How to Become a Licensed Home Inspector in Alabama

Welcome to the Alabama Division of Construction Management pre-licensing education program. Alabama requires individuals who perform home inspections to be licensed by the Alabama Division of Construction Management (DCM). Before beginning any pre-licensing education or applying for licensure, you should familiarize yourself with the DCM’s requirements for education, examination, and the application process.

You may find official licensing information at:  https://dcm.alabama.gov/Inspection.aspx

To Become Licensed in Alabama, You Must:

1. Be a member of a professional organization. Join InterNACHI®.
2. Complete a combination of approved education and supervised home inspection experience. An initial applicant must meet one of the following pathways. Complete either:
   1.  a minimum of 120 hours of approved home inspector education, such as InterNACHI’s accredited Home Inspector Certificate Program, and participate in 35 home inspections; OR 
   2. Complete a minimum of 35 hours of approved home inspector education and participate in 100 home inspections.
3. Pass two required examinations:
   1. ASHI’s Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics examination; and
   2. The National Home Inspector Examination (NHIE). To help practice or prepare for the exam, you may take InterNACHI's Online Home Inspector Exam (free and open to everyone), take the InterNACHI® Ultimate Home Inspection Practice Test (free and online for members), and take InterNACHI's accredited online courses (free and online for members). 
4. Draft 25 home inspection reports, 10 of which must be reviewed by a qualified home inspector. A home inspector is considered qualified if:
   1. The inspector is licensed in their state and has been licensed for the past 5 years; OR
   2. The inspector has been a member of InterNACHI® for the past 5 years and practices in a state without licensing. 
      Find an InterNACHI® Mentor near you.
5. Obtain liability insurance in the following minimum amounts:
   1. Not less than $20,000 for injury or damage to property;
   2. $50,000 for injury or damage, including death, to any one person;
   3. $100,000 for injury or damage, including death, to more than one person; and
   4. $250,000 in errors and omissions insurance. InterNACHI members do receive a discount on insurance, and you can get a quote at nachi.org/insurance.
6. Submit a completed application to the DCM. Applications may be submitted online or mailed with notarized documentation to the DCM Home/EIFS Inspectors Licensing Division.

Note: Alabama allows licensure as a home inspector without membership in an industry association through alternative pathways, including:

• Certification or approval of an outside agency (Category B);
• Alabama licensure on or after January 1, 1998 (Category C); or
• Education and work experience (Category D).

Refer to the Alabama home inspector license application for full details.

Forms You'll Need

• New Home Inspector Application
• Home Inspection Participation Log
• Verification of Qualified Home Inspector Participant Supervision
• Home Inspection Report Certification Form 

These and other Alabama licensing forms can also be found on the state's Home Inspection Division page.