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How to become a home inspector in New Hampshire

To become a home inspector in New Hampshire, you need a license from the Board of Home Inspectors, run through the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. You finish 80 hours of approved education, pass the National Home Inspector Examination, clear a State Police record check, and show liability insurance.

NHIE requiredChecked on . Updated

New Hampshire at a glance

New Hampshire at a glance
ItemNew Hampshire
ExamThe NHIE through PSI: 200 questions in 4 hours. The Board's rule names it.
Exam fee$225 per attempt, with 30 days between tries
Education80 hours of Board-approved pre-licensing education
Field workNone required
InsuranceProof of liability insurance. The law and rules set no dollar amount.
OtherAge 18, a high school diploma or equivalent, and a New Hampshire State Police criminal record check
Application fee$220 for a 2-year license
Renewal$220 every 2 years, online, with 20 hours of continuing education

The licensing body is the New Hampshire Board of Home Inspectors, Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. Fees and rules change, so check them with the state before you pay for anything.

Steps to a New Hampshire license

  1. 01

    Finish 80 hours of education from the Board's approved list.

  2. 02

    Pass the National Home Inspector Examination through PSI.

  3. 03

    Get a New Hampshire State Police criminal record check.

  4. 04

    Get proof of liability insurance.

  5. 05

    Mail the application, documents, and $220 to the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification in Concord.

Rules changing in December 2026

A rewrite of the Board's licensing rules was adopted September 28, 2026, and the state lists it as effective December 14, 2026. It moves applicants to the state's Universal Application with a home inspector addendum. The 2018 rules and form still print a $200 fee, and the state's cover sheet says to pay $220.

Each renewal needs 20 hours of continuing education, and since July 2024 one of them has to be on building regulations. Hours are reported in CE Broker.

How long it takes in New Hampshire

New Hampshire asks for 80 hours of approved education and a passing NHIE score, with no field work. New Hampshire sets no minimum time; the course hours are the floor.

Home inspector pay in New Hampshire

BLS puts the median pay for construction and building inspectors in New Hampshire at $65,640 a year in May 2025, against $74,690 for the whole country. BLS counts about 420 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.

New Hampshire next to the other states

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

New Hampshire is ringed. Each square opens that state's page.

More on the exam

Questions people ask

Does New Hampshire use the NHIE?

Yes. The Board's rule names the National Home Inspector Examination, and PSI gives it.

How much insurance does a New Hampshire home inspector need?

The law asks for proof of liability insurance but sets no minimum amount.

Does New Hampshire have reciprocity for home inspectors?

New Hampshire licenses people from other states under its general rule for licensed professionals, RSA 310:17. The state keeps a list of qualifying states.

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

New Hampshire asks for 80 hours of approved education and a passing NHIE score, with no field work. New Hampshire sets no minimum time; the course hours are the floor.

How much do home inspectors make in New Hampshire?

BLS publishes no separate figure for home inspectors. It counts them with construction and building inspectors, whose median pay in New Hampshire was $65,640 a year in May 2025. That figure leaves out the self-employed, which includes an inspector who owns the business.

See where you stand

Take a free 200 question practice exam, weighted like the NHIE, with your score by task.

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Becoming a home inspector

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