Home inspectors registry advances

Home inspectors in Nebraska would be required to register with the state under a bill advanced from general file April 6.

LB423, introduced by Omaha Sen. Steve Lathrop, would require Nebraska home inspectors to register with the Nebraska secretary of state, pay a registration fee and provide a certificate of general liability insurance of not less than $250,000.

LB423 would take effect Jan. 1, 2023, and violations of the bill’s provisions would be a Class IV misdemeanor.

Under current law, home inspectors are not required to be licensed or register with the state, Lathrop said, leaving home buyers without recourse if inspectors overlook a defect that is costly to repair.

“The goal is simply to provide a minimum level of accountability for home inspectors and provide Nebraskans with some protection when making what is often the largest purchase of their lives,” he said.

An Urban Affairs Committee amendment, adopted 43-0, would establish a maximum registration fee of $300 and allow an inspector to list any national home inspection certification he or she holds.

Lawmakers advanced LB423 to select file on a 41-0 vote.