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How to Become a Home Inspector in Maryland
Olivia Oksenhorn
1/23/23 11:34 AM
If you're thinking about becoming a Maryland home inspector, you'll have to become licensed.
In the Old Line State, home inspectors are regulated by the Maryland Department of Labor, and you'll have to meet their standards for education, licensure, and insurance to become a home inspector. Our step-by-step guide will walk you through all the necessary steps to becoming a home inspector in Maryland.
In Maryland, you'll have to complete a 72-hour on-site education course. Over the course of your education, you'll learn everything you need to become an informed, professional home inspector.
Check out the list of Commission-Approved Home Inspector Education courses to get started on the right foot. Approved courses, like those offered by Inspection Certification Associates, will prepare you to start inspecting homes in Maryland.
Pass the NHIE
After finishing your education, you'll have to take (and pass) the National Home Inspector Exam. The exam is 200 questions and you're given four hours to take the test. The NHIE is "scale-scored" from 200-800, and you'll need a 500 to pass.
It's important to study and thoroughly prepare for your exam. While you can retake the NHIE if you don't pass on the first try, you'll have to wait 30 days between taking the test and pay the $225 fee for every test taken.
That said, 25 of the 200 questions are not scored, so a few missed or incorrect answers won't break your chances of becoming a licensed home inspector.
Before you start inspecting homes, the Maryland Department of Labor will require you to provide proof of insurance. You'll need to carry $150,000 in general liability coverage to stay compliant with state laws.
After completing your education, passing the NHIE, and securing insurance coverage, the only step left to becoming a home inspector is submitting your application. Along with your application, you must pay a $50 fee to the Maryland Department of Labor.
On your application, you'll be asked to provide proof of a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent education, proof of completion for your on-site, 72-hour course, and your passing NHIE results.
Once your application is approved, you're officially a licensed home inspector.
If your application is approved by the Maryland Department of Labor, you're officially a home inspector. However, there are a few more steps to take before you start inspecting.
You'll need to get your home inspection toolkit. If you're starting your own business, you'll need to register your business, find good inspection software, and start marketing your company to realtors and homebuyers in your city.
Choosing the right software with clean, modern reports will set you apart from your competitors and show professionalism as you build your company. A good report will help you build a rapport with agents and provide the best experience for homebuyers.
The best home inspection software will save you time on your inspections and provide you with the business management tools you need to run your company. Not all software is created equal, so it's important to do your research and find the option that works best for you.
Marketing matters. While building up a web presence and finding a network of realtors might take a while, the first step is building a high-quality website.
If you're starting your own home inspection company, customers will need a way to find you. In 2023, it's extremely likely agents and homebuyers alike will find you online. A well-designed, mobile-optimized website will ensure you have the best chance of winning business in your market and is an important part of your digital marketing strategy.
As of 2022, the average price for a home inspection in Maryland was $472. A full-time home inspector who does 100 home inspections per year could expect to make a salary of nearly $50,000. However, many full-time home inspectors can do more than 100 inspections per year, and add-ons such as radon, mold, and sewer scope will increase revenue.
In Maryland, home inspectors are required to purchase a minimum of $150,000 in general liability insurance coverage. Some home inspectors will also carry errors and omissions insurance to be fully covered on the job, but E&O insurance is not required by the state.
Maryland home inspectors are required to complete 30 hours of continuing competency education every two years, corresponding with license renewal.
Maryland offers reciprocal licensing with the following states: AZ, AR, CT, DE, FL, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MS, NV, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV.
To qualify for a reciprocal license, home inspectors moving to Maryland are required to fill out the reciprocal license application form and will need to provide a copy of NHIE results, a letter of good standing, and a copy of a valid home inspection license from a qualifying state.