Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana HB225: Revising laws related to home inspections
Status: Signed into law, May 13, 2025
What the bill says
An act revising laws related to home inspections; aligning the home inspection program with other departmental licensing programs; providing definitions; providing fees; providing rulemaking authority; revising law related to home inspection licensure; increasing the minimum coverage amount for errors and omissions insurance; providing standards for the practice of home inspections; amending sections 37-1-401, 39-9-101, 39-9-102, 39-9-206, 39-9-207, 39-9-301, and 39-9-303, mca; repealing sections 39-9-212 and 39-9-213, mca; and providing a delayed effective date.
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT REVISING LAWS RELATED TO HOME INSPECTIONS; ALIGNING THE HOME INSPECTION PROGRAM WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTAL LICENSING PROGRAMS; PROVIDING DEFINITIONS; PROVIDING FEES; PROVIDING RULEMAKING AUTHORITY; REVISING LAW RELATED TO HOME INSPECTION LICENSURE; INCREASING THE MINIMUM COVERAGE AMOUNT FOR ERRORS AND OMISSIONS INSURANCE; PROVIDING STANDARDS FOR THE PRACTICE OF HOME INSPECTIONS; AMENDING SECTIONS 37-1-401, 39-9-101, 39-9-102, 39-9-206, 39-9-207, 39-9-301, AND 39-9-303, MCA; REPEALING SECTIONS 39-9-212 AND 39-9-213, MCA; AND PROVIDING A DELAYED EFFECTIVE DATE. Section 1. Definitions. As used in [sections 1 through 4], the following definitions apply: (1) "Department" means the department of labor and industry. (2) (a) "Home inspection" means a physical examination of a residential dwelling to identify major defects in various attributes of or attachments to the dwelling, including mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems in addition to structural and other essential components. Home inspections are performed for compensation and employ visual observation and the testing of user controls but not mathematical or specialized engineering sciences. (b) The term does not mean a physical examination of a residential dwelling when the owner or a representative of the owner requests the examination by an individual who is licensed in this state and acting within the scope of practice of the individual's profession or occupation. (3) "Home inspection report" means a written document prepared by a home inspector for a …