(a) An apprentice inspector or real estate inspector may be sponsored by only one licensed professional inspector.
(b) A change in sponsorship shall be reported to the Commission immediately. If the sponsorship has ended because the professional inspector has terminated the sponsorship, the professional inspector shall immediately so notify the apprentice or real estate inspector in writing. If the sponsorship has ended because the apprentice inspector or real estate inspector has left the sponsorship, the apprentice inspector or real estate inspector shall immediately so notify the professional inspector in writing.
(c) An apprentice inspector or real estate inspector who is on active status may act for the new sponsoring professional inspector once the Commission has been notified of the change and any required fee has been submitted. If the apprentice or real estate inspector is on inactive status, the return to active status shall be subject to the requirements of §535.215 of this title.
(d) A licensed professional inspector is responsible for the conduct of a sponsored apprentice inspector. At a minimum, a licensed professional inspector shall provide direct supervision of the apprentice inspector by:
  (1) accompanying the apprentice inspector during the performance of all inspections performed by the apprentice or arranging for a real estate inspector to accompany the apprentice; and
  (2) reviewing any written inspection report prepared by the apprentice inspector for compliance with the provisions of the standards of practice adopted by the Commission.
(e) A licensed professional inspector is responsible for the conduct of a sponsored real estate inspector. A licensed professional inspector shall provide indirect supervision in a manner which protects the public when dealing with the real estate inspector. At a minimum a professional inspector shall provide indirect supervision of the real estate inspector by:
  (1) communicating with the real estate inspector on a regular basis about the inspections being performed by the real estate inspector; and
  (2) reviewing on a regular basis written inspection reports prepared by the real estate inspector for compliance with the provisions of the standards of practice adopted by the Commission.
(f) A sponsoring professional inspector may delegate the supervision of an apprentice inspector or real estate inspector to another professional inspector who is qualified to sponsor, but the sponsor remains responsible for the conduct of the sponsored inspector.

Source Note: The provisions of this §535.226 adopted to be effective January 1, 1992, 16 TexReg 7489; amended to be effective January 4, 1993, 17 TexReg 8955; amended to be effective December 21, 1993, 18 TexReg 9103; amended to be effective September 15, 1994, 19 TexReg 6915; amended to be effective January 1, 2001, 25 TexReg 11653; amended to be effective January 1, 2011, 35 TexReg 11693; amended to be effective June 3, 2012, 37 TexReg 4054; amended to be effective January 1, 2015, 39 TexReg 9669