How Do You Become a Home Inspector in Massachusetts?

We’ve compiled the seven steps you’ll need to start your new career as a licensed home inspection professional in Massachusetts. Follow the steps below to learn more about home inspection courses (and why they’re necessary), taking the National Home Inspection Exam (NHIE), and where to go from here.

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Prerequisites:

  • You must have a high school diploma or a GED.

  • A background check is required.
  1. Complete 75 Hours of Massachusetts-Approved Home Inspection Education

    The Massachusetts Division of Professional Licensure’s Board of Registration of Home Inspectors requires a license to work as a home inspector, and choosing the right training will set you apart and build your brand as a reputable inspector. Associations and industry professionals agree that this coursework is essential to properly launch your career.

    The 75-hour required Massachusetts-approved home inspector course, including ebooks, aligns with topics on the NHIE. During the class, students also perform five inspections in local homes that count towards their supervised inspection requirements.

  2. Pass the National Home Inspector Exam

    After completing your home inspector education, the next required step is passing the NHIE. The exam consists of 200 multiple choice questions (25 of which are not scored) covering three major domains, or sections, that every home inspector should know. Those domains are:

    • Property and Building Inspection/Site Review
    • Analysis of Findings and Reporting
    • Professional Responsibilities

    Test takers are given 4 hours to complete the exam, and each attempt costs roughly $225 (depending on your location). Due to the unignorable cost of taking the exam, we highly recommend taking an Exam Prep course to greatly increase your chances of passing on the first try. If an individual does not pass, they must wait 30 days before taking the exam again.

    Fun Fact: Veterans taking the National Home Inspector Exam are eligible for reimbursement through the GI Bill. Those who choose to exercise this benefit must complete a VBA-22-0803-ARE and submit it with the receipt to the VA for reimbursement.

  3. Conduct 25 Supervised Home Inspections.

    Next, you must perform 25 home inspections under the direct supervision of a licensed Massachusetts home inspector to get your associate license. Then an additional 100 supervised inspections are required as an apprentice in order to apply for your home inspector license.

  4. Complete a Background Check

    As a license applicant, you must complete, sign, and submit a notarized Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) Authorization Form.

  5. Provide Proof of Errors and Omissions Insurance of at Least $250,000

    To earn your Massachusetts Associate Home Inspector License, you must provide proof of an errors and omissions insurance policy covering a minimum of $250,000.

  6. Submit a Passport-Sized Photo With Your Application

    When filling out a Massachusetts home inspector application, you must provide a recent color photograph in the style of a passport headshot. This photograph must be included when you submit your application.

  7. Pay the $338 Fee and Send in Your Notarized Application

    The application fee and license fee are charged when the application is submitted. The total fee is $338 and is payable by credit card, debit card, or bank account.

See MA Course Pricing & Packages
Free Home Inspector Webinar

Quick Facts:

  • As of March 2022, the average Massachusetts home inspector salary is $93,877 ($65,077 base pay + $28,800 in commission).
  • Each home inspection professional should have a liability and/or errors and omissions insurance policy. 
  • Home inspectors can operate independently or join a home inspection firm.

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Learn more about how to become a home inspector, getting your home inspection certification, and the average home inspector salary.

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Massachusetts Home Inspector License Requirements

Requirements to Become a Massachusetts Home Inspector

Massachusetts’s home inspector registration is two-tiered:  Associate Home Inspector and Home Inspector.  Inspectors must first apply as an Associate Home Inspector prior to completing the requirements to become a Home Inspector.

  • Massachusetts home inspection education hours: 75 hours (associate inspector)
  • Inspections: 25 home inspections in the presence of a licensed home inspector (associate inspector)/100 direct or indirect inspections (inspector)
  • Exam Required: NHIE (associate inspector)
  • Application Fee: $225 (associate inspector)/$338 (inspector)
  • Insurance Requirements: E&O for a minimum of $250,000
  • Other:
    • Passport sized photo taken within one year is required
    • Engaged as an Associate Home Inspector for not less than one year (inspector)
    • Completion of 12 CE hours (inspector)
  • Notarized application and a background check is required. Fingerprints are not required. No minimum age requirement.
  • High School Diploma or GED is required

Home Inspection License Expiration: Every two years

Massachusetts Home Inspector Continuing Education Requirements

  • 12 hours by May 31 biennially, even years

Massachusetts State Licensing Board