What are Georgia’s home inspector license requirements?

Unlike some other states, Georgia does not regulate its home inspectors. This means becoming a home inspector in GA does not require getting or renewing a license, meeting common prerequisites, or doing continuing education (CE) hours per renewal period.

Regardless, participating in training and education is a popular avenue for Georgia inspectors looking to distinguish themselves from others in your field. Why? As the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) explains, home inspection certification identifies you as being properly trained, qualified, and professional. Many of the realtors and buyers you work with will prefer inspectors with credentials. It shows you aren’t afraid to go the extra mile to offer quality services for your clients.

Furthermore, training will help you verify you’re adhering to Georgia’s laws. For example, Georgia’s Trade Practice Act 1994 prohibits unethical home inspection practices. It also requires you to perform visual inspections, provide a scope, and produce written reports, ASHI states. For these reasons, you’ll meet several inspectors who’ve completed coursework to exceed Georgia’s home inspector requirements.

How do I get credentials in Georgia?

If you want home inspection credentials in Georgia, here’s a general path you can expect:

1. Take a state-recognized education course, like one with ASHI or American Home Inspector Training (AHIT).
2. Pass the National Home Inspection Exam (NHIE). There are fees for taking this exam.
3. Complete in-the-field, hands-on training and attend ride-along inspections, if possible!
4. Join a professional organization for networking, mentorship, and continued skill development, like the Georgia Association of Home Inspectors (GAHI). These groups offer an excellent resource for finding experienced home inspectors to ride along with while you’re learning.
5. If you become a GAHI member, consider becoming an ICC R5 Code Certified Combination Inspector. This is very popular in Georgia!
6. Decide if you’re going to work with a multi-inspector firm or register an independent business as a sole proprietor or LLC.
7. Invest in insurance.

If there aren’t any Georgia home inspector insurance requirements, why do I need insurance?

Home inspectors in Columbia County, Georgia have home inspector insurance requirements of at least $100,000 in general liability (GL) coverage. Otherwise, your state as a whole does not require insurance to inspect homes. But that doesn’t mean insurance is any less important.

Securing coverage does so much more than check off a requirement box. If your business receives a claim, insurance will reduce your time, money, and emotional burdens by providing a team to handle and resolve conflicts on your behalf. As a Georgia home inspector, you’ll face clients with unreasonable expectations who instigate claims even without any serious evidence of wrongdoing on your end. Or, you might make a mistake. It happens to some of the most experienced inspectors at some point in their careers. Though no one plans for these situations, having a plan in place if they do happen means less stress for you.

Types of Coverage

There are a few different kinds of insurance that home inspectors benefit from. First, errors and omissions (E&O) insurance in Georgia comes into play when you’re accused of providing an inadequate service. For example, we see countless E&O claims from clients who claim their inspectors failed to report a defect excluded from their scope. In reality, many who solicit inspections don’t read their pre-inspection agreements closely enough to know what is or isn’t included.