Home inspectors play a critical role in the real estate industry. In this article, we’ll show you how to become a home inspector in your state and walk you through the process of getting qualified step-by-step.
A home inspector’s job is to verify that the property being purchased is in good structural and mechanical shape and doesn’t have any hidden problems. If you’re interested in the building trades, providing excellent customer service, and are excited about an interesting career that (literally) takes you to new places every day, becoming a home inspector is an excellent career choice.
What Is a Typical Home Inspector Salary ?
Earning potential is quite good for those considering entering the home inspection industry.
The average nationwide salary for a home inspector is $61,598, and more if you own your own business. Your financial success as a home inspector will build upon the trust and confidence you generate with real estate professionals.
To a real estate agent, a skilled and reliable home inspector is worth their weight in gold. If you can build a loyal client base of real estate agents who trust you and hone your skills through experience, you’ll have a successful formula for income growth and success as a home inspector.
How Long Does It Take to Get a License?
In states that don’t require prelicense education or an exam to become a home inspector, you can enter this industry in less than a day. However, since most states require some form of education, examination, and licensure, the typical time to go from unlicensed to working as a home inspector is about six weeks.
How to Become a Home Inspector
In all honesty, when it comes to home inspection licensure, it’s the Wild West. Some states require multiple weeks of training, tests, and applications to become a home inspector. Others have no requirements whatsoever. Regardless of where you live, here are the steps you’ll need to follow:
1. Determine Your State’s Requirements
There are no national policies that govern the home inspection industry. Every state has its own set of rules and regulations.
Select your state below to learn more about your state’s specific regulations. If your state does not have licensing regulations, we’ve linked to a state-specific home inspector professional association.
State-by-State Guide on Home Inspector License Regulations
To see your state’s specific regulations, select it from the drop-down menu:
- Does the State of Alabama Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 120
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Alabama? Every Year
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Alabama? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Alabama? Yes
- Does the State of Alaska Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: None
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Alaska? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Alaska? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Alaska? Yes
- Does the State of Arizona Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 88
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Arizona? Every Year
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Arizona? No
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Arizona? No
- Does the State of Arkansas Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 80
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Arkansas? Every Year
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Arkansas? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Arkansas? Yes
- Does the State of California Regulate Home Inspectors? No
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: None
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in California? Not Required
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in California? No
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in California? No
- Does the State of Colorado Regulate Home Inspectors? No
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: None
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Colorado? Not Required
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Colorado? No
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Colorado? No
- Does the State of Connecticut Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 40
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Connecticut? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Connecticut? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Connecticut? Yes
- Does the State of Delaware Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 140
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Delaware? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Delaware? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Delaware? Yes
- Does the State of Florida Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 120
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Florida? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Florida? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Florida? Yes
- Does the State of Georgia Regulate Home Inspectors? No
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: None
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Georgia? Not Applicable
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Georgia? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Georgia? Yes
- Does the State of Hawaii Regulate Home Inspectors? No
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: None
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Hawaii? None
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Hawaii? No
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Hawaii? No
- Does the State of Idaho Regulate Home Inspectors? No
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: None
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Idaho? Not Applicable
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Idaho? No
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Idaho? No
- Does the State of Illinois Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 60
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Illinois? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Illinois? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Illinois? No
- Does the State of Indiana Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 60
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Indiana? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Indiana? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Indiana? Yes
- Does the State of Iowa Regulate Home Inspectors? No
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: None
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Iowa? Not Applicable
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Iowa? No
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Iowa? No
- Does the State of Kansas Regulate Home Inspectors? No
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: No
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Kansas? Not Applicable
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Kansas? No
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Kansas? No
- Does the State of Kentucky Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 64
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Kentucky? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Kentucky? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Kentucky? Yes
- Does the State of Louisiana Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 90 + 30 in field
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Louisiana? Every Year
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Louisiana? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Louisiana? Yes
- Does the State of Maine Regulate Home Inspectors? No
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: None
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Maine? Not Applicable
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Maine? No
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Maine? No
- Does the State of Maryland Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 72
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Maryland? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Maryland? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Maryland? Yes
- Does the State of Massachusetts Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 75
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Massachusetts? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Massachusetts? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Massachusetts? Yes
- Does the State of Michigan Regulate Home Inspectors? No
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: None
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Michigan? Not Applicable
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Michigan? No
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Michigan? No
- Does the State of Minnesota Regulate Home Inspectors? No
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: None
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Minnesota? Not Applicable
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Minnesota? No
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Minnesota? No
- Does the State of Mississippi Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 60
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Mississippi? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Mississippi? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Mississippi? Yes
- Does the State of Missouri Regulate Home Inspectors? No
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: None
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Missouri? Not Applicable
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Missouri? No
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Missouri? No
- Does the State of Montana Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 40
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Montana? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Montana? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Montana? Yes
- Does the State of Nebraska Regulate Home Inspectors? No
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: None
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Nebraska? Not Applicable
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Nebraska? No
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Nebraska? No
- Does the State of Nevada Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 40
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Nevada? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Nevada? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Nevada? Yes
- Does the State of New Hampshire Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 80
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in New Hampshire? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in New Hampshire? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in New Hampshire? Yes
- Does the State of New Jersey Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 180
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in New Jersey? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in New Jersey? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in New Jersey? Yes
- Does the State of New Mexico Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 80
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in New Mexico? Every Three Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in New Mexico? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in New Mexico? Yes
- Does the State of New York Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 140
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in New York? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in New York? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in New York? Yes
- Does the State of North Carolina Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 120
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in North Carolina? Every Year
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in North Carolina? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in North Carolina? Yes
- Does the State of North Dakota Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: None
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in North Dakota? Every Year
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in North Dakota? No
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in North Dakota? Yes
- Does the State of Ohio Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 80
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Ohio? Every Three Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Ohio? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Ohio? No
- Does the State of Oklahoma Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 90
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Oklahoma? Every Year
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Oklahoma? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Oklahoma? Yes
- Does the State of Oregon Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 60
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Oregon? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Oregon? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Oregon? No
- Does the State of Pennsylvania Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: None
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Pennsylvania? Not Applicable
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Pennsylvania? No
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Pennsylvania? Yes
- Does the State of Rhode Island Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: None
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Rhode Island? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Rhode Island? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Rhode Island? No
- Does the State of South Carolina Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: None
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in South Carolina? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in South Carolina? No
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in South Carolina? No
- Does the State of South Dakota Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 40
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License South Dakota? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in South Dakota? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in South Dakota? No
- Does the State of Tennessee Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 90
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Tennessee? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Tennessee? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Tennessee? Yes
- Does the State of Texas Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 128
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Texas? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Texas? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Texas? Yes
- Does the State of Utah Regulate Home Inspectors? No
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: None
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Utah? Not Applicable
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Utah? No
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Utah? No
- Does the State of Vermont Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 80
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Vermont? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Vermont? No
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Vermont? No
- Does the State of Virginia Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 70
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Virginia? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Virginia? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Virginia? Yes
- Does the State of Washington Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 120
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Washington? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Washington? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Washington? No
- Does Washington, DC Regulate Home Inspectors? No
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: None
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Washington DC? Not Applicable
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Washington DC? No
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Washington DC? No
- Does the State of West Virginia Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: 80
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in West Virginia? Every Year
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in West Virginia? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in West Virginia? Yes
- Does the State of Wisconsin Regulate Home Inspectors? Yes
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: None
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Wisconsin? Every 2 Years
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Wisconsin? Yes
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Wisconsin? No
- Does the State of Wyoming Regulate Home Inspectors? No
- Prelicense Education Hours Required: None
- How Often Are Home Inspectors Required to Renew Their License in Wyoming? Not Applicable
- Are There Continuing Education Requirements for Home Inspectors in Wyoming? No
- Are There Insurance Requirements for Home Inspectors in Wyoming? No
2. Complete Your Prelicense Education
If your home state requires prelicensing education, American Home Inspectors Training is the authority on preparing soon-to-be-inspectors for their new careers and offers online courses. They also offer live, in-person classes in certain states if you prefer a more traditional classroom environment. Check out which options are available in your state.
3. Take & Pass Your Licensing Exam
If your state requires a licensing exam, it is typically the National Home Inspector Examination (NHIE). Isn’t it interesting that there is no national regulation or licensing of the home inspection industry, but there’s a national exam?
The NHIE is standardized, and since everyone takes the same exam, it’s relatively easy to prepare for it. If your state has prelicensing education requirements, chances are your classes will prepare you well for your exam. If your state requires an exam but not a course of study, your best bet is to do some exam prep work with American Home Inspectors Training to prepare for your big exam day.
4. Complete Your State Application
States that regulate the home inspection industry typically require an application for licensing. Most state applications range from two to five pages in length. They often must be completed on paper and mailed to the state’s licensing board. Application fees range from $75 to $300.
Note that there may be requirements to fulfill in addition to your prelicensing education. You may be required to provide proof of insurance and may have to complete a certain number of ride-along inspections under the supervision of a licensed inspector.
5. Get Hired or Start Your Own Business
Once you’re licensed, you have several options as you start your career.
Start Your Own Home Inspection Business
A lot of newly minted home inspectors like the idea of starting their own home inspection company. The allure of setting your own schedule, being your own boss, and collecting all the profits sounds like a dream come true. If you’ve got a clear path to new business success, this is a great route to take.
However, be prepared for slow growth in most markets. Unless you’re a seasoned business professional, there’ll be a learning curve. You’ll need to learn how to market your services, nurture your leads, provide customer service, collect payments, satisfy Uncle Sam, and, oh yeah—actually inspect homes!
Join an Existing Home Inspection Company
Finding a job with an existing company is the direction most new home inspectors take, and can be what’s required in states where there is a mandatory “apprenticeship” period. By choosing a reputable company to work for, you don’t have to worry about the nuts and bolts of running a business and can focus on gaining valuable experience as a home inspector.
How to Become a Home Inspector FAQs
We gathered some of the most common questions from our readers about how to become a home inspector to help you better understand this field within the real estate industry. If you have additional questions, please ask them in the comments section below this article. We’ll be happy to respond.
Are home inspectors in high demand?
Yes. Since home inspectors are a critical link in the residential home purchase process, they are almost always in high demand.
Since the home inspector’s role is so closely tied to the real estate transaction and market in general, market fluctuations often result in changes in consumer demand for inspection services.
Can I make home inspection a side hustle?
In the same way that many real estate agents start part time, many professionals in the building trades will start doing home inspections on the side to supplement their income.
As someone with experience building homes, they already possess the knowledge needed to thoroughly assess a home’s condition—making home inspection an ideal after-work or weekend gig that you can eventually transition into a full-time role.
[Related article: Can You Be a Part-time Real Estate Agent?]
Is insurance required?
Not every state requires professional insurance for home inspectors, but many do. The type of home inspection insurance required varies based on where you live. The most common type required is called Errors and Omissions insurance (often referred to as E&O).
E&O insurance protects you against liability should you make a mistake on a home inspection report that winds up costing homeowners money. Professional liability insurance protects you and your employer in the case of an accident or personal injury on a job site.
There are plenty of options out there for professional insurance providers. We’d like to suggest that you check out The Hartford. They offer a wide range of insurance products to meet the needs of home inspectors in just about every state.
Are there continuing education (CE) requirements?
If you live and work in a state that requires a license to act as a home inspector, you will most likely be required to participate in continuing education (referred to as CE) and ongoing professional development.
These classes, seminars, and experience workshops help keep you in the loop in the home inspection industry. They’ll cover essential topics like tools of the trade and customer service strategies. They are generally valuable experiences for anyone looking to turn home inspection into a career.
Each state’s continuing education requirements are unique, but typically, you’ll be required to complete from 10 to 20 hours of some kind of formal professional development or CE every two years.
Bringing It All Together
Home inspectors are critical components of the residential real estate transaction. Without them, untrained buyers would be making purchase decisions on homes without genuinely knowing whether the home was fit for their needs, and in some cases, even for occupancy.
Now that you understand how to become a home inspector, you can see that it’s a pretty straightforward process that can be done by just about anyone. Check out American Home Inspector Training to learn more about what you need to do to get started.
Have experience as a home inspector? Specific questions? Leave us a comment below!
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