The Texas Real Estate Inspector Committee (TREIC) met October 13 at TREC headquarters in Austin. The committee received updates from its subcommittees, discussed the timing of coursework, and license reciprocity between states.

Standards of Practice Subcommittee Update

The Standards of Practice (SOP) Subcommittee revealed their first draft of the proposed SOP changes. The subcommittee has been working on the review of the entire set of SOPs for almost two years now.

There were a number of small changes that are mostly non-substantive. However, one of the proposals is to move three sections of the report that currently fall under the appliance section to the HVAC section, as the systems in question fall more under the category of ventilation, both mechanical and otherwise. There was some good discussion regarding this as, in the proposed format, it may be confusing to consumers as well as some other concerns. As a result of this possible change, it would also require a revision to the Property Inspection Report Form as well. The form and the SOPs were sent back to the subcommittee to consider the feedback and some other potential options.

One other proposed change to the SOPs is to require that inspectors maintain the inspection reports in a readily available format for at least four years after the completion of the inspection. This is to ensure that the availability of the report time frame will coincide with the statute of limitations for filing a complaint.

The first set of actual proposed SOP changes, including a possible report form change, will likely be recommended for proposal to the Commission at the January 20, 2026 TREIC meeting. I would encourage all stakeholders to get involved with this process sooner rather than later. The SOP Subcommittee meetings can be attended by all interested parties online.

If recommended changes are made at the January TREIC meeting, the full committee can forward them to TREC commissioners to consider for proposal at the February TREC meeting. The Commission can send them back to the subcommittee for further review or propose the changes as presented. Prior to adoption, the public has an opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed changes. With this timeline in mind, the earliest that new SOP changes could be adopted would be at the May 2026 Commission meeting. The effective date for any SOP changes will be determined based on when the final approval happens.

Education Subcommittee Update: Prelicensure Coursework Timing Recommendation

The committee approved a prelicensure education change to address when the 40-hour Texas Practicum can be performed.

Currently, there is no rule stipulating when the Practicum should be completed. As a result, there have been some rare instances where the student would attempt to begin the Practicum prior to completing the coursework needed to perform said inspections as part of that Practicum.

In an effort to ensure that the Practicum is done after the coursework is completed, the committee recommends a rule change to require students complete all required coursework prior to starting their Practicum for prelicensure. This rule change will be considered by the Commission at its November meeting. If proposed, there will be an opportunity to provide public comment.

Inspector License Reciprocity

There was also discussion about the reciprocity of licensure between Texas and other states. The Licensing Division staff explained that although this does not happen often, they address these requests on a case-by-case basis. Some consideration is based on the state the inspector is coming from and what the requirements for licensure are in that state. Whether that inspector has passed the national portion of the exam is also another factor that is considered.

Thank You for 13 Great Years

On a side note, this was my last official meeting as a member of the Texas Real Estate Inspector Committee after 13 years. I wanted to take a moment to thank the TREC Commissioners, past and present, and TREC staff for the hard work that they have all put in over the years. I would like to show my appreciation to all the current and past members of TREIC over the years who volunteer their time away from their businesses and families to try to help make our industry better.

I have been honored to have served on this committee for the last 13 years. I am proud of what we have all accomplished in that time, but it could not have been done without the vast number of people that rarely get recognized for the efforts that they put in. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve over the last 13 years, and I will continue to be involved in the industry for years to come.

Meeting Materials and Upcoming Meeting

Download the materials from the meeting and watch the recording.

The next TREIC Meeting is January 20, 2026. Attend in person or livestream the meeting.