Skip to content
State Cert Guide

Independent guide, not a government agency. We earn commissions on some links.

How do I get a home inspector license in New York?

If you hold no home inspector license from another state, a U.S. possession or D.C., New York asks for high school or its equivalent, a passed exam and the fees. You also need a course of at least one hundred forty hours, or one hundred supervised inspections instead. You need the license to inspect homes for compensation, unless you are on the statute's exempt list.

By State Cert GuideChecked against the sources listed below.Report a mistake

The rule, fact by fact

Agency
The department of stateThe statute calls this agency the department and refers to its secretary, and so does this page.
Verified. www.nysenate.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Who needs it
Anyone who conducts home inspections for compensation, unless licensed or exemptAmong others, the exempt list names architects and engineers regulated by the state or a political subdivision, when they act within their professions.
Verified. www.nysenate.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Course hours
A course of at least one hundred forty hours, or one hundred supervised inspectionsAt least forty of the course hours are unpaid field inspections, directly supervised by a home inspector licensed by New York or by an engineer or architect regulated by New York.
Verified. www.nysenate.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Cost
Two hundred fifty dollars for a first license, one hundred to renew, fifty for the examThe first amount covers applying and the license together. The exam fee is its own charge.
Verified. www.nysenate.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Valid for
Two years, and renewal needs approved continuing educationThe secretary may set a license to expire anywhere from six to twenty-nine months after issue, to stagger the dates.
Same source and date as above

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Check that you need the license. New York bars anyone from inspecting homes for compensation, or saying they can, unless they hold a home inspector license or fall into a listed group. Architects and engineers regulated by the state or a political subdivision are on the list when they work within their professions. So are code enforcement officials employed by the state or a political subdivision when they act within that job, and people inspecting homes to qualify for the license. If you do need it, check that you have completed high school or its equivalent.

  2. Step 2. Choose a course of study the secretary has approved. Ask the school whether it holds that approval before you pay.

  3. Step 3. Finish a course of study of not less than one hundred forty hours. Or, instead of the course, inspect not less than one hundred homes, directly supervised by a home inspector licensed by New York or by an engineer or architect regulated by New York.

  4. Step 4. Pass the National Home Inspector examination or an exam the secretary offers.

  5. Step 5. Pay the fees. The secretary collects two hundred fifty dollars for a first license, and fifty dollars for the exam.

  6. Step 6. Once you are licensed and inspecting homes, secure and keep liability coverage and file proof of it with the secretary. The secretary sets the terms.

  7. Step 7. Licenses and renewals are issued for two years, though the secretary may stagger when they expire. The secretary will not issue a renewal unless you have completed approved continuing education. Renewal costs one hundred dollars.

Before you pay

This page rests on the New York statute alone. We haven't confirmed which schools hold the secretary's approval, what a course costs or how to book the exam.

Before you pay a school, ask whether the secretary has approved its course. Check the answer with the department.

Questions

Can I use a license from another state?

Possibly. If you apply and pay the fees, the secretary shall issue a New York license to someone who holds a valid one from another state, a U.S. possession or the District of Columbia. Its standards must be substantially equivalent to New York's, as the secretary determines.

What does a home inspector look at?

The inspector observes and reports on the systems and components of a residential building, among them heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical systems, the roof and structural components. The work leaves out radon and pests. A residential building has one to four dwelling units, and a structure newly constructed or not previously occupied does not count.

What must an exam the secretary offers include?

It must meet or exceed the national exam standards set by the Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors in consultation with the New York State Association of Home Inspectors. It must include questions on state-specific procedures, rules and regulations, and on changes to state and federal law. It must be updated annually.

What happens if my coverage is cancelled?

The proof of coverage you file must provide that no cancellation or nonrenewal takes effect until the secretary has received at least ten days' written notice of intent to cancel or nonrenew.

What happens if I inspect without a license?

The secretary may order restitution, an end to the work, or both. Before that, you get notice and a chance to be heard in person or by counsel in an adjudicatory proceeding.

What to do next

Start with the New York statute on home inspector licensing. Then look for the Department of State's own pages on approved courses and the exam.

www.nysenate.gov

Sources we read