspector must meet?”

    So, in summary, a Florida-certified contractor can do home inspections, while avoiding the extensive state-mandated ethical and technical requirements of a Florida-licensed home inspector, and their customer will have none of the state-mandated consumer protections—just as long as the contractor “is not holding themself out specifically as a home inspector.”  

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 
Field Guide for Home Inspectors, a quick reference for finding the age of 154 brands of HVAC systems, water heaters, and electrical panels, plus 210 code standards for site-built and manufactured homes, and the life expectancy rating of 195 home components. Available at amazon.com for $19.95.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 

  To learn more strategies for getting the best possible home inspection, here’s a few of our other blog posts:

How can I make sure I don't get screwed on my home inspection? 

Should I trust the Seller's Property Disclosure Statement?

Can I do my own home inspection?

How can homebuyers protect themselves against buying a house over a sinkhole? 

What makes a house fail the home inspection?

The seller gave me a report from a previous home inspection. Should I use it or get my own inspector? 

    To read about issues related to homes of particular type or one built in a specific decade, visit one of these blog posts:

What are the common problems to look for when buying a 1950s house?

What are the common problems to look for when buying a 1960s house?

• What are the common problems to look for when buying a 1970s house?

What are the common problems to look for when buying a 1980s house?

What are the common problems to look for when buying a 1990s house?

What problems should I look for when buying a country house or rural property? 

What problems should I look for when buying a house that has been moved?

What problems should I look for when buying a house that has been vacant or abandoned?

What are the most common problems with older mobile homes? 

What do I need to know about a condo inspection? 

    Visit our HOME INSPECTION page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.

Water Heaters

Water Heater Age

"What Are The

Signs Of..."

Septic Tank Systems

Structure and Rooms

Plumbing Pipes

Termites, Wood Rot

& Pests

Sinkholes

Stairs

When It First

Became Code

"Should I Buy A..."

Park Model Homes

Site

Shingle Roofs

Safety

Stucco

Remodeling

Wind Mitigation

Roof and Attic

"Does A Home

Inspector...?"

Pool and Spa

"What Is The Difference Between..."

Radon

Brick

Plumbing

Concrete and

Concrete Block

Metal Roofs

Foundations

Modular Homes

Rain Gutters

Mold, Lead & Other Contaminants

Condominiums

Older and

Historic Houses

Crawl Spaces

Mobile-Manufactured Homes

Building Permits

Life Expectancy

Clay Soil

Insurance

Floors

Insulation

Toilets

Exterior Walls

& Structures

Generators

Common Problems

HUD-Code for

Mobile Homes

Garages and Carports

Flat (Low Slope) Roofs

Electrical Panels

Sprinkler Systems

Electrical Receptacle Outlets

4-Point Inspections

Hurricane Resistance

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Home Inspection

Heating and Air Conditioning

Building Codes

Fireplaces and Chimneys

Inspector Licensing

& Standards

Energy Efficiency

Washers and Dryers

Electrical

Kitchens

Doors and Windows

(placeholder)

Cracks

Electrical Wiring

Click Below  

for Links

to Collections

of Blog Posts

by Subject

Plumbing Drains

and Traps

Appliances

Smoke & CO Alarms

Aging in Place

Top 5 results given instantly.

Click on magnifying glass

for all search results.

Bathrooms

Lighting

AFCI, CAFCI,

DFCI, & GFCI

Sinks

Air Conditioner & Furnace Age/Size

Attics

Electrical Switches

Siding

Search

This

Site

Water Intrusion

Electrical - Old

and Obsolete

(placeholder)

Foundation Certifications

Tiny Houses

About McGarry and Madsen

(placeholder)

Wells

Buying a home in North/Central Florida? Check our price for a  team inspection by two FL-licensed contractors and inspectors. Over 8,500 inspections completed in 20+ years. In a hurry? We will get it done for you.

Moisture Problems

Crawl Spaces

Bedrooms

Closets