To perform a home inspection for compensation in the state of North Carolina on or after October 1, 1996, or to claim to be a licensed home inspector or a licensed associate home inspector on or after that date, an individual must be licensed by the Board. An individual who is not licensed by the Board may perform a home inspection without compensation.  

Requirements to be licensed as a home inspector. 

To be licensed as a home inspector, an applicant must do all of the following:

(1) Submit a completed application to the Board upon a form provided by the Board.

(2) Pass a licensing examination prescribed by the Board.

(3) To be licensed as a home inspector, an applicant shall provide proof to the Board that he or she has personal net assets of $5,000 or more. 

• In the alternative, the applicant shall provide the Board with a cash bond or a surety bond in the amount of $5,000 or more. Any surety bond shall be written by a surety company that is authorized by the Commissioner of Insurance to do business in this State.

(4) Pay the applicable fees.

(5) Meet one of the following three conditions:

(a) Have a high school diploma or its equivalent, have been engaged as a licensed associate home inspector for at least one year, and have completed 100 home inspections for compensation.

(b) The Board shall consider equivalent experience of applicants. Any one of the following descriptions of experience shall be considered sufficient to meet the equivalent experience requirements:

(1) A bachelor of science degree from any engineering, architecture or building technology school and two years experience working in building design, construction, or inspection of building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems.

(2) A two year Associate of Applied Science degree from a community college or technical school in building technology, civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or architecture; and either four years of design experience in building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems, or four years experience as an employee who works under the direct supervision of a licensed general (residential or building) contractor and who supervises electrical, mechanical, and plumbing subcontractors.

(3) Six years experience as an employee who works under the direct supervision of a licensed general contractor (residential or building) performing building construction and who supervises electrical, mechanical, and plumbing subcontractors.

(4) Certification by the North Carolina Code Officials Qualification Board as a Code Enforcement Official with Standard Level I (or higher) inspection certification in four areas: building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing.

(5) Any combination of certifications listed in Paragraph (4) and

(a) a license as an electrical contractor (limited or greater) issued by the NC Board of Electrical Examiners

(b) a license as a heating or cooling contractor (H1, H2,or H3),

(c) a plumbing contractor issued by the NC Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors resulting in either a certificate or a license in four areas in building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing contracting or inspections.

(c) Be licensed as a general contractor under Article 1 of Chapter 87 of the General Statutes, as an architect under Chapter 83A of the General Statutes, or as a professional engineer under Chapter 89C of the General Statutes.

RECIPROCITY

If an applicant is licensed as a home inspector in another state that has laws and rules that are similar to Article 9F of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes and to the rules of the Board, the Board shall accept that license as evidence of experience. However, the applicant shall satisfactorily complete the Board’s written examination and other licensing requirements before the Board shall issue the applicant a license.

 Requirements to be licensed as an associate home inspector.

To be licensed as an associate home inspector, a person must do all of the following:

(1) Submit a completed application to the Board upon a form provided by the Board.

(2) Pass a licensing examination prescribed by the Board.

(3) Pay the applicable fees.

(4) Have a high school diploma or its equivalent.

(5) Be employed by or affiliated with or intend to be employed by or affiliated with a licensed home inspector and submit a sworn statement by that licensed home inspector certifying that the licensed home inspector will "actively supervise and train the applicant.”

 Notification of applicant following evaluation of application.

If the Board finds that the applicant has not met fully the requirements for licensing, the Board shall refuse to issue the license and shall notify in writing the applicant of the denial, stating the grounds of the denial. The application may also be denied for any reason for which a license may be suspended or revoked or not renewed under G.S. 143-151.56. Within 30 days after service of the notification, the applicant may make a written demand upon the Board for a review to determine the reasonableness of the Board's action. The review shall be completed without undue delay, and the applicant shall be notified promptly in writing as to the outcome of the review. Within 30 days after service of the notification as to the outcome, the applicant may make a written demand upon the Board for a hearing under Article 3A of Chapter 150B of the General Statutes if the applicant disagrees with the outcome."