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

1. 1Pre-license course. Complete the required pre-license course. A Board-approved pre-licensing course of at least 60 hours, including at least 40 hours of classroom training and at least 12 hours of practical experience, under 878 IAC 1-3-2. Practical experience means on-site inspection work or lab work involving hands-on or visual defect recognition of building systems and components. The course must cover heating, cooling, electrical and plumbing systems, structural components, foundations, roof coverings, exterior and interior, and Indiana licensure law and report writing. You must pass the provider's own final exam with at least 75% to complete it, and you file a copy of the certificate of completion with your application. Course fees are set by the providers; the Board will not pre-approve a course before you apply..
2. 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. The National Home Inspector Examination, which 878 IAC 1-3-3 names as the examination for Indiana licensure. You register and pay directly with PSI, which gives the exam for the Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors, and you file a copy of your original score report with the application. Indiana accepts no other home inspection exam..
3. 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($225). The exam fee, paid to the examination service rather than to the Board under 878 IAC 1-3-1(a). The Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors lists it as $225 per attempt in most states and says to confirm the amount when you register. It is nonrefundable and nontransferable, and it is charged again for each retake..
4. 4Application fee. Pay the application fee ($50). Application and issuance fee of $50 under 878 IAC 1-3-1(b), paid by credit or debit card with the online application. It is nonrefundable, and no separate fee is charged when the license is issued..
5. 5Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($100,000). General liability insurance of at least $100,000 under IC 25-20.2-5-2(a)(4), from an insurer or other entity authorized to do business in Indiana. The certificate must name you personally as the insured, not only your company, list the State of Indiana as an additional insured, show the Home Inspectors Licensing Board as certificate holder, and state that cancellation or nonrenewal is not effective until the Board has at least ten days' written notice. Indiana does not require errors and omissions insurance or a bond..
6. 6Background check. Complete a background check. The application asks four disclosure questions; neither the statute nor the Board's rules call for fingerprints or a criminal history record check. Any "Yes" answer must be explained in a signed statement giving the violation, location, date, cause number and disposition, with court documents for each instance. The license can be refused for a conviction that would be grounds for discipline under IC 25-1-11, a crime that bears directly on your ability to work competently as a home inspector, listing on a sex or violent offender registry, or disciplinary or enforcement action in another state or locality related to home inspections..
7. 7Other. If you do not live in Indiana, a written consent under IC 25-20.2-5-4: you agree that lawsuits arising from your Indiana work may be filed in the county where the events happened, you name an Indiana agent for service of process or accept the Board as your agent, and you accept service under the Indiana Rules of Trial Procedure. (if applicable).

Published fees on this path total $275, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.