The Texas Real Estate Inspector Committee (TREIC) held its meeting on October 13 at the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) headquarters in Austin. The committee reviewed updates from its subcommittees, discussed education requirements for inspector licensing, and addressed license reciprocity between states.
During the meeting, the Standards of Practice (SOP) Subcommittee presented a draft of proposed changes to the SOPs. These changes include mostly minor revisions, but one significant proposal involves moving three sections currently under the appliance category to the HVAC section, as these systems are considered part of ventilation. Committee members expressed concerns that this reorganization could confuse consumers and may require corresponding changes to the Property Inspection Report Form. Both the form and SOPs were sent back to the subcommittee for further review.
Another proposed change would require inspectors to keep inspection reports in an accessible format for at least four years after an inspection is completed. This recommendation aims to align report retention with the statute of limitations for filing complaints.
The first set of proposed SOP changes, which may include modifications to reporting forms, is expected to be recommended for proposal at the January 20, 2026 TREIC meeting. If advanced by TREIC, these recommendations would then go before TREC commissioners in February 2026. Public feedback will be sought before any adoption occurs. The earliest possible adoption date for new SOP changes would be May 2026, depending on when final approval is granted.
In addition, the Education Subcommittee put forward a recommendation regarding prelicensure coursework timing. Currently, there is no rule dictating when students must complete their 40-hour Texas Practicum relative to other coursework. The committee now recommends that all required coursework should be finished before beginning the Practicum. This rule change will be considered by TREC at its November meeting and will also be open for public comment if proposed.
The committee also discussed inspector license reciprocity with other states. Licensing Division staff explained that such requests are rare and evaluated individually based on factors such as requirements in an applicant’s home state and whether they have passed the national exam portion.
Lee Warren chaired his final official meeting after serving on TREIC for 13 years. In his remarks he stated: “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.”
Materials from this meeting are available online along with a recording of proceedings. The next TREIC meeting is scheduled for January 20, 2026 and can be attended either in person or via livestream.
