Oregon Home Inspection Requirements

Legislative Summary

Any individual who advertises, bids, or performs residential home inspections of more than one structural component needs to be certified. Once certified, you must own or work for a business that is licensed with the Construction Contractors Board.

These are structural components:

  • Exterior
  • Roofing
  • Plumbing
  • Electrical
  • Heating
  • Central air conditioning
  • Interiors
  • Insulation and ventilation
  • Built-in kitchen appliances
  • Site
Candidates for certification as an Oregon home inspector must pass the National Home Inspector Examination and submit a Home Inspector Certification application.  Candidates must provide proof of 20 qualifying points.

Earn qualifying points by completing any combination of the items listed below. Copies of documentation substantiating the qualifying points are required to be submitted with your application.

College credit courses (3 credit hours)
Submit a college transcript showing a passing grade for any of the subjects below: 

  • Home Inspection (10 points) 
  • Remodeling (1 point) 
  • Engineering (1 point) 
  • Architecture (1 point) 
  • Building design (1 point) 
  • Building technology (1 point) 
  • Real estate (1 point)
Approved subjects from approved providers (minimum 3 hours)
Submit copies of completion certificates for any of the subjects below:

  • Report writing (1 point)
  • Communication skills (1 point)
  • Business practices (1 point)
  • Legal issues (1 point)
  • Ethics (1 point)
  • Building codes (1 point)
Ride-along with a Home Inspector (1 point each)
Accompany an Oregon Certified Home Inspector on an actual home inspection. Documentation must include:

  • Date of inspection 
  • Address inspected 
  • Inspector’s name, signature and Certified Home Inspector number
Inspection experience (4 points for each 12 months)
Work as an inspector. A letter from your employer or a resume constitutes proof, and must include the dates worked and the name of the business worked for.

Construction experience (2 points for each 12 months)
Work in the construction industry. A letter from your employer or a resume constitutes proof, and must include the dates worked and the name of the business worked for.

OCHI recommendation (1/2 point each)
Recommendation from an Oregon Certified Home Inspector. A letter from the inspector on their letterhead constitutes proof, and must include the name of the inspector and their

Certified Home Inspector number. Building Codes certification (1 point each)
Proof constitutes a copy of a building codes certification issued by a government agency.