Do you need a license to be a home inspector in California?
No. California has no home inspector license, registration, or state exam. A section of state law sets the rules every home inspector works under, including the standard of care and a ban on repairing homes you inspected.
No state licenseChecked on October 4, 2026
California at a glance
| Item | California |
|---|---|
| State license | None |
| State exam | None |
| Law that applies | Business and Professions Code sections 7195 to 7199, titled Home Inspectors |
| Standard of care | The care a reasonably prudent home inspector would use |
| Time limit to sue | Four years from the date of the inspection |
What California law says
The law defines a home inspection as a noninvasive physical exam, for a fee, of a one to four unit home that is being sold. It looks for material defects, meaning conditions that significantly affect the home's value, desirability, habitability, or safety.
A home inspector can't give an opinion of the property's value. Within 12 months of a report, the inspector and their company can't offer paid repairs on that home, with a few listed exceptions. Inspectors can't pay agents for referrals or take a job that depends on what the report finds or on the sale closing.
A contract that caps the inspector's liability at the inspection fee is void.
Where the NHIE still fits
The NHIE is open to anyone. ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors, asks members in a state with no license to pass it before they move up to its Inspector level, along with 50 paid inspections. Its ASHI Certified Inspector title asks for the NHIE and 250 paid inspections.
More on the exam
Questions people ask
Do home inspectors need a license in California?
No. California has no license or registration for home inspectors. Business and Professions Code sections 7195 to 7199 set the rules they work under.
Can a California home inspector do repairs on a home they inspected?
Not for 12 months after the report, with a few exceptions written into the law, such as claims under a home warranty.
Do I need to pass the NHIE in California?
The state does not require it. ASHI asks members in a state with no license to pass it to move up to its Inspector level.
See where you stand
Take a free 200 question practice exam, weighted like the NHIE, with your score by task.
Becoming a home inspector
- How to become a home inspector
- How much do home inspectors make?
- Is home inspection a good career?
- Home inspector certification vs. license
- How long it takes and what it costs to become a home inspector
- ASHI vs. InterNACHI
- Do you need a degree to be a home inspector?
- Can you become a home inspector with no construction experience?
- Can a felon become a home inspector?
- Becoming a home inspector after the military