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How to Become a Home Inspector in Washington
Olivia Oksenhorn
2/10/23 8:40 AM
In Washington, you'll have to take a 120-hour Fundamentals of Home Inspection course. Check out a list of Washington state-approved courses here.
You'll have to do more than just classroom education to become a licensed home inspector. In Washington, you also must complete 40 hours of training in the field, and complete five inspections with a mentor.
Although 40 hours can seem like a lot, mentoring with an experienced inspector is the best way you can prepare to start your career in home inspection.
In Washington, you'll have to take and pass a state examination. There are two portions to the exam: the state and the national. You must pass each part of the exam within a two-year eligibility period.
There's a $300 fee to take the exam, which you can pay when you schedule your exam. Washington State uses an online exam software called SecureAccess Washington (SAW) and you'll need to apply there to take the exam. When you apply, you'll need:
Once you've gotten education, training, and an exam under your belt, you can apply to become a home inspector. You'll need to submit a completed home inspector license application, copies of your state and national passing scores from your exam provider, and a check for $680 payable to the Washington State Department of Licensing.
You can apply online, or mail all the required materials to:
Home Inspectors
Department of Licensing
PO Box 3917
Seattle, WA 98124-3917
After putting in the hard work to get your license, you can start inspecting. If you're starting your own inspection business, you'll need to start marketing and get your business license.
Whether you're striking out on your own or if you're joining a multi-inspector firm, you'll need software. Quality software will save you time on report writing, and your real estate agents will appreciate a clean report.