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Administrative Code

Virginia Administrative Code
12/1/2024

Part VI. Approval of Prelicense Education Courses, New Residential Structures Training Module, and New Residential Structures Continuing Professional Education

18VAC15-40-200. Prelicense education courses, new residential structures training modules, and new residential structures continuing professional education courses....

All prelicense education courses, NRS training modules, and NRS CPE courses proposed for the purposes of meeting the requirements of this chapter must be approved by the board. Prelicense education courses and training modules may be approved retroactively upon request of the provider with the application; however, no applicant will receive credit until such approval is granted by the board.

Statutory Authority

§§ 54.1-201 and 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 33, Issue 14, eff. April 17, 2017.

18VAC15-40-210. Approval of prelicense education courses.

A training provider seeking approval of a prelicense education course shall submit an application for prelicense education course approval on a form provided by the board. In addition to the appropriate fee provided in 18VAC15-40-50, the application shall include:

1. The name of the provider;

2. Provider contact person, address, and telephone number;

3. Course contact hours;

4. Schedule of prelicense education courses if established, including dates, times, and locations;

5. Method of delivery;

6. Instructor information, including name, license number, if applicable, and a list of trade-appropriate designations, as well as a professional resume with a summary of teaching experience and subject matter knowledge and qualifications acceptable to the board;

7. Materials to be provided to students;

8. Fees for prelicense education course and materials; and

9. Training module syllabus.

Statutory Authority

§§ 54.1-201 and 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 33, Issue 14, eff. April 17, 2017.

18VAC15-40-220. Prelicense education course requirements.

A prelicense education course must be a minimum of 35 hours. The syllabus for each type of prelicense education course shall encompass the following subject areas and include methods for identification and inspection, safety and maintenance, and standards for material selection and installation procedures, as applicable:

1. Site conditions;

2. Exterior components of the residential building;

3. Structural system elements;

4. Electrical system elements;

5. Heating and cooling systems;

6. Insulation, moisture management systems, and ventilation systems;

7. Plumbing systems;

8. Interior components;

9. Fireplace and chimney systems;

10. Common permanently installed appliances;

11. Inspection report requirements;

12. Responsibilities to the client, including required contract elements; and

13. Overview of the board's regulations.

Statutory Authority

§§ 54.1-201 and 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 33, Issue 14, eff. April 17, 2017.

18VAC15-40-230. Approval of new residential structures training modules and new residential structures continuing professional education.

A training provider seeking approval of an NRS training module or NRS CPE course shall submit an application for NRS training module or NRS CPE course approval on a form provided by the board. NRS training modules and NRS CPE can be provided in a classroom environment, online, or through distance learning. In addition to the appropriate fee provided in 18VAC15-40-50, the application shall include:

1. The name of the provider;

2. Provider contact person, address, and telephone number;

3. Module or CPE course contact hours;

4. Schedule of training module or CPE course if established, including dates, times, and locations;

5. Method of delivery;

6. Instructor information, including name, license number, if applicable, and a list of trade-appropriate designations, as well as a professional resume with a summary of teaching experience and subject matter knowledge and qualifications acceptable to the board;

7. Materials to be provided to students;

8. Fees for NRS training module or NRS CPE course and materials; and

9. Training module syllabus.

Statutory Authority

§§ 54.1-201 and 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 33, Issue 14, eff. April 17, 2017.

18VAC15-40-240. New residential structures training module requirements.

A. In order to qualify as an NRS training module under 18VAC15-40-35, the training module must include a minimum of eight contact hours, and the syllabus shall encompass all of the subject areas set forth in subsection B of this section.

B. The following subject areas as they relate to the Virginia Residential Code shall be included in all NRS training modules. The time allocated to each subject area must be sufficient to ensure adequate coverage of the subject as determined by the board.

1. Origin of the Virginia Residential Code.

a. Overview of Title 36 of the Code of Virginia.

b. Roles and responsibilities of the Board of Housing and Community Development and the Department of Housing and Community Development.

c. Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, Part I (13VAC5-63-10 through 13VAC5-63-390) of 13VAC5-63.

2. Scope of the Virginia Residential Code.

a. Purpose of the Virginia Residential Code.

b. Exemptions from the Virginia Residential Code.

c. Compliance alternatives.

d. Code official discretion in administration and enforcement of the Virginia Residential Code.

e. Process for amending the Virginia Residential Code.

f. Code violations and enforcement.

(1) Statute of limitations.

(2) Effect of violations.

g. Examples of code and non-code violations.

3. Roles of the building code official and the home inspector, including an overview of § 36-105 of the Code of Virginia.

Statutory Authority

§§ 54.1-201 and 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 33, Issue 14, eff. April 17, 2017; amended, Virginia Register Volume 33, Issue 19, eff. July 1, 2017.

18VAC15-40-250. New residential structures training modules and new residential structures continuing professional education requirements.

In order to qualify for NRS CPE for the renewal of home inspector licenses with the NRS specialty, the NRS CPE must include a minimum of four contact hours and the syllabus shall encompass all of the topic areas listed in 18VAC15-40-240 for an NRS training module.

Statutory Authority

§§ 54.1-201 and 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 33, Issue 14, eff. April 17, 2017.

18VAC15-40-260. Documentation of prelicense education course, new residential structures training modules, and new residential structures continuing professional....

All prelicense education course, NRS training module, and NRS CPE providers must provide each student who successfully completes the course or training module with a certificate of completion or other documentation that the student may use as proof of course or training module completion. Such documentation shall contain the contact hours completed, the date of training, and the course identification number assigned by the board.

Statutory Authority

§§ 54.1-201 and 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 33, Issue 14, eff. April 17, 2017.

18VAC15-40-270. Maintenance of records.

All providers of approved prelicense education courses, NRS training modules, or NRS CPE courses must establish and maintain a record for each student. The record shall include the student's name and address, the training module or course name and hours attended, the training module or course syllabus or outline, the name or names of the instructors, the date of successful completion, and the board's approved training module or course identification number. Records shall be available for inspection during normal business hours by authorized representatives of the board. Providers must maintain these records for a minimum of five years.

Statutory Authority

§§ 54.1-201 and 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 33, Issue 14, eff. April 17, 2017.

18VAC15-40-280. Reporting of changes.

Any change in the information provided in 18VAC15-40-210 or 18VAC15-40-230 must be reported to the board within 30 days of the change. Any change in information submitted will be reviewed to ensure compliance with the provisions of this chapter.

Statutory Authority

§§ 54.1-201 and 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 33, Issue 14, eff. April 17, 2017.

18VAC15-40-290. Withdrawal of approval.

The board may withdraw approval of a prelicense education course, an NRS training module, or an NRS CPE course for the following reasons:

1. The training module or course being offered no longer meets the standards established by the board.

2. The provider, through an agent or otherwise, advertises its services in a fraudulent or deceptive way.

3. The provider, instructor, or contact person of the provider falsifies any information relating to the application for approval, training module, course information, or student records or fails to produce records required by 18VAC15-40-270.

4. A change in the information provided that results in noncompliance with this part.

5. Failure to comply with 18VAC15-40-280.

Statutory Authority

§§ 54.1-201 and 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 33, Issue 14, eff. April 17, 2017.

18VAC15-40-300. Board authority to audit approved education courses and training modules.

The board may conduct an audit of any board-approved prelicense education course, NRS training module, or NRS CPE course provider to ensure continued compliance with this chapter.

Statutory Authority

§§ 54.1-201 and 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 33, Issue 14, eff. April 17, 2017.

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