Home Inspection Requirements for Alabama
Ordinance and Contacts
1) Approval or certification by one of the following agencies to inspect residential construction:
The United States Veterans Administration, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Southern Building Code Congress
International, or the Council of American Building Officials. *The International Code Council has replaced the Southern Building Code
Congress International and the Council of American Building Officials. 3. A high school diploma or its equivalent, work experience for at
least one year as a home inspector, and completion of at least 100 home inspections for compensation.
4. Alabama licensure on or after January 1, 1998, as a general contractor, registered professional architect,
registered professional engineer, or residential home builder. Renewals of home inspector licensure previously supported by evidence
of an acceptable professional license shall not require the applicant to repeat proof of such professional licensing.
(b) Attain a combination of completing hours of pre-approved home inspector education and participating in home inspections
under the supervision of a qualified Home Inspector, as defined in Subsection (d).
The applicant must either: 1. Complete a minimum of 120 hours of approved home inspector education and participate in 35 home inspections.
OR 2. Complete a minimum of 35 hours of approved home inspector education and participate in 100 home inspections.
Approved home inspector education shall include instruction on writing home inspection reports.
Approved education includes courses that are approved by the professional bodies listed in
355-17-1-.06(a)(1) or courses that have been approved by the Alabama Home Inspectors Advisory Committee.
(c) Complete a written examination demonstrating to the Division of Construction Management
that the applicant possesses an appropriate understanding of the Standards of Practice (Rule 355-18-1-.01)
and the Code of Ethics (Rule 355-18-1-.02) promulgated by the Division of Construction Management and a
written examination demonstrating adequate knowledge of performing home inspections. The written Finance Chapter 355-17-1
Supp. 9/30/19 17-1-7 examination for Home Inspectors to demonstrate appropriate understanding of the Standards of Practice and
Code of Ethics will be the American Society of Home Inspectors Standards and Ethics Examination.
The written examination demonstrating adequate knowledge of performing home inspections will be the
Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors National Home Inspectors Examination.
Applicants shall pay all fees associated with testing directly to the organizations conducting the testing.
Both tests must be completed within 18 months before submitting an application for a Home Inspector license.
(d) Draft Home Inspection reports for 25 home inspections.
Ten of these reports must be reviewed and corrected by a qualified Home Inspector.
A Home Inspector is qualified if (1) he or she is licensed in his or her state of practice and has been licensed for the
past five years, or (2) he or she has been a member of a group listed in 355-17-1-f.05 (1)(a)(1)
for the past five years and he or she practices in a state without licensing.
(e) Obtain bodily injury and property damage liability insurance covering the applicant’s
home inspection operations in the sum of not less than $20,000 for injury or damage to property; $50,000 for injury or damage, including death, to any one person; $100,000 for injury or damage, including death, to more than one person; and $250,000 of errors and omissions coverage. (f) File an accurate, complete, and timely application for license with the Director, along with the appropriate fee. (2) To obtain a Residential New Construction Designation, a Home Inspector licensed and in good standing under this chapter must: (a) Submit the appropriate application form as permitted by the Director; (b) Submit proof of successful completion of an eight-hour Residential New Construction training module approved by the Director and completed no more than two years prior to the date of application. The lack of a Designation shall not be construed to limit the rights of any licensee under the Act. It is not a mandatory requirement for inspecting residential new construction.
Home/EIFS Inspections Contact
Phyllis Stallworth – Licensing Coordinator
(334) 242-4802 (phone)
phyllis.stallworth@realproperty.alabama.gov
Website: http://dcm.alabama.gov/Inspection.aspx
Pass the National Home Inspectors exam
To initially become a Home Inspector, one must have one of the following four qualifications:
1. Membership in and adherence to the ethical standards of one of the following professional bodies at the time of
application: American Society of Home Inspectors, Inc. (ASHI), 932 Lee Street, Suite 101, Des Plaines, IL 60016
Housing Inspection Foundation (HIF), P.O. Box 879, Palm Springs, CA 92263. International Association of Certified
Home Inspectors (InterNACHI), 1750 30th Street, Suite 301, Boulder, CO 80301 National Institute of Building Inspectors (NIBI),
92 East Main Street, Suite 301, Summerville, NJ 08876 Chapter 355-17-1 Finance Supp. 9/30/19 17-1-6
2. Approval or certification by one of the following agencies to inspect residential construction:
Approval or certification by one of the following agencies to inspect residential construction:
The United States Veterans Administration, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development,
the Southern Building Code Congress International, or the Council of American Building Officials.
*The International Code Council has replaced the Southern Building Code Congress International and the
Council of American Building Officials.
3. A high school diploma or its equivalent, work experience for at least one year as a home inspector,
and completion of at least 100 home inspections for compensation.
4. Alabama licensure on or after January 1, 1998, as a general contractor, registered professional architect, registered professional engineer, or residential home builder.
Renewals of home inspector licensure previously supported by evidence of an acceptable professional license shall
not require the applicant to repeat proof of such professional licensing. (b) Attain a combination of completing hours
of pre-approved home inspector education and participating in home inspections under the supervision of a qualified Home Inspector,
as defined in Subsection (d). The applicant must either: 1. Complete a minimum of 120 hours of approved home inspector
education and participate in 35 home inspections. OR 2. Complete a minimum of 35 hours of approved home inspector education
and participate in 100 home inspections. Approved home inspector education shall include instruction on writing home inspection reports. Approved education includes courses that are approved by the professional bodies listed in 355-17-1-.06(a)(1) or courses that have been approved by the Alabama Home Inspectors Advisory Committee. (c) Complete a written examination demonstrating to the Division of Construction Management that the applicant possesses an appropriate understanding of the Standards of Practice (Rule 355-18-1-.01) and the Code of Ethics (Rule 355-18-1-.02) promulgated by the Division of Construction Management and a written examination demonstrating adequate knowledge of performing home inspections. The written Finance Chapter 355-17-1 Supp. 9/30/19 17-1-7 examination for Home Inspectors to demonstrate appropriate understanding of the Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics will be the American Society of Home Inspectors Standards and Ethics Examination. The written examination demonstrating adequate knowledge of performing home inspections will be the Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors National Home Inspectors Examination. Applicants shall pay all fees associated with testing directly to the organizations conducting the testing. Both tests must be completed within 18 months before submitting an application for a Home Inspector license. (d) Draft Home Inspection reports for 25 home inspections. Ten of these reports must be reviewed and corrected by a qualified Home Inspector. A Home Inspector is qualified if (1) he or she is licensed in his or her state of practice and has been licensed for the past five years, or (2) he or she has been a member of a group listed in 355-17-1-f.05 (1)(a)(1) for the past five years and he or she practices in a state without licensing. (e) Obtain bodily injury and property damage liability insurance covering the applicant’s home inspection operations in the sum of not less than $20,000 for injury or damage to property; $50,000 for injury or damage, including death, to any one person; $100,000 for injury or damage, including death, to more than one person; and $250,000 of errors and omissions coverage. (f) File an accurate, complete, and timely application for license with the Director, along with the appropriate fee. (2) To obtain a Residential New Construction Designation, a Home Inspector licensed and in good standing under this chapter must: (a) Submit the appropriate application form as permitted by the Director; (b) Submit proof of successful completion of an eight-hour Residential New Construction training module approved by the Director and completed no more than two years prior to the date of application. The lack of a Designation shall not be construed to limit the rights of any licensee under the Act. It is not a mandatory requirement for inspecting residential new construction.
Home/EIFS Inspections Contact
Phyllis Stallworth – Licensing Coordinator
(334) 242-4802 (phone)
phyllis.stallworth@realproperty.alabama.gov
Website: http://dcm.alabama.gov/Inspection.aspx