The InterNACHI exam vs. the NHIE
They are different tests for different jobs. InterNACHI's free Online Inspector Exam is its entrance exam: 120 questions in 60 minutes, taken at home, open book. The NHIE is 200 questions in 4 hours at a proctored test center for $225, and 26 states require it for a license. Passing one does not count as passing the other.
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Side by side
| InterNACHI exam | NHIE | |
|---|---|---|
| Written by | InterNACHI, a trade association | EBPHI, the Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors |
| Questions | 120, true or false and multiple choice, in 14 sections | 200 multiple choice, 175 of them scored |
| Time | 60 minutes | 4 hours |
| To pass | 80 overall and at least 50 on every section | A scaled score of 500, on 200 to 800 |
| Cost | Free; $25 for a proctored sitting | $225 in most states |
| Where | Online, at home, unproctored | A proctored test center |
| Books and notes | Allowed | Not allowed |
| Retakes | Free, no wait | A new fee, after 30 days |
| What passing gets you | The first step to InterNACHI membership and its CPI title | The exam result a licensing state or ASHI asks for |
The InterNACHI facts are from its Online Inspector Exam page, read October 25, 2026. InterNACHI says the exam's main purpose is to serve as its entrance exam, and that about 30% pass on the first try.
Which one your state accepts
26 states require the NHIE, and 7 more accept it with other exams. In a state that requires the NHIE, the InterNACHI exam does not count toward the license. A few states do name InterNACHI:
- North Dakota accepts a home inspection exam offered by EBPHI, ASHI, InterNACHI, or the ICC, per the Secretary of State. The law names the group, not a specific exam, so ask the office which InterNACHI exam it takes.
- New Mexico's licensing board lists a national exam score from the NHIE or InterNACHI, and its rule asks for a third-party accredited exam. Ask the board which InterNACHI exam meets that rule.
- Florida approves more than one licensing exam. InterNACHI sells a separate, proctored Florida licensing exam, not the free online one, and says it is on that list. Check the state's current exam list before you book.
- Utah gives no state exam. Its new license asks for a current ASHI, InterNACHI, or ICC certification, and InterNACHI's certification uses its own online exam.
Every other state page on this site names the exam the state asks for. See home inspector license requirements by state.
What it takes to become an InterNACHI CPI
InterNACHI's Certified Professional Inspector title has six steps: pass the online exam, join, finish its ethics course and its Standards of Practice course, submit four mock reports, and sign an affidavit. After that it asks for 24 hours of continuing education a year and the exam again every 3 years. InterNACHI says its requirements are likely different from a state license.
ASHI works the other way. Its Certified Inspector title asks for the NHIE. See ASHI vs. InterNACHI and does ASHI require the NHIE.
How each one describes itself
EBPHI says the Buros Center for Testing at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln accredited the NHIE, in two stages, in 2019 and 2020. InterNACHI says its exam follows the testing standards of AERA, APA, and NCME and is checked by an in-house psychometrician.
InterNACHI publishes pages critical of the NHIE, and its FAQ also points NHIE candidates to EBPHI's own prep materials. This site takes no side. It teaches the NHIE because that is the exam most licensing states ask for.
Which one to take
What do you need the exam for?
Your state requires the NHIE
Take the NHIE. The InterNACHI exam will not stand in for it.InterNACHI membership or its CPI
You need its exam, whatever else your state asks for.Your state accepts both
Check which one the board means before you book. Look at what each title is worth to the buyers and agents where you work.
Because the InterNACHI exam is open book and an hour long, a pass on it says little about how you will do on the NHIE's questions and clock. To test that, see free NHIE practice tests compared.
Questions people ask
Is the InterNACHI exam the same as the NHIE?
No. InterNACHI writes its Online Inspector Exam and EBPHI writes the NHIE. They have different questions, lengths, and pass marks, and InterNACHI does not accept the NHIE in place of its own exam.
Is the InterNACHI exam free?
Yes. InterNACHI says anyone can take it free with a guest login, retake it as often as they like with no wait, and that a proctored sitting costs a $25 proctoring fee.
Is the InterNACHI exam open book?
Yes. InterNACHI's FAQ says you may use notes and books, but not a laptop or a calculator. The NHIE is closed book: study materials stay out of the testing room.
How much does InterNACHI membership cost?
InterNACHI lists dues of $49 a month or $499 a year, with no contract. It says its Certified Professional Inspector title is free to members.
Does passing the InterNACHI exam give me a license?
No. InterNACHI's own page says passing it in no way certifies you as an inspector. A license comes from your state, and a few states accept an InterNACHI exam as one route.
Try the question style
Answer 20 practice questions from 17 of the 19 tasks on the outline. No email needed.
Not ready for that yet? Get the free NHIE study guide, a printable checklist of all 19 outline tasks, by email.
Where else the NHIE counts