Home inspectors in the US: which states license them

In short

A home inspector examines the house's condition before you commit: structure, roof, systems, and what will need repair. Inspectors are licensed by the states, and not all of them do it: Payotte's state data finds a license required in most states, a registration in a few, and no state license at all in the rest. HUD's point is simpler: an inspection only happens if you arrange one.

What an inspector does

HUD's FHA form says that "for a fee, a qualified inspector will take an unbiased look at your potential new home" to evaluate its physical condition, estimate the remaining useful life of the major systems and identify items that need repair or replacement. It adds that "a home inspection will only occur if you arrange for one; FHA does not perform home inspections", and that an appraisal "does not replace a home inspection". Ask the inspector for their standards of practice or a sample report before you hire them.

The CFPB advises making your offer contingent on a satisfactory inspection: with that clause, you should be able to cancel without penalty if the results do not satisfy you.

Who regulates inspectors

Only the states, and not everywhere. The CFPB says: "Depending on your area, home inspectors may not be required to be licensed." Where a state does regulate them, it may be a real estate commission, a licensing department or a dedicated board. Where it does not, membership of a private association is not a license: an association is not a regulator.

How to check an inspector yourself

In a licensing state, ask for the license number and check it on the state's search page, linked below. Everywhere, follow the CFPB: choose an inspector "with a reputation for being honest and thorough", ask for references and look them up with your state or county licensing authority. Watch who pays: the CFPB warns that an inspector "paid by someone else or not paid until closing" might underemphasize problems.

Where a license is required

Of the 50 states in Payotte's data, 31 require a state license; 6 require only a registration with the state; 13 have no state license that Payotte found.

Registration required: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Nebraska, North Dakota and Wisconsin.

No state license found: California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Wyoming.

Read from each state's statute and regulator pages (last reading October 14, 2026). A state with no license may still protect a title or license a related activity: the state page gives the detail and its sources.

What it costs

No federal agency sets or publishes a home inspection price, so Payotte gives none. What the price depends on, and the extra tests (radon, septic, lead) that may be worth adding, are in home inspection cost and what it covers.

Home inspectors in each state

Related guides

Home inspection cost · Home appraisal cost · Earnest money · All six professions

Questions

Do home inspectors need a license in every state?

No. The CFPB says that depending on your area, inspectors may not be required to be licensed. Payotte's state data lists, below, the states that require a license, those that require only a registration and those where it found no state license.

Does an FHA appraisal replace a home inspection?

No. HUD's form HUD-92564-CN says an appraisal estimates the home's value for the lender and "does not replace a home inspection", and that FHA does not perform home inspections.

How do I check a home inspector?

In a state that licenses inspectors, check the license number on the state's official search, linked from each state page. Everywhere, ask for references and a sample report, and prefer an inspector who is paid by you, not by someone else or only at closing.