How to Become a Licensed Home Inspector in Virginia
InterNACHI’s Virginia Home Inspector Pre-Licensing Points & Programs
Welcome to the Virginia Home Inspector Pre-Licensure Points and Programs overview. Virginia requires individuals who wish to perform home inspections to hold a valid license issued by the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR). Before beginning any pre-licensing training, you should familiarize yourself with the DPOR Board for Asbestos, Lead, and Home Inspectors website and the requirements for submitting a license application. You may find details at:
- www.dpor.virginia.gov/Boards/ALHI
- https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency15/chapter40/section32/
To Become A Licensed Home Inspector In Virginia, You Must:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Complete the minimum education and experience requirements. The DPOR uses a points system to allocate points for education and experience. Categories are listed directly on the Home Inspector License Application. A minimum of 15 qualifying points from a combination of the following education and experience, with a minimum of 5 points from each category, is required. See below for more options on how to earn points.
- Pass 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).
- Submit proof of general liability insurance with minimum coverage of $250,000. InterNACHI members do receive a discount on insurance, and you can get a quote at nachi.org/insurance.
InterNACHI’s Approved Pre-Licensing Point Options
The DPOR uses a points system to allocate points for education and experience. A minimum of 15 qualifying points from a combination of education and experience, with at least five points from each of the two categories, is required. InterNACHI® School is an accredited college by the United States Department of Education.
To obtain education points for licensing, you may complete any of the following activities:
- 2 points: Complete InterNACHI’s
- Up to 3 points: Complete up to three InterNACHI courses that cover NHIE topics. See pg. 6-13 of the NHIEs Policies, Procedures, Content Document to confirm topic options. While you can select any InterNACHI course that fits these criteria, InterNACHI suggests the following courses:
5 points: Complete InterNACHI’s Introduction to Home Inspections course.
5 points: Complete InterNACHI’s board-approved 35 hours of in-person pre-licensing training. In-person training may be completed at any 5-day House of Horrors training.
10 points: Complete InterNACHI’s board-approved 70 hours of in-person and online pre-licensing training, listed below. You may complete the online courses in any order.
To obtain experience points for licensing, you may complete any of the following activities:
- 1 point: Join InterNACHI, the world's leading professional association for home inspectors.
- Up to 12 points: Complete 5 home inspections under the direct supervision of a home inspector. Each set of 5 inspections equals 1 point. Reach out to an InterNACHI mentor for assistance in completing these inspections.
- Up to 12 points: Be hired by a multi-inspector company and assist a properly licensed or certified home inspector for 1 month*. Each month equals 2 points. Use InterNACHI’s Job Board to search for local listings in your area.
- *Be sure to thoroughly read and confirm what the DPOR considers one month of experience. The definition is available on the Home Inspector License Application.
- Points are available for individuals holding various contracting licenses. See the options listed on the Home Inspector License Application.
While you can select any combination of education and experience points that fits your situation, InterNACHI suggests the following to new inspectors for speed and convenience:
- 1 point (Experience): Join InterNACHI.
- 5 points (Education): Complete InterNACHI’s Introduction to Home Inspections Course.
- 3 points (Education): Complete InterNACHI’s
- 2 points (Education): Complete
- 4 points (Experience): Complete 20 home inspections under the direct supervision of a home inspector.
Becoming an InterNACHI CPI is a great way to ensure core competency in all home inspection-related areas, but is not necessary for immediate licensure.
Once you’ve obtained 15 minimum points, including at least 5 points in both education and experience categories, download and complete all required documentation and submit it directly to the DPOR.
35 Hours of In-Person Training Program
5 points In-person training may be completed at any 5-day House of Horrors training. Once complete, submit your certificate of completion to [email protected] so your training can be applied to your account.
| Requirement |
|---|
|
Pre-Licensing: Virginia 35-Hour Offline Coursework
|
70-Hour Hybrid Program
You may complete the online courses in any order.
10 points In-person training may be completed at any 5-day House of Horrors training. Once complete, submit your certificate of completion to [email protected] so your training can be applied to your account.
Please note that if you are using any of InterNACHI's additional online education to obtain education points in addition to the 70-hour program, you must use courses that are not already included in the program.
| Requirement |
|---|
| Appliance Inspection for Home Inspectors |
| Defect Recognition and Report Writing |
| How to Inspect Fireplaces, Stoves, and Chimneys |
| Residential Plumbing Overview for Inspectors |
| Structural Issues for Home Inspectors |
| The House as a System |
| Virginia Home Inspector Licensing Regulations |
|
Pre-Licensing: Virginia 35-Hour Offline Coursework
|
Virginia requires licensed home inspectors to complete 16 hours of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) during each renewal cycle.
InterNACHI provides board-approved CPE.
CPE Audits
Every six months, the Board will conduct random audits of 25 percent of licenses expiring during the previous six month period. Randomly selected licensees will receive the Home Inspector CPE Audit Form by mail at their address of record. Recipients of the Audit Form must return the completed Audit Form with photocopies of certificates of CPE completion (in subject matter areas covered by Board Regulation 18VAC15-40-72).
You must retain proof of CE completion for your renewal cycle. InterNACHI® Certificates of Completion are available via the InterNACHI® dashboard FOREVER.
Need assistance with your pre-licensing or continuing education requirements? Contact our education team at [email protected].
