The City of Saint Paul Truth-in-Sale of Housing program (TISH) offers a test every two years for individuals who wish to become licensed with the City to perform TISH evaluations. TISH evaluations are only applicable to single-family homes, duplexes, condominiums, and townhouses offered for sale in the City of Saint Paul. Please check back for details for the 2023 exam in May.
The test includes a three-part application and testing process:
1. Complete the application form and submit it with your application fee.
- Test prerequisite: you must provide proof of passing a third-party, national home inspector’s exam such as the NHIE.
- Only exams where the individual taking the test has his/her identity verified by the test administrator will be accepted; non-proctored exams, such as interNACHI, are not currently approved by the Board.
- Saint Paul does not accept licenses from other jurisdictions in lieu of passing the third-party exam.
- The application will be drafted once a date has been selected for the exam. The application, along with the fee, will be due by the deadline provided in the notice of the exam.
2. Take and pass a written exam.
- You must be available on the date and time scheduled for the written test in order to be eligible for licensing in Saint Paul.
- The exam location will be sent after the application is accepted.
- This is a closed-book exam; however, calculators are permitted.
- The written exam is approximately 100 to 150 questions in true/false, multiple choice, and short-answer format.
- Three hours will be allocated for completing the written test; most applicants finish within one to two hours.
- You must receive a score of 75% or better to pass the test in order to take the practical exam.
3. Complete and pass a practical exam (test house).
- The final step is to evaluate a “test house” as if you are evaluating a property for a client in the City of Saint Paul.
- You must pass both the written and test house portions of the examination to be eligible to receive your Truth-in-Sale of Housing Evaluator license.
- Information regarding the test house will be provided to those who pass the written exam.
Test Resources
- Evaluator Guidelines
- Evaluator Code of Ethics
- St Paul Legislative Code Chapter 189
- St Paul Legislative Code Chapter 58
- Insurance Requirements
- Continuing Education Form
- 2020 Minnesota State Building Code; 2020 Minnesota Residential Code; 2020 Minnesota Mechanical and Fuel Gas Code
- 2017 National Electrical Code
- 2015 Minnesota Plumbing Code
- Find a Local Chapter: American Society of Home Inspectors