NHIE domain weights and content outline
The NHIE content outline weights its three domains 70 / 20 / 10. That's 70% on inspecting the property, 20% on analysis and reporting, and 10% on professional responsibilities. Those weights come from EBPHI's 2023 outline, printed in its candidate overview packet.
Checked on October 4, 2026
The three domains
- 70%
- Property and Building Inspection / Site Review~122
- 20%
- Analysis of Findings and Reporting~35
- 10%
- Professional Responsibilities~18
| Domain | Weight | Tasks | Scored, about |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Property and Building Inspection / Site Review | 70% | 13 | 122 |
| 2. Analysis of Findings and Reporting | 20% | 4 | 35 |
| 3. Professional Responsibilities | 10% | 2 | 18 |
EBPHI publishes percentages, not question counts. The counts here apply each percentage to the 175 scored questions and round, so treat them as close, not exact.
All 19 tasks
Each domain breaks into tasks, and each task has its own weight. The biggest single task is electrical, at 7%.
| Task | Weight | Scored items |
|---|---|---|
| Domain 1. Property and Building Inspection / Site Review 70% | ||
| 1.1 Site conditions | 5% | ~9 |
| 1.2 Building exterior | 5% | ~9 |
| 1.3 Roof | 6% | ~11 |
| 1.4 Structural | 6% | ~11 |
| 1.5 Electrical | 7% | ~12 |
| 1.6 Cooling | 4% | ~7 |
| 1.7 Heating | 5% | ~9 |
| 1.8 Insulation, moisture management, ventilation | 5% | ~9 |
| 1.9 Mechanical exhaust | 5% | ~9 |
| 1.10 Plumbing and fuel distribution | 6% | ~11 |
| 1.11 Interior | 4% | ~7 |
| 1.12 Fireplaces, fuel-burning appliances, chimneys | 6% | ~11 |
| 1.13 Life safety equipment and systems | 6% | ~11 |
| Domain 2. Analysis of Findings and Reporting 20% | ||
| 2.1 Describe what was inspected and how | 4% | ~7 |
| 2.2 Describe limitations | 4% | ~7 |
| 2.3 Describe defective components | 6% | ~11 |
| 2.4 Describe what needs further evaluation | 6% | ~11 |
| Domain 3. Professional Responsibilities 10% | ||
| 3.1 Pre-inspection agreement | 5% | ~9 |
| 3.2 Quality, integrity, objectivity | 5% | ~9 |
About the 63 / 25 / 12 split
Some prep sites still list the NHIE weights as 63 / 25 / 12. That split doesn't match the 2023 outline in EBPHI's candidate packet, which says 70 / 20 / 10. When two sources disagree, go with the board that writes the exam.
The difference is real. At 63%, Domain 1 would be worth about 110 scored questions. At 70%, it's about 122.
How to use the weights
Split your study time the way the exam splits its questions. For every 10 hours you study, put about 7 into Domain 1, 2 into Domain 2, and 1 into Domain 3.
Then check yourself task by task, not only domain by domain. A weak spot in a 7% task costs more than one in a 4% task. For a full plan, see how to study for the NHIE. For the exam format and scoring, see the National Home Inspector Exam guide.
Try the question style
Answer 20 practice questions, one from every task on the outline. No email needed.
More NHIE guides