States

How to become a
home inspector in
Virginia

So you’ve decided to become a home inspector in Virginia! We at InspectorPro Insurance are incredibly excited for you and this new journey into the home inspection field. While you are getting your equipment and business set up, you may have wondered what the Virginia home inspector requirements are. Don’t worry, however, since we compiled a list for you to review.

Virginia-home-inspector-requirements

The Virginia Home Inspector Requirements

To become a home inspector in Virginia, you must meet the requirements established by The Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. If you have further questions after reading our list, please contact them with any questions you have. Here is the shortened summary of requirements:

  • You must be at least 18 years old.
  • Education and Experience requirements (complete one):
    • Complete a Virginia-approved 70-hour home inspection training course and 25 supervised inspections.

OR

    • Complete a Virginia-approved 35-hour home inspection training course and 50 supervised inspections.
  • Successfully pass the National Home Inspector Exam.
  • Obtain general liability insurance with a minimum insurance limit of $250,000.

After finishing the Virginia home inspector requirements above, mail in the application packet and you will be ready to inspect once they have approved you! But first, let’s review some of the major assignments in more depth.

Education and Experience

To fulfill the education part of the Virginia home inspector requirements, you are given two options that are fairly similar, with the only difference being the ratio of time spent in a training course versus performing supervised inspections.

Pick the option that suits you best. Are you more comfortable in a class setting or with a thorough curriculum? Choose option 1. Do you have a lot of construction or general contracting know-how, so you’d rather spend your time in-field? Then choose option 2. They both have a bit of formal education and experiential, but you will can choose which you’d like to focus on.

Option 1

To become a home inspector in Virginia with this coursework-focused option, you must successfully complete a Virginia-approved 70-hour home inspection training course, as well as 25 inspections supervised by a licensed home inspector. 

Option 2

To fulfill the second option of this requirement for the Virginia home inspector requirements, you must successfully complete a Virginia-approved 35-hour home inspection training course, as well as 50 inspections supervised by a licensed home inspector.

The courses you choose for either of these options will cover various areas of home inspection, as well as how to effectively run your home inspection business. You will provide a training certificate in the application package that shows you successfully finished the course. The list of approved schools can be found here.

The supervised-inspection requirement to become a home inspector in Virginia may be fairly simple to meet. If you take a home inspection training course that includes supervised inspections, you may meet both requirements at the same time. Otherwise, network with other Virginia home inspectors to find someone willing to supervise your inspections and check your work.

Use these opportunities in a course and while being supervised to become a home inspector in Virginia that stands out. Aside from teaching you the necessary basics, these courses and inspections 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. Fill out the Experience Verification form and get your supervising inspector to sign and verify it as well.

Pass the National Home inspector Exam.

After you complete the course and the inspections, you will be in a great place to take the National Home Inspector Exam (NHIE). This exam is not only the next step in fulfilling the Virginia home inspector requirements, but it also allows you to test yourself on everything you have learned. The NHIE is a 200 question exam that covers various parts of home inspections, including aspects specific to your state.

To prepare for this exam, review the materials from your home inspector course, and also consider using study materials from the exam provider themselves (found on their website). Also, ask other inspectors in your state about what parts of the exam they wish they had studied for more thoroughly. We know that you can pass this exam with flying colors if you have prepared well!

Obtain General Liability Insurance.

To fulfill the Virginia home inspector insurance requirements, you must provide a proof of insurance document showing you carry at least these insurance limits:

General Liability / Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

Limits of $250,000 (per occurrence)/ $250,000 (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).

Now, in regards to errors and omissions (E&O) insurance: many training courses will recommend that you carry this coverage. We, too, recommend that you carry E&O coverage, as the pairing of general liability insurance with E&O will protect your business from every angle of attack. E&O 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 the damage 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 Virginia, or anywhere for that matter.

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.

Apply for E&O and/or GL Insurance

Renewal

Your license lasts for 2 years, during which time you should plan to complete 16 hours of continuing education classes. Further, remember to send in your proof of insurance when you renew your policy each year, as your license could be suspended without it.

Congratulations from InspectorPro

To you who have finished all of these requirements to become a home inspector in Virginia, great job! If you are still working on it, we at InspectorPro are rooting for you! We hope that this list of Virginia home inspector requirements has been helpful for you. 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.