Pennsylvania
States
How to become a
home inspector in Pennsylvania
On your journey to become a home inspector in Pennsylvania, you have a lot to take care of. Aside from the equipment and training, you also have to worry about licensing! Don’t stress–we at InspectorPro want to make this easier for you. We took the time to research the Pennsylvania home inspector requirements so that you don’t have to!
What are the Pennsylvania home inspector requirements?
The Pennsylvania home inspector requirements were established by the Pennsylvania General Assembly. You do not technically need to register as a home inspector in Pennsylvania, but the law requires that all inspectors meet two requirements:
- Be an active member of an approved national home inspector association.
- Obtain errors and omissions insurance and general liability insurance with minimum limits of $100,000 / $500,000, with a deductible of no more than $2,500.
Before getting further into these two requirements, you should know that the City of Philadelphia has its own regulations for home inspectors, which we will not address, but you can find here.
Be an active member of a national home inspector association.
The Pennsylvania home inspector requirement to be an active member of an approved national home inspector association may seem simple, but there are stipulations for what kind of association membership is actually approved. As the law states, an approved association must:
- Operate on a not-for-profit basis and is not operated as a franchise.
- Have members in more than 10 states.
- Require that its members comply with a code of conduct and attend continuing professional education classes as an ongoing condition of membership.
- Require that a person may not become a full member unless the person has performed or participated in more than 100 home inspections and has passed a recognized or accredited examination testing knowledge of the proper procedures for conducting a home inspection.
The first three requirements are simple enough, as many national associations meet them. The last, however, requires you to perform 100 inspections as part of the education from the association, as well as complete the association’s examination.
Thankfully, the major national associations in the country, including the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) and the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI), can easily fulfill this requirement. Both of these associations offer educational and experiential courses that will not only help you to fulfill the Pennsylvania home inspector requirements, but will also give you an exceptional foundation for future growth and success. If you wish to become a home inspector in Pennsylvania who is a professional in every aspect, use the education courses and 100 inspections as an opportunity. Network with other inspectors, find mentors, ask many questions, and learn to write effective reports. Then, with that information, pass their examination and become a member, which will fulfill this requirement.
Even after you pass the examination and the courses, we encourage you to refine your craft with continuing education courses.
Obtain Insurance.
Insurance can help protect you and your clients from many issues during your inspections. Because of this, the Pennsylvania home inspector insurance requirements state that you must carry the following insurance for your business:
Professional Liability / Errors and Omissions (E&O)
Limits of $100,000 / $500,000 or more.
General Liability / Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability
Limits of $100,000 / $500,000 or more.
Apply for E&O and GL Insurance
Errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, often referred to as professional liability coverage for home inspectors, protects you when your clients accuse you of missing something during their inspection, like signs of water damage—or, at the very least, not mentioning it in your report. In other words, you’re protected when clients accuse you of not doing your job right. Obtaining E&O insurance is one of the most important steps on the road to become a home inspector in Pennsylvania, as it can protect you from expensive and stressful lawsuits and claims.
General liability covers any property damage or bodily injury to others caused by your inspection. For example, whether you overflow the sink while testing it and cause water damage, or someone hurts themselves after following you up your ladder, you will be covered with general liability.
Workers’ Compensation
Workers’ compensation requirements come from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry. (See Workers’ Compensation FAQs.)
Congratulations from InspectorPro
You are going to become an amazing home inspector in Pennsylvania, and we are excited to help however we can. Reach out if you have questions, need help, or want to protect your business with the best coverage available. We at InspectorPro are always grateful to serve you.