How to Become a Home Inspector: A State-by-State Guide

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:

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?

Can I make home inspection a side hustle?

Is insurance required?

Are there continuing education (CE) requirements?

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!