Hi All!
I am currently only ICC certified as a Property Maintenance and Housing Inspector but I am looking into the Zoning Inspector certification as well. Is anyone else a certified Zoning Inspector? If so, was the exam hard at all? I am still learning everything with zoning and planning so it's been a bit difficult for me but I really want to have more certifications under my belt.
Thanks!
So this really depends on your jurisdiction. A certification will of course help you in court and testifying, and provides additional credentials if litigation were to occur. Let me take this dicsussion in a different direction for a minute.
This is one of these professional areas where I think in house training can certify inspectors quite well, provided that they have a decent training program and the ability to recognize the achievements. A big part of this is how you communicate the legitimacy of your position in court.
All of my staff used to start off their reports with the following;
My name is Donald Duck, and I am a duly appointed Zoning Inspector working for Disneyland County. I was appointed by the Board of Supervisors on December 7, 2015 to serve in this capacity. I have been duly trained by department staff on the administration of zoning codes and county codes within this jurisdiction.
On January 25, 2025, I recieved a call from Mrs. Smith about unpermitted work occuring at her neighbors house. I ran a permit search and noted no active permits for the property in question. I responded to the location and arrived at 10:30 AM, in my marked County vehicle, wearing issued county uniform and credentials prominently displayed. Upon arriving at the property, I noted several pick up trucks outside with tolls associated with contractor work and a forms in the ground which appear to be to create a new extension on the home. I met Mr. Jones outside and identified myself as a Zoning Inspector with Disneyland County and stated that I had recieved a complaint regarding working going on at his property".
This approach, in the report, establishes clear identification and establishes the facts of the case. It lays the ground work for them not stating that they didn't know who you were or any of a wide variety of excuses. You were there in an official capacity.
This approach was greatly appreciated by our Attorney's and our cases were 100% air tight from a professional, qualification point of view. They didn't need credentials because of how we approached everything. I am proud to say, that while I led the unit we never lost a single case because of how we approached enforcement in this professional manner including a few appeals that went to the appellate courts in our state as well as federal court.
Most agencies are usually lacking in this regard because they are thought of as the "weed cops", and not professional investigators. Do credentials add to your resume? Absolutely! I think how you present your qualifications goes much further.
The test itself isn't hard and much easier than some of the other ICC tests. If you wanted to go down that road, it will never hurt you to have it.
Just some food for thought. I'd be happy to answer any other questions or have a larger discussion if you wanted too. Just send me a DM for a more in depth discussion.
