Certification as used in this section means a written statement by the registered company attesting to the statement contained therein relating to the absence or presence of wood-destroying pests or organisms and, listing such recommendations, if any, which appear on an inspection report prepared pursuant to Section 8516, and which relate to (1) infestation or infection of wood-destroying pests or organisms found, or (2) repair of structurally weakened members caused by such infestation or infection, and which recommendations have not been completed at the time of certification.

Any registered company which makes an inspection report pursuant to Section 8516, shall, if requested by the person ordering the inspection report, prepare and deliver to that person or his or her designated agent, a certification, to provide:

(a) When the inspection report prepared pursuant to Section 8516 has disclosed no infestation or infection: “This is to certify that the above property was inspected on ____ (date(s)) in accordance with the Structural Pest Control Act and rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto, and that no evidence of active infestation or infection was found in the visible and accessible areas.”

(b) When the inspection report prepared pursuant to Section 8516 discloses infestation or infection and the notice of work completed prepared pursuant to Section 8518, or when the reinspection report prepared pursuant to Section 8516, indicates that all recommendations to remove that infestation or infection and to repair damage caused by that infestation or infection have been completed: “This is to certify that the property described herein is now free of evidence of active infestation or infection in the visible and accessible areas.”

(c) When the inspection report prepared pursuant to Section 8516 discloses infestation or infection and the notice of work completed prepared pursuant to Section 8518 indicates that the registered company has not completed all recommendations to remove that infestation or infection or to repair damage caused by it: “This is to certify that the property described herein is now free of evidence of active infestation or infection in the visible and accessible areas except as follows: ____ (describing infestations, infections, damage or evidence thereof, excepted).”

(d) When a limited inspection report prepared pursuant to Section 8516 has disclosed no infestation or infection: “This is to certify that a limited inspection report was conducted on the area of the property described herein on ____ (date(s)) in accordance with the Structural Pest Control Act and rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto, and has revealed no evidence of active infestation or infection in the visible and accessible areas inspected.”

This certification shall be included on and made part of the complete, limited, supplemental, or reinspection report prepared pursuant to Section 8516, and by a copy of the notice of work completed prepared pursuant to Section 8518, if any notice has been prepared at the time of the certification, or the certification may be endorsed on and made a part of that inspection report or notice of work completed.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 572, Sec. 5. (SB 1481) Effective January 1, 2019.)