Home inspectors can be licensed to perform home inspections in more than one state. But if you plan to offer services in another state, you should check the new state’s license requirements—and ensure you meet them—before opening for business.
Read on to learn why some home inspectors offer services in multiple states, how to find each state’s license requirements , and which states have reciprocity for home inspectors.
There are a few reasons why you might choose to be licensed to perform home inspections in multiple states. Here are the most common ones.
If you live close to a state border, getting licensed to perform home inspections in your neighboring state opens a new market for your business. You can add new clients, expand your referral network, and generate more revenue.
You may have established residency in more than one state (for example, you may have a second home or a vacation home in another state). If this is the case, becoming a licensed home inspector in the states where you have residency means you can run your business seamlessly (and legally) across state lines. This could also create opportunities to establish additional offices in other states and hire employees to help expand your business and profit.
If you’re relocating now or planning to in the future, it’s a good idea to get licensed in your new state (if licensing is required in the new state) ahead of your move. This will make for a smoother transition of your business state to state.
Before you offer your services to a client in another state, you should check the home inspection license requirements for that state.
Some states require home inspectors to be licensed prior to offering home inspection services. Others may not require a license but do require training. And still, other states don’t have any licensing or education requirements.
It can be confusing. That’s why your first step before inspecting a home in a new state is to make sure you meet the legal requirements to be a home inspector in that state.
If you find that a new state requires you to have a license to inspect homes , you should first check if the state has reciprocity for home inspectors.
Reciprocity just means that a licensed home inspector in one state can apply for an equivalent home inspector license in another state. The process typically involves completing an application for a license in the new state; paying an application fee; submitting to a background check; and providing proof of home inspector training, passing exam scores, and experience hours. Some states may also require you to take and pass the National Home Inspector Exam.
It all depends on the reciprocity agreement for each state.
If the new state doesn’t require you to have a license to perform home inspections, you should still check for any local regulations you may need to meet before offering your services.
In licensed and non-licensed states, you’ll still need to register your business with the Secretary of State for tax purposes and secure a business license to legally provide your services.
It may go without saying, but you shouldn’t inspect a home in another state—or even in your current state—without first understanding and meeting the license and/or education requirements.
If you provide home inspection services without a required license, without understanding the state’s Standards of Practice, or without meeting other regulations, you could incur legal and financial penalties. This is simple to avoid. Double-check the home inspection license and training requirements with each state’s regulatory board and ensure you meet them for any state you plan to work in.
The below states require home inspectors to complete home inspector training and earn a state-issued license before performing home inspections.
| States Where Licenses are Required for Home Inspectors |
|---|
| Alabama |
| Alaska |
| Arizona |
| Arkansas |
| Connecticut |
| Delaware |
| Florida |
| Illinois |
| Indiana |
| Kentucky |
| Louisiana |
| Maryland |
| Massachusetts |
| Mississippi |
| Montana |
| Nevada |
| New Hampshire |
| New Jersey |
| New Mexico |
| New York |
| North Carolina |
| North Dakota |
| Ohio |
| Oklahoma |
| Oregon |
| Rhode Island |
| South Carolina |
| South Dakota |
| Tennessee |
| Texas |
| Vermont |
| Virginia |
| Washington |
| West Virginia |
| Wisconsin |
The below states don’t require home inspectors to complete home inspector training and earn a state-issued license before performing home inspections.
| States Where Licenses are Not Required for Home Inspectors |
|---|
| California |
| Colorado |
| Georgia |
| Hawaii |
| Idaho |
| Iowa |
| Kansas |
| Maine |
| Michigan |
| Minnesota |
| Missouri |
| Nebraska |
| Pennsylvania |
| Utah |
| Washington, D.C. |
| Wyoming |
Some of these states—including California, Georgia, and Pennsylvania—have other regulations you must meet before providing inspections. Some regulations may be city- or county-created statutes. Others might enforce a requirement to join a home inspection association, such as the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) or the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI). Always check the requirements for home inspectors in your locale before opening for business.
In non-licensed states, it’s also a good idea to complete comprehensive home inspector training even though it’s not required. Professional home inspectors should be qualified to perform home inspections before offering them.
The below states have reciprocity agreements with other states for home inspectors. This information is current as of December 2022. Since state requirements can change, we recommend always checking with a state’s home inspection regulatory board for the most updated reciprocity information.
| State Reciprocity Agreement | State Home Inspection Regulatory Board |
|---|---|
| Arizona Home Inspector Reciprocity | Arizona State Board of Technical Registration |
| Arkansas Home Inspector Reciprocity | Arkansas Home Inspector Registration Board |
| Connecticut Home Inspector Reciprocity | Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection |
| Delaware Home Inspector Reciprocity | Delaware Board of Home Inspectors |
| Florida Home Inspector Reciprocity | Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation |
| Illinois Home Inspector Reciprocity | Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation |
| Indiana Home Inspector Reciprocity | Indiana Professional Licensing Agency |
| Kentucky Home Inspector Reciprocity | Kentucky Board of Home Inspectors |
| Louisiana Home Inspector Reciprocity | Louisiana State Board of Home Inspectors |
| Maryland Home Inspector Reciprocity | Maryland Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing |
| Massachusetts Home Inspector Reciprocity | Massachusetts Board of Registration of Home Inspectors |
| Mississippi Home Inspector Reciprocity | Mississippi Home Inspector Division |
| Montana Home Inspector Reciprocity | Montana Department of Labor and Industry |
| New Hampshire Home Inspector Reciprocity | New Hampshire Board of Home Inspectors |
| New Jersey Home Inspector Reciprocity | New Jersey Home Inspection Advisory Committee |
| New Mexico Home Inspector Reciprocity | New Mexico Home Inspectors Board |
| New York Home Inspector Reciprocity | New York Division of Licensing Services |
| North Carolina Home Inspector Reciprocity | North Carolina Home Inspector Licensure Board |
| Ohio Home Inspector Reciprocity | Ohio Division of Real Estate & Professional Licensing |
| Oklahoma Home Inspector Reciprocity | Oklahoma Construction Industries Board |
| Oregon Home Inspector Reciprocity | Oregon Construction Contractors Board |
| Rhode Island Home Inspector Reciprocity | Rhode Island Contractors’ Registration and Licensing Board |
| South Carolina Home Inspector Reciprocity | South Carolina Residential Builders Commission |
| South Dakota Home Inspector Reciprocity | South Dakota Real Estate Commission |
| Tennessee Home Inspector Reciprocity | Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance |
| Texas Home Inspector Reciprocity | Texas Real Estate Commission |
| Virginia Home Inspector Reciprocity | Virginia Board for Asbestos, Lead, and Home Inspectors |
| Washington Home Inspector Reciprocity | Washington State Department of Licensing |
The below states do not have reciprocity agreements with other states for home inspectors. In these states, you’ll need to earn a home inspector license by meeting all of the state’s home inspection training and license requirements (if the state has those requirements).
| States Without Reciprocity for Home Inspectors |
|---|
| Alabama |
| Alaska |
| California |
| Colorado |
| Georgia |
| Hawaii |
| Idaho |
| Iowa |
| Kansas |
| Maine |
| Michigan |
| Minnesota |
| Missouri |
| Nebraska |
| Nevada |
| North Dakota |
| Pennsylvania |
| Utah |
| Vermont |
| West Virginia |
| Wisconsin |
| Wyoming |
AHIT makes it easy to understand your state’s home inspector license requirements —and follow a step-by-step path to licensure and/or qualifying training. Enroll in AHIT home inspection training and start working toward your license in one (or more) states today! Learn more about becoming a home inspector .
Ashley Roe is a Content Specialist with AHIT and The CE Shop. She writes regularly about home inspection and appraisal. With a reporter's eye and a passion for learning, Ashley stays current on what's happening within each industry. Her goal is to create engaging, relevant, and useful content that both informs and inspires readers.
