Checked . These numbers are our own count of the linked sources, not an official statistic.
States with a license, certification or registration (37)
| Alabama | Yes. A home inspector license, issued to individuals onlyOfficial source: dcm.alabama.gov |
|---|---|
| Alaska | Yes. Registration as a home inspector for new homes, existing homes, or both (joint)Official source: commerce.alaska.gov |
| Arizona | Yes. Home inspector certificationOfficial source: btr.az.gov |
| Arkansas | Yes. Home inspector registration is required to inspect for a feeOfficial source: labor.arkansas.gov |
| Connecticut | Yes. Home inspector licenseOfficial source: portal.ct.gov |
| Delaware | Yes. Home inspector licenseOfficial source: dpr.delaware.gov |
| Florida | Yes. Home inspector licenseOfficial source: myfloridalicense.com |
| Illinois | Yes. Home inspector licenseOfficial source: idfpr.illinois.gov |
| Indiana | Yes. Home inspector licenseOfficial source: in.gov |
| Kentucky | Yes. Home inspector licenseOfficial source: apps.legislature.ky.gov |
| Louisiana | Yes. Home inspector licenseOfficial source: lsbhi.state.la.us |
| Maryland | Yes. Home inspector licenseOfficial source: labor.maryland.gov |
| Massachusetts | Yes. Associate home inspector license first, then home inspector licenseOfficial source: mass.gov |
| Mississippi | Yes. Home inspector license; you must be at least 21Official source: mhid.ms.gov |
| Montana | Yes. Home inspector license from the Department of Labor and IndustryOfficial source: boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov |
| Nebraska | Registration with the Secretary of State, with liability insuranceOfficial source: sos.nebraska.gov |
| Nevada | Yes. Certified residential inspector (also general and master levels)Official source: red.nv.gov |
| New Hampshire | Yes. Home inspector licenseOfficial source: gc.nh.gov |
| New Jersey | Yes. Home inspector licenseOfficial source: njconsumeraffairs.gov |
| New Mexico | Yes. Home inspector license (3 years)Official source: rld.nm.gov |
| New York | Yes. Home inspector licenseOfficial source: dos.ny.gov |
| North Carolina | Yes. Home inspector licenseOfficial source: ncleg.gov |
| North Dakota | Registration with the Secretary of State, renewed yearlyOfficial source: sos.nd.gov |
| Ohio | Yes. Home inspector license, required to inspect for pay since July 1, 2021Official source: com.ohio.gov |
| Oklahoma | Yes. Home inspector licenseOfficial source: oklahoma.gov |
| Oregon | Yes. Oregon certified home inspector, working for a CCB-licensed businessOfficial source: secure.sos.state.or.us |
| Rhode Island | Yes. Associate home inspector or home inspector licenseOfficial source: crb.ri.gov |
| South Carolina | Yes. Residential home inspector licenseOfficial source: llr.sc.gov |
| South Dakota | Yes. Registered home inspector, then licensed home inspectorOfficial source: dlr.sd.gov |
| Tennessee | Yes. Home inspector licenseOfficial source: tn.gov |
| Texas | Yes. Three levels: apprentice inspector, real estate inspector, professional inspectorOfficial source: trec.texas.gov |
| Utah | Yes. A private home inspector must be licensed by DOPL (Utah Code 58-56-9). Applications opened on the May 1, 2026 effective dateOfficial source: le.utah.gov |
| Vermont | Yes. Property inspector licenseOfficial source: legislature.vermont.gov |
| Virginia | Yes. Home inspector licenseOfficial source: law.lis.virginia.gov |
| Washington | Yes. Home inspector licenseOfficial source: dol.wa.gov |
| West Virginia | Yes. Home inspector certificationOfficial source: apps.sos.wv.gov |
| Wisconsin | Yes. Home inspector registrationOfficial source: dsps.wi.gov |
No state license (5)
No state license doesn’t always mean no rules: some states set who may sign a report, and cities or counties can have their own rules.
| California | No. California’s home inspector law (Business and Professions Code §§ 7195–7199) sets duties and banned practices but creates no license. Training with an experienced inspector is voluntaryOfficial source: leginfo.legislature.ca.gov |
|---|---|
| Iowa | No state license. A report must come from a full member of a qualifying national home inspection association, or someone supervised by one who accepts responsibility for the report (other listed credentials also qualify)Official source: legis.iowa.gov |
| Kansas | No. Kansas’s home inspector registration law (K.S.A. 58-4501) expired July 1, 2013, after a bill to continue it (SB 37) was vetoed. Training is voluntaryOfficial source: ksrevisor.gov |
| Minnesota | No. The Attorney General’s home buyer handbook says home inspectors are not regulated by the state. Some cities license Truth-in-Sale of Housing evaluators. Training is voluntaryOfficial source: ag.state.mn.us |
| Pennsylvania | No state license. Inspections must be done by a full member of a qualifying national home inspection association, a licensed engineer or registered architect, or someone supervised by a full member who signs the reportOfficial source: legis.state.pa.us |
Not yet confirmed (10)
We haven’t found an official source that confirms it yet. Check with the agency before you start: Colorado, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Puerto Rico, Wyoming.
See ride-along requirements by state
More guides
- Home inspector ride-along requirements by state
- How to become a home inspector in Texas
- How to become a home inspector in Florida
- How to become a home inspector in New York
- How to become a home inspector in Illinois
- How to become a home inspector in North Carolina
- How to become a home inspector in Virginia
- How to become a home inspector in New Jersey
- How to become a home inspector in Arizona
Everything in this guide comes from the official sources linked, checked in October 2026. Rules change: confirm with your state agency before you enroll or pay for a course. Spot an error? Email [email protected].