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State Cert Guide

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How do I get a home inspector license in Massachusetts?

If you are new to the trade, you start as an Associate Home Inspector: 75 hours of Board approved training, 25 supervised inspections and a passing exam. A full Home Inspector license comes after a year as an associate and 100 more inspections.

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The rule, fact by fact

Course hours
75 hours of Board approved Educational Training HoursThe hours count only when the Board has approved the training.
Verified. www.mass.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Who needs it
Associate license, among other rules: high school, a supervisor, 25 supervised jobsThis is the first license, held while you train under a supervisor.
Verified. www.mass.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Who needs it
Home Inspector license, among other rules: one year as an associate and 100 more jobsYou also need high school or its equivalent and good moral character.
Same source and date as above
Valid for
Renew every two years; a license is valid until May 31 of the next even yearRenewing also takes continuing education hours.
Same source and date as above

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Line up a supervisor first. They must be a Massachusetts licensed Home Inspector in good standing. You must also have finished high school or its equivalent.

  2. Step 2. Pick a course the Board approves. The 75 hours must cover set topics, among them roofing, report writing and contract law.

  3. Step 3. Do and record at least 25 fee-paid inspections under your supervisor's direct supervision.

  4. Step 4. Pass the written or electronic exam the Board approves, then apply for the Associate Home Inspector license.

  5. Step 5. For the full license, work as an associate for at least a year and log 100 more inspections under a supervisor's direct or indirect supervision.

  6. Step 6. File proof of E&O insurance of at least $250,000 in total. Associates who work need it too. Renew every two years.

Before you pay

We haven't confirmed course prices, license fees or which schools the Board has approved. This page rests on two parts of the Board's rules.

Before you pay a school, ask whether the Board approves its course.

Questions

I hold a license in another state. Can I skip the associate level?

Maybe. The Board issues a Home Inspector license to a holder of another state's license whose standards are equal to or higher than the state's, as the Board decides.

Can I advertise as a home inspector while I train?

No. Associate Home Inspectors and trainees may not advertise as a home inspector or as a firm.

Can mock inspections count toward my 25?

Some can. Up to ten of the 25 may be mock ones, if an approved provider ran them.

What to do next

Start with the Board's rule on how to apply. Then read its rule on associate training.

www.mass.gov

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