Who needs to be certified?
Any individual who advertises, bids, or performs residential home inspections of more than one structural component needs to be certified. Once certified, you must own or work for a business that is licensed with the Construction Contractors Board.
These are structural components:
- Exterior
- Roofing
- Plumbing
- Electrical
- Heating
- Central air conditioning
- Interiors
- Insulation and ventilation
- Built-in kitchen appliances
- Site
Who is not a certified home inspector?
Any person (business or individual) who:
- inspects only one component such as roof inspectors
- inspects for code compliance for government jurisdictions
- only performs pest and dry rot or wood-destroying organism (termites and other pests) inspections
- inspects only lead-based paint
- only inspects cross connections
- only tests the air for radon
- performs energy audits
- performs forensic evaluations
- performs home performance testing
- was licensed each year as a general contractor from Jan. 1, 1991 through Aug.11, 1997
- is a pesticide operator licensed by the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) if the individual is not conducting an inspection for a real estate purchase or sale.
-
assigns home energy performance scores for residential buildings
Certification process
Candidates for certification as an Oregon home inspector must pass the National Home Inspector Examination.
The exam is just part of the Oregon process to become a home inspector. The
Home inspector application packet describes other requirements. If you are looking for approved course providers to obtain required points, you can find a list of education providers here.
Exam
- For background on the national exam and how to prepare for the test, visit the national exam website.
- PSI administers the National Home Inspector Examination at seven Oregon locations.
Learn more. The Candidate Bulletin provides information about a study outline and sample test.
- The fee is $225. The four-hour exam consists of 200 multiple choice questions.
- It is important to keep the exam score report you receive from PSI when you pass the exam. You must submit this with other application materials.
Forms
Home inspector application packet.This form includes general information, eligibility requirements, test application, etc.
Add a Home Inspector. Use this form to add a Home Inspector to your CCB License
Home Inspector Consumer Protection Notice. This notice replaces the Home Inspector Summary and the Home Inspector Summary/Standards. By rule, home inspectors had to provide their customers one of the two notices.
Home inspector standards. This is a list of home inspector standards of behavior and standards of practice, as outlined in rule.
Fees
- $150 initial certification fee
- $150 certification renewal fee (every two years from date of certification)
Additional requirements
Once you are certified, you must be an owner or employee of a business that is licensed with the Construction Contractors Board as a residential contractor. The business must be endorsed as one of these:
- Residential general contractor
- Residential specialty contractor
- Home inspector services contractor
If you only do home inspections - and do not perform construction work - you may want the home inspector services contractor endorsement. With this endorsement:
- You do not have to take pre-license education and pass a test to become a contractor.
- Your bond and insurance requirements are less than those of the residential general or specialty contractor endorsements.
Fees
- $325 every two years (from date of licensing) for a residential general, residential specialty or home inspector services contractor license.