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How to Become a
Certified Home Energy Rater

A Certified Home Energy Rater or Rater is a person trained and certified by an accredited Home Energy Rating Provider to inspect and evaluate a home’s energy features, prepare a home energy rating and make recommendations for improvements that will save the homeowner energy and money.

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The path to becoming a Home Energy Rater begins with attending Rater Training classes.

  • First, locate an accredited Energy Rater Training organization. The organizations are listed on the RESNET Training Provider page.
  • Training is required to become a certified Home Energy Rater and some training providers offer a portion of their training online.
  • It is wise to begin preparing prior to attending rater training by studying the materials recommended by the training organization you have selected.
  • All candidates must pass the national core competency tests including National Rater Exam (40 out of 55 questions), the RESNET Combustion Appliance Simulation Test (passing score 85%)  and the RESNET Rater Simulation Practical Test (passing score 73%).
  • If the rater candidate does not pass the Rater test the first time, there are proctoring guidelines from RESNET that describe how to retake the test closer at a location closer to the rater candidate.
  • The final aspect of the Rater certification process is to sign a rater agreement with a RESNET accredited Rating Provider and complete probationary ratings.

The Home Energy Rating industry is overseen by RESNET and is structured to ensure a high level of quality assurance. With that in mind, energy raters must work through a Rating Provider, who is responsible for their certification and quality assurance.

The accredited Rating Providers are listed on the RESNET Provider page.

  • An accredited Rating Provider will assist new Raters in overseeing their required five probationary ratings. Rating Providers may require more than the minimum required five probationary ratings.
  • After completing a minimum of five probationary ratings and passing all required Rater exams successfully, the Rating Provider will issue a document stating that the candidate has passed the course work necessary to become a HERS® Certified Rater and may apply for a Rating Test Identification Number or RTIN.
  • All of the required exams and the probationary ratings must be completed within 15 months.
  • Candidates will need to sign a Rater Agreement outlining the responsibilities and obligations for both the Rater and the Rating Provider; this is detailed in the RESNET Standards.
  • RESNET Standards require the Rating Provider to perform file quality assurance reviews on a minimum of 10% of all energy ratings and field quality assurance reviews on a minimum of 1% of the ratings for each rater.

Effective on January 1, 2018 in order to recertify as a Home Energy Raters one of the following professional development requirements must be completed every three years:

  • Attend a RESNET approved conference, OR
  • Complete 18 hours of RESNET approved professional development from a RESNET Accredited Training Provider

Courses approved for Home Energy Rater professional development can be found here.