Although the NE-HERS Alliance provides training and examinations, the rater certification process must be facilitated by accredited HERS providers as specified under the RESNET Training Accreditation Guidelines. (See the NE-HERS Organizational Structure for more info.) Accredited providers are responsible for quality assurance and rater oversight and for maintaining the paperwork for the raters they certified.

Rater Listing on NE HERS Website

As a service to NE HERS members, certified raters who are members will be listed on certified rater pages by state. There are three ways to be listed:

• Training: Candidates take the NE HERS rater training class, pass the National Rater exam, and complete five supervised ratings under an accredited HERS Provider under which the have contracted to perform ratings. To be listed, certified raters must join the Alliance through their provider, or as an individual rater.
• Test and certification without taking training can work for individuals who have been performing ratings with an accredited provider who is a member of the Alliance, pass the National Rater exam, and complete five supervised ratings under an accredited HERS Provider. To be listed, the Provider must inform NE HERS that the rater has been certified.
• Reciprocity: If a rater’s accredited HERS provider is not an NE HERS member, a certified rater may first join the Alliance as an individual rater and be listed on the website if their provider submits a statement of their certification to NE HERS.

More details on each of the certification paths follow:

Rater Training Path

Following completion of a rater training class, each student seeking rater certification will be required to 1) complete and pass an open book examination on the last day of the course with a score of 80 or above, and 2) have their first five HERS ratings supervised by an Accredited HERS trainer or QA Designee of an accredited Provider. The Alliance training class includes supervision of one field rating if the rater completes the documentation.

Once these steps are complete, rater candidates will seek certification from an accredited HERS provider with whom they work or have an established relationship/agreement. Each rater's QA Designee must keep the documentation of the rater’s 5 completed ratings. To be listed on our website, the QA Designee should inform the NE HERS Alliance with name, business name, and all contact information, and then the Alliance will list him or her as a "certified rater" on the Alliance web site.

Rater candidates have one year from the date they pass the National Rater exam to complete the certification process and to ensure the Alliance receives appropriate notification from their QA Designee. If the “in process” rater does not complete these steps within one year, he or she will need to begin the training and exam process all over again. At a minimum this would mean submitting five ratings to the QA Designee and paying for and passing the National Rater exam again.

Testing and Certification Path

Taking the National Rater exam without attending training is a certification path only intended only for individuals who are experienced raters and have already produced ratings using REM/Rate or some other software that meets the current RESNET standards. Those who are not experienced raters should attend the rater training.

To take the exam, the candidate must find an Accredited Trainer or proctor that meets RESNET guidelines for overseeing the exam, and request registration for the exam by contacting NE HERS. Those passing the National Rater exam with a score of 80 or above must still complete five supervised ratings in order to be certified.

Since NE HERS does not conduct ratings supervision, each rater must be working for or make arrangements to work in association with a QA Designee from an Accredited HERS Provider. Since all HERS ratings in the Northeast must be processed under an Accredited Provider license, raters working independently may also request to process their ratings under the Provider’s HERS rating software licensing in the states in which the rater wants to perform ratings.

Proctoring of all rating tests is required. When taking the National Rater exam, two proctoring options are available:

A) An Accredited Trainer, if there is space available to take the exam on the fifth day of a scheduled NE HERS training, along with the students from the class; or

B) A professional proctoring organization.

• Click here for RESNET Proctor Guidelines
• Click here for RESNET Test Registration
• Resources for Exam Preparation

"In Process" raters have one year from the date they pass the rater exam to complete the certification process and to ensure the Alliance receives appropriate notification from their QA Designee. If the “in process” rater does not complete these steps within one year, he or she will need to begin the training and exam process all over again.

Reciprocity

Raters who have previously been certified through an accredited HERS provider that trains to the RESNET National Rater Training and Certifying Standard may be recognized by the NE HERS Alliance. If your Provider is not a member of the Alliance, to be listed on our website, you must join as an individual rater member.  Click here for individual member application.

Additionally, raters certified through reciprocity must be familiar with the NE HERS rater training manual, particularly Chapters 4 and 8. Ordering information is available here.

Quality Assurance Process for Independent Raters

As part of the NE HERS Alliance and RESNET’s quality assurance system, raters working independently must work out an arrangement with an Accredited HERS Provider for quality assurance oversight and to license rating software.

For a complete description of the quality assurance responsibilities of Accredited HERS Providers for both their employee raters and independent raters associated with them, review our Quality Control section.

• Help with Rater Certification / List of HERS Providers Available for QA Oversight

Rater Re-Certification and Continuing Education

Rater re-certification is required by RESNET every three years. RESNET requires HERS providers to document that all certified raters working with their providership have completed at least 12 credits of continuing education. The three-year re-certification period includes a three-month grace period.

It is not necessary for accredited HERS providers to inform NE HERS about re-certifications unless the rater is not listed on the website.