Tennessee
States
How to become a
home inspector in
Tennessee
Last Updated: August 28, 2023
So you’ve decided to become a home inspector in Tennessee–are you excited? You should be! Are you also confused about what the Tennessee home inspector requirements are? If you are, don’t worry, because we have compiled the list of requirements so that you don’t have to. We are excited for you to take this new journey!
What are the Tennessee home inspector requirements?
The Tennessee home inspector license requirements are enforced by The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, where you can find more information about the application process. Here is a list of what inspectors must do to obtain a license:
- Must be at least 18 years old.
- Have either a high school diploma, a GED, or the equivalent.
- Successfully complete 90 hours of an approved home inspector training program.
- Pass the National Home Inspector Exam.
- Obtain $500,000 of general liability insurance and any amount of errors and omissions insurance.
As soon as you have fulfilled the requirements above, you may submit the application online, pay the $300 application fee, and you will be prepared to start inspecting as a licensed Tennessee home inspector! But first, let’s look at the major requirements in more detail.
Complete a 90-hour training program.
The Tennessee home inspector requirements state that you must successfully complete a 90-hour home inspection course. The course will cover the systems you will inspect, reporting practices, as well as how to run your inspection business well. You can find a list of approved course providers here.
These types of courses can help you become an experienced and knowledgeable home inspector. Take it as an opportunity to begin your journey to become a home inspector in Tennessee on the right foot. Aside from teaching you the necessary basics, these courses can help you network with other inspectors, meet experienced mentors, and ask any questions about marketing, inspecting, business setup, report writing, or any other necessary skill.
Pass the National Home inspector Exam.
Once you have completed the other requirements and submitted the application, the next step to fulfilling the Tennessee home inspector requirements is to pass the state-approved National Home Inspector Exam (NHIE). The NHIE is a 200 question exam that covers various aspects of home inspections, including report writing and your professional responsibilities as an inspector.
To prepare for this exam, review the materials from your home inspector course, and also consider using study materials from the exam providers themselves (found on their website). Also, ask other inspectors in your state about what parts of the exam they wish they had studied for more thoroughly. If you prepare in these ways, you will be on track to pass the exam with flying colors!
Obtain Insurance.
The Tennessee home inspector insurance requirements state that you must carry both errors and omissions insurance and general liability insurance.
The required insurance limits are:
Professional Liability / Errors and Omissions (E&O)
Minimum limits not specified. Any amount is sufficient to fulfill the requirement.
General Liability / Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability
Limits of $500,000 (per occurrence)/ $500,000 (aggregate) or more.
Apply for E&O and GL Insurance
Errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, often referred to as professional liability coverage for home inspectors, protects you when your clients accuse you of missing (or leaving out of your report) something during their inspection, whether it be water damage, roof damage, or another defect. In other words, you’re protected when clients accuse you of not doing your job right. Obtaining E&O insurance is one of the most important steps on the road to become a home inspector in Tennessee, or anywhere for that matter.
General liability covers any property damage or bodily injury to others caused by your inspection. For example, whether you leave a running faucet on and cause water damage, or someone hurts themselves after following you up your ladder (which we do not recommend), you will be covered with general liability. If you would like to know more about what these insurances cover, read this article on our blog.
Once you bind (purchase) coverage for these two coverages, you can provide proof to submit with your application by obtaining a Certificate of Insurance from your insurer. This is a document that lists your insurance and limits. The Tennessee home inspector insurance requirements also request that, when you obtain your Certificate of Insurance, you have your insurer list the following as a Certificate Holder on the document:
TN Home Inspector Licensing Program
500 James Robertson Parkway Nashville, TN 37243
Renewal
Once you have completed the requirements, submitted your application, and gotten approved, your license will last for 2 years. Before it expires, begin the renewal process. The major requirement to renew your license is to show that you have completed 32 hours of continuing education courses (find the approved list here, marked with CE under “Course Type”).
Congratulations from InspectorPro
We are so proud of you for starting this journey to become a home inspector in Tennessee. It can be hard, but extremely fulfilling. Reach out if you have questions, need help, or want to protect your business with the best insurance coverage available. We are rooting for you!