Florida Senate - 2025                                     SB 638
       
       
        
       By Senator Martin
       
       
       
       
       
       33-00859-25                                            2025638__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to home inspectors; amending ss.
    3         468.8313 and 468.8321, F.S.; revising the examination
    4         and disclosure requirements for home inspectors;
    5         amending s. 468.8322, F.S.; requiring home inspectors
    6         to maintain an errors and omissions insurance policy
    7         in a specified amount; amending s. 468.8314, F.S.;
    8         conforming a provision to changes made by the act;
    9         providing an effective date.
   10          
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Subsection (2) of section 468.8313, Florida
   14  Statutes, is amended to read:
   15         468.8313 Examinations.—
   16         (2) An applicant may practice in this state as a home
   17  inspector if he or she passes the required examination, is of
   18  good moral character, and completes a course of study of at
   19  least 200 120 hours that covers all of the following components
   20  of a home: structure, electrical system, HVAC system, roof
   21  covering, plumbing system, interior components, exterior
   22  components, and site conditions that affect the structure. The
   23  course must also cover state insurance inspections, wind
   24  mitigation, and four-point and roof inspections. A minimum of 8
   25  hours of the course must cover the basics of the Florida
   26  Building Code and a minimum of 8 hours of the course must cover
   27  report writing, including a practical component.
   28         Section 2. Section 468.8321, Florida Statutes, is amended
   29  to read:
   30         468.8321 Disclosures.—Before Prior to contracting for or
   31  commencing a home inspection, a home inspector shall provide to
   32  the consumer a copy of his or her license or license number to
   33  practice home inspection services in this state and a written
   34  disclosure that contains the scope and any exclusions of the
   35  home inspection.
   36         Section 3. Section 468.8322, Florida Statutes, is amended
   37  to read:
   38         468.8322 Insurance.—A home inspector shall maintain a
   39  commercial general liability insurance policy and an errors and
   40  omissions insurance policy in an amount of not less than
   41  $300,000 per policy.
   42         Section 4. Subsection (3) of section 468.8314, Florida
   43  Statutes, is amended to read:
   44         468.8314 Licensure.—
   45         (3) The department shall certify as qualified for a license
   46  by endorsement an applicant who is of good moral character as
   47  determined in s. 468.8313, who maintains an insurance policies
   48  policy as required by s. 468.8322, and who:
   49         (a) Holds a valid license to practice home inspection
   50  services in another state or territory of the United States,
   51  whose educational requirements are substantially equivalent to
   52  those required by this part; and has passed a national,
   53  regional, state, or territorial licensing examination that is
   54  substantially equivalent to the examination required by this
   55  part; or
   56         (b) Has held a valid license to practice home inspection
   57  services issued by another state or territory of the United
   58  States for at least 10 years before the date of application.
   59  Such application must be made either when the license in another
   60  state or territory is active or within 2 years after such
   61  license was last active.
   62         Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.