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How to become a home inspector in Maryland

To become a home inspector in Maryland, you need a license from the State Commission of Real Estate Appraisers, Appraisal Management Companies, and Home Inspectors. You finish a 72-hour on-site course, pass the National Home Inspector Examination, and carry $150,000 of general liability insurance.

NHIE requiredChecked on . Updated

Maryland at a glance

Maryland at a glance
ItemMaryland
ExamThe NHIE through PSI: 200 questions in 4 hours. You book it yourself; no state approval comes first.
Exam fee$225 per attempt, with 30 days between tries
Education72 hours in a Commission-approved course, taught on site in a classroom. Online courses have not counted since July 31, 2021.
Field workNone required
InsuranceGeneral liability of at least $150,000, in your own name
OtherA high school diploma or equivalent. No age rule or fingerprints were found.
Application fee$375: a $50 application review fee and a $325 license fee after approval
Renewal$325 every 2 years, with 30 hours of continuing education from the second renewal on

The licensing body is the Maryland State Commission of Real Estate Appraisers, Appraisal Management Companies, and Home Inspectors. Fees and rules change, so check them with the state before you pay for anything.

Steps to a Maryland license

  1. 01

    Finish a Commission-approved 72-hour on-site course and its final exam.

  2. 02

    Register with PSI through EBPHI and pay $225.

  3. 03

    Pass the National Home Inspector Examination and keep the score report.

  4. 04

    Apply to the Commission online or on paper with your course certificates, proof of high school, the score report, and the $50 review fee.

  5. 05

    Wait for the Commission's approval notice.

  6. 06

    Buy general liability insurance of at least $150,000 and send the proof with the $325 license fee.

Coming from another state

Maryland offers reciprocity only to license holders from the states on the Commission's list, and every one of them has to show NHIE results. From October 1, 2026, military members and spouses who relocate can work under an out-of-state license under a 2026 law.

Keeping the license

The license runs 2 years. No continuing education is due at the first renewal. After that, each renewal needs 30 hours, with 2 on report writing. A rule adds 2 hours on the standards of practice, and the Commission says that part starts January 1, 2027.

How long it takes in Maryland

Maryland asks for a 72-hour on-site course and a passing NHIE score, with no field work required. Maryland sets no minimum time; the course hours are the floor. After the Commission approves your application, the license issues when you pay the $325 license fee.

Home inspector pay in Maryland

BLS puts the median pay for construction and building inspectors in Maryland at $76,640 a year in May 2025, against $74,690 for the whole country. BLS counts about 2,780 people in that job in the state, and home inspectors are one specialty in the group, next to city and county code inspectors.

The number leaves out the self-employed. An inspector who owns the business is self-employed, so that pay isn't in it. For what owners report, see how much home inspectors make.

Maryland next to the other states

  • NHIE required
  • NHIE accepted
  • State exam only
  • License, no exam
  • No state license
  • Adds a state section

Maryland is ringed. Each square opens that state's page.

More on the exam

Questions people ask

Does Maryland use the NHIE?

Yes. The law calls for the National Home Inspector Examination or its equivalent, and the Commission's application asks only for an NHIE score report.

Can I take the Maryland home inspector course online?

No. The 72 hours have to be on site in a classroom. Online courses stopped counting on July 31, 2021.

Does Maryland require errors and omissions insurance?

No E&O rule was found. Maryland asks for general liability insurance of at least $150,000.

How long does it take to become a home inspector in Maryland?

Maryland asks for a 72-hour on-site course and a passing NHIE score, with no field work required. Maryland sets no minimum time; the course hours are the floor. After the Commission approves your application, the license issues when you pay the $325 license fee.

How much do home inspectors make in Maryland?

BLS publishes no separate figure for home inspectors. It counts them with construction and building inspectors, whose median pay in Maryland was $76,640 a year in May 2025. That figure leaves out the self-employed, which includes an inspector who owns the business.

See where you stand

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Becoming a home inspector

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