To become a licensed home inspector in Texas, you need to follow these key steps:
1. Meet Basic Eligibility Requirements
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Be a U.S. citizen or a lawfully admitted alien.
- Meet Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) standards for honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity
2. Complete Required Education
Texas offers three levels of home inspector licenses: Apprentice Inspector, Real Estate Inspector, and Professional Real Estate Inspector. The most common path is to become a Professional Real Estate Inspector, which requires:
- Completing 194 hours of qualifying education, split into National and State portions:
- 110 hours National courses covering property inspection, analysis, reporting, and business operations.
- 84 hours State courses including Texas practicum (field training), Texas Standards of Practice, and Texas Law
Alternatively, the Real Estate Inspector license requires 154 hours of education and requires working under a Professional Inspector
. Education can be completed through approved providers such as Champions School of Real Estate, ICA, or Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
3. Complete 40 Hours of Practicum
You must complete 40 hours of field training (practicum) by observing and working with a licensed home inspector
4. Pass Required Exams
- Pass the National Home Inspector Examination (NHIE), which covers property inspection, analysis, and professional responsibilities.
- Pass the Texas State Law Exam, specific to Texas home inspection laws and regulations.
Both exams are administered by Pearson VUE and can be taken together or separately
5. Submit Application and Fees
- Submit your application to TREC with the appropriate fee: $100 for Real Estate Inspector or $120 for Professional Real Estate Inspector license.
- Provide proof of professional liability insurance with coverage of at least $100,000 per occurrence and $100,000 aggregate annually
6. Complete Fingerprinting and Background Check
- Submit fingerprints to the Texas Department of Public Safety for a background check as required by law
7. Maintain License
- Complete continuing education (CE) requirements every two years, including legal updates and other inspector CE hours to renew your license
By following these steps and meeting all requirements, you can become a licensed home inspector in Texas and start your career in home inspection
