To become a building inspector in Florida, you must pass two examinations.
In Florida, the Building Code Administrators and Inspectors Board oversees certification of building inspectors. Under state law, certification is required to perform building code inspections in the following categories: building, mechanical, coastal construction, plumbing, electrical, and one and two family dwellings. To be eligible for certification, you must prove either a minimum of five years experience in the category sought, or a combination of experience and education in the category totaling five years. You must also pass two examinations.
Instructions
1. Download a Florida building inspector application packet. This is available on the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation's website (see Resources).
2. Collect detailed information concerning your past experience in the category of certification you are applying for, including current addresses and phone numbers for all employers. If you are going to use college, university or trade school education to meet the five year requirement, you will require official transcripts from the school(s).
3. Collect a signed Affidavit of Work Experience from the employers that you are including in your work experience. The person completing the affidavit must be a licensed architect, engineer, contractor or building code administrator who has personal knowledge of your experience. This affidavit is included in the application packet.
4. Complete the application. If certain events have taken place in your past--a criminal conviction, for example--you will be required to complete an explanatory information form, which is included in the application packet. Do not forget to sign the application.
5. Submit the application, along with all supporting documents and fees, to the indicated address. Upon acceptance, you will be sent authorization to take the technical examination in the certification category you specified. A private company, Pearson VUE, will administer the exam.
6. Schedule your technical exam. Follow the instructions in your authorization document to accomplish this. You must pass this exam to be eligible for certification. When you have successfully passed this exam, Pearson VUE will notify the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
7. Schedule a Florida Principles and Practice Licensure Exam. This exam is required of all building inspector applicants, regardless of certification category. Pearson VUE also administers this exam, but you must schedule it separately from your technical exam. Visit Pearson VUE's website to accomplish this (see Resources). When you have successfully passed this exam, Pearson VUE will notify the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. When you have completed all requirements, a license will be issued to you and you will be included in Florida's online licensee database (see Resources).
Tags: application packet, Business Professional, Business Professional Regulation, Department Business, Department Business Professional, Florida Department
