Moving to Alabama as a home inspector: every state's rule

1. 1Pre-license course. Complete the required pre-license course. Approved home inspector education: at least 120 hours if you take part in 35 supervised inspections, or at least 35 hours if you take part in 100. The education must include instruction on writing home inspection reports, and it counts if the course is approved by ASHI, the Housing Inspection Foundation, InterNACHI or the National Institute of Building Inspectors, or by the Alabama Home Inspectors Advisory Committee. The Division's home inspector page lists approved pre-licensing providers; course fees are set by the provider..
2. 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. The National Home Inspector Examination of the Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors, which Rule 355-17-1-.06(1)(c) names as the examination on performing home inspections. Register with PSI at test-takers.psiexams.com/EBPHI or on 855-807-3992. Alabama adds no state-specific questions. It must be completed within the 18 months before you submit your application..
3. 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($225). National Home Inspector Examination fee, paid to PSI when you register. The examination board lists $225 per attempt in most states and asks candidates to confirm the price when registering; fees are nonrefundable..
4. 4Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. The American Society of Home Inspectors Standards and Ethics Examination, which Rule 355-17-1-.06(1)(c) uses to test your understanding of Alabama's Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics in Rules 355-18-1-.01 and -.02. Alabama writes no law and rules examination of its own. Register through Pearson VUE online or on 1-800-274-8359. Like the NHIE, it must be completed within the 18 months before you apply..
5. 5Exam fee. Pay the exam fee. ASHI Standards and Ethics Examination fee, paid to Pearson VUE rather than to the Division. Neither the Division nor Pearson VUE's ASHI page publishes the amount, so confirm it when you register online or on 1-800-274-8359..
6. 6Other. Twenty-five drafted home inspection reports, ten of which have been reviewed and corrected by a qualified home inspector. You certify both on the Division's Home Inspection Report Completion Form, which is filed with the application..
7. 7Application fee. Pay the application fee ($300). Registration fee of $300 under Code of Ala. 1975, sec. 34-14B-5 and Rule 355-17-1-.13. It is non-refundable, including where the application is denied or not completed. Pay it online through the Division's portal, or mail a cashier's check or money order payable to the Division of Construction Management; cash, company checks and personal checks are not accepted by mail. There is no separate license issuance fee..
8. 8Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($250,000). Errors and omissions insurance of at least $250,000, shown on an ACORD certificate of insurance. The license is not issued until the Division has received the certificate, and a lapse in coverage suspends the license..
9. 9Insurance. Carry the required insurance. Bodily injury and property damage liability insurance covering your home inspection operations, from an insurer licensed to do business in Alabama, at not less than $20,000 for injury or damage to property, $50,000 for injury or damage including death to any one person, and $100,000 for injury or damage including death to more than one person. It is filed on an ACORD certificate with the application, in addition to the errors and omissions coverage..

Published fees on this path total $525, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.