Do You Need a License to be a Home Inspector in Texas?

Yes, you do need a license to be a home inspector in San Antonio, New Braunfels, or any other part of Texas. In fact, you need a license to be a home inspector in 40 out of 50 states in the US!

What Are the Licensing Requirements for Home Inspectors in Texas?

First, there are three different license categories to be able to perform home inspections in San Antonio and the State of Texas.

Apprentice Inspector: The entry-level home inspector license. This license is for people who are new to the home inspection industry and what most new hires for a home inspection company would start at without prior experience. An apprentice home inspector cannot perform inspections alone, and must be accompanied by a higher-level inspector when performing inspections.

Real Estate Inspector: This level is required for any inspector that wishes to inspect homes by themselves, but are still subject to supervision by a higher-level inspector. In order to become a Real Estate Inspector, an applicant must complete a certain number of registered school-hours and sit for the TREC Home Inspection exam. After passing the exam and getting necessary registration done, the Real Estate Inspector can now perform home inspections by themselves while working for a home inspection company. This is where you see most of the junior inspectors for a larger home inspection firm.

Professional Inspector: This is the top-most level of the home inspection industry in Texas and the level required for any inspector that wants to work for themselves. In addition to the requirements listed above, this level of licensing requires even more schooling, as well as fulfilling the requirements for errors and omissions insurance. With this license, a home inspector can work anywhere in the state for themselves, as long as they continue their education in accordance with TREC requirements and maintain their insurance.