New York
States
How to become a
home inspector in
New York
You have a big dream to become a home inspector in New York! We at InspectorPro are excited for you, and we realize how much work goes into setting up an inspection business. Between buying equipment, setting up your business entity, and everything else, you may not have had time to even think about what the New York home inspector requirements are. Don’t worry, because we’ve done the research for you. We can’t wait for your new home inspection dream to come true!
What are the New York home inspector requirements?
The New York home inspector license requirements are enforced by the New York Department of State. Here is a list of requirements that you must meet before submitting your application:
- Have a high school diploma, a GED, or the equivalent.
- Complete one of the following education options:
- Complete an approved course of not less than 140 hours, including 40 hours of unpaid field training.
OR
-
- Perform at least 100 directly supervised inspections.
- Complete a state-approved exam.
- Provide proof of general liability insurance with minimum limits of $150,000 / $500,000.
Once you have everything ready, submit your application online, along with the application fee, and you’ll be ready to go! But, for a more in-depth look, we break down the major requirements below.
Education
To fulfill the education part of the New York home inspector requirements, you are given two options: first, one built around a home inspector education course; and second, an experiential option.
Option 1
You must successfully complete home inspection courses of not less than 140 hours total. The course will cover various areas of home inspection, as well as how to effectively run your home inspection business. Document these courses on the form (Attachment A in the application document).
This option has one major stipulation: the 140-hour course you choose must include at least 40 hours of unpaid field-based inspections. Thankfully, there are many schools that fit that bill on the approved list, so you will be able to fulfill this New York home inspector requirement easily.
With this course, take it as an opportunity to begin your journey to become a home inspector in New York on the right foot. Aside from teaching you the necessary basics, these courses can help you network with other inspectors, meet experienced mentors, and ask any questions about business setup, marketing, inspecting, report writing, or any other necessary skill.
Option 2
To fulfill the second option of the education component for the New York home inspector requirements, you must perform not less than 100 (paid or unpaid) home inspections in the presence of and under the direct supervision of a licensed home inspector, or a professional engineer or architect regulated by New York State. Fill out the Experience Log (Attachment B in the application document) as you perform these inspections to submit along with your application.
This option is wonderful if you already have construction or general contracting experience and you also have someone who is willing to let you help them with inspections. It can also be difficult to pull off without proper support from a licensed home inspector, so make sure that you are working with an inspector (or multiple inspectors) who are committed to helping you from the start to the finish of the 100 inspections. If you are able to make this option work, ask many questions, study on your own, and practice every aspect of inspecting until you are confident enough to do it on your own when you finish licensure.
Pass the state-approved exam.
Once you have passed the education component of the New York home inspector license requirements, you should be ready to take the state-approved exam. For this exam, you have two options: Either the New York State Home Inspector License Examination or the National Home Inspector Examination (NHIE).
These exams will cover various aspects of home inspecting, including certain business-related topics. To prepare, we recommend that you take the exam after you have completed the education course or inspections. Further, ask other inspectors about how they prepared (and how they would better prepare with hindsight). We know that you will pass it with flying colors!
Obtain General Liability Insurance.
The New York home inspector insurance requirements specify that you must submit a proof of insurance document showing you carry at least these insurance limits:
General Liability / Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability
Limits of $150,000 (per occurrence)/ $500,000 (aggregate) or more.
General liability covers any property damage or bodily injury to others caused by your inspection. For example, whether you leave a running faucet on and cause water damage, or someone hurts themselves after following you up your ladder (for future reference, we do not recommend this), you will be covered with general liability.
Insurance limits represent the total dollar amount your insurance company can pay toward your covered claims in a given policy period. You have two limits: your occurrence limit, which is the maximum amount the insurance company will pay per claim, and your aggregate limit, which is the maximum amount the insurance company will pay during the policy period (typically one year).
Once you successfully bind (purchase) your coverage, you can request a proof of insurance from your insurance provider or broker, which you will submit along with your application.
Renewal
Once you have completed all the necessary requirements to become a home inspector in New York, along with the application, your home inspector license will be valid for two years. You can begin renewing your license 90 days before it expires, at which time you must show that you have completed 24 hours of approved continuing education within the two-year period of your license. Find the list of approved continuing education classes here.
Congratulations from InspectorPro
No one is more excited for you than we are–we at InspectorPro have helped a lot of inspectors begin this profession, and we know you will enjoy it. Reach out if you have questions, need help, or want to protect your business with the best coverage available. We are always grateful to serve you.