The NHIE and the BC home inspector licence
Yes. BC's Home Inspector Licensing Regulation lists four exams, and passing any one of them meets the exam step. The National Home Inspector Exam (NHIE) is the fourth on the list.
Checked on October 4, 2026
The four exams BC accepts
Section 3(1)(b) of the Home Inspector Licensing Regulation says you must pass any of these:
- The Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of British Columbia (ASTTBC) House Inspection Competency Examination. Consumer Protection BC marks it "Temporarily unavailable."
- The Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors (BC) Canadian Home Inspection Examination, now offered through the Home Inspectors Association BC (HIABC) as eight one-hour exams.
- The Canadian National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (CanNACHI) Associate Level Examination.
- The Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors' National Home Inspector Examination (United States). This is the NHIE.
Check this before you book
The regulation names EBPHI's exam. But Consumer Protection BC's licensing page heads that line "National Home Inspector Certification Council, National Home Inspector Exam" and links to that council's exam, which is a different test of 175 questions in 3 hours.
The page asks for "a certificate or transcript" showing you passed. Call or write to Consumer Protection BC and ask whether an NHIE score report from EBPHI and PSI meets that step. Get the answer in writing before you pay for either exam.
Every step to a BC licence
The exam is one of five requirements in the regulation and on Consumer Protection BC's page:
- Training. An approved program of at least 150 hours. The regulation says it must prepare you for one of the four exams.
- Exam. Pass one of the four above.
- Field training. At least 50 hours on inspections with approved licensees.
- Peer letter. A recommendation from a different licensee with at least 1,000 inspections, based on a trial inspection and report you do under their watch.
- Insurance. $1 million in errors and omissions coverage and $1 million in general liability.
2026 fees
| Item | Fee (CAD) |
|---|---|
| New licence | $1,461 |
| Renewal, on time | $1,344 |
| Renewal, late | $1,424 |
| NHIE, per attempt | $225, currency not stated by EBPHI |
Licence fees are from Consumer Protection BC's fee page. For how to register for the NHIE from Canada, see is the NHIE accepted in Canada?
Questions people ask
Do I need the NHIE to get a BC licence?
No. It is one of four exams that count, and you need to pass only one. The others come from ASTTBC, CAHPI (BC) through HIABC, and CanNACHI.
Does a BC licence help in Alberta?
Alberta's licence page lists a Consumer Protection BC home inspector licence as an approved licence for its education requirement. Alberta has other steps of its own, such as a criminal record check.
How long is a BC licence good for?
Up to 3 years, under section 5 of the regulation. Consumer Protection BC says every home inspector licence expires on March 31.
See where you stand
Take a free 200 question practice exam, weighted like the NHIE, with your score by task.