How to Become a Home Inspector in Colorado (2026)
Colorado has no state home inspector license. Here is what the state's own reviews say, how new Colorado inspectors train and certify, and what the job pays.
Short answer: Colorado does not license home inspectors. As of September 2026 there is no state credential, exam or education rule, and Colorado's own regulatory office recommended against licensing in 2019. New inspectors in Colorado train privately, earn a certification through an association such as InterNACHI or ASHI, and carry insurance because clients and agents expect it.
That makes Colorado easy to enter and harder to stand out in. Anyone can print business cards. The work is in proving to clients and agents that you know what you are doing.
Colorado home inspector requirements at a glance
As of September 2026.
| Requirement | Colorado |
|---|---|
| License required | No. No state license, certification or registration for home inspectors |
| Regulator | None. The Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) reviewed the question and recommended no regulation |
| Pre-license education | Not required by the state |
| Field training | Not required by the state |
| Exam | Not required by the state. Association credentials have their own exams |
| Application and license fees | None at state level |
| Insurance or bond | Not required by the state |
| Renewal | Not applicable |
| Continuing education | Not required by the state. Associations set their own |
| Reciprocity | Not applicable. A license from another state is not needed or transferred |
How we know Colorado does not license home inspectors
A state rarely publishes a page saying "we do not license this job". Colorado is an exception, because it has studied the question more than once.
- The 2019 sunrise review. Colorado's Office of Policy, Research and Regulatory Reform (COPRRR), part of DORA, reviewed an application to license home inspectors. Its October 15, 2019 report found that harm "does occur", but that "the possibility for a consumer to be harmed is remote", and ended with the recommendation: "Do not regulate home inspectors." The report also refers back to an earlier 2014 sunrise review of home inspectors.
- SB17-038. A 2017 bill would have required home inspectors to register with DORA. The legislature's summary opens: "Under current law, home inspectors are not subject to regulation by any state agency." The bill was lost.
- Current secondary sources agree. ASHI's state page lists Colorado as "Home Inspection Regulated: No", and says Colorado "is one of a few states that still have not adopted licensing requirements for home inspectors."
If a bill passes later, this page will change. Check the Colorado General Assembly before you commit to a training plan.
How to become a home inspector in Colorado, step by step
- Take a structured training course. With no state curriculum, you choose. Look for coverage of roofing, structure, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and report writing. Our home inspector training guide compares formats.
- Earn an association credential. InterNACHI's Certified Professional Inspector (CPI) needs its free online exam, ethics and standards courses and four mock reports. ASHI's levels start at Associate. ASHI's Inspector level needs 50 fee-paid inspections and, in a state without licensing like Colorado, a pass on the National Home Inspector Exam. If you might also work in Utah, the choice matters: Utah's new license requires certification from ASHI, InterNACHI or the ICC. See home inspector certification.
- Get real field experience. Ride along with an experienced inspector. The state does not require it, but your first client will not know that.
- Buy E&O and general liability insurance. Nothing in state law requires it. Agents and clients often ask for proof anyway.
- Set up the business. Choose a business structure, pick your report software, and write a pre-inspection agreement that states what you will and will not inspect.
What it costs to get started in Colorado
| Item | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State license | $0. No state license exists | COPRRR, ASHI |
| Training course | Varies by provider | Course providers |
| InterNACHI membership (includes CPI) | $49 a month or $499 a year | InterNACHI, September 2026 |
| ASHI membership | $499 a year | ASHI, September 2026 |
| NHIE (for ASHI Inspector level) | $225 | EBPHI |
| E&O insurance | Insureon says $989 a year median for inspectors who quote with it; biBerk says from about $600 a year | Insurer pages |
| Report software | Binsr Standard is $75 per inspector per month | Binsr pricing |
Insurance prices are sellers' own figures, not a Colorado average. Our home inspector insurance guide explains how to compare quotes.
How long it takes
There is no state clock, so you set the pace. A self-paced online course plus the InterNACHI requirements can be done in a few weeks. ASHI's Inspector level takes longer, because it needs 50 fee-paid inspections first. Most of the time you spend is building experience and a referral base, not paperwork.
What home inspectors earn in Colorado
BLS does not publish a home-inspector-only figure. The closest category is SOC 47-4011, construction and building inspectors, which also covers municipal building, electrical and plumbing inspectors.
| Measure (May 2025) | Colorado | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $79,950 | $74,690 |
| Mean annual wage | $83,300 | $77,730 |
| 10th percentile | $54,290 | $47,140 |
| 90th percentile | $121,740 | $114,200 |
| Employment | 3,700 | 146,720 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Colorado sits above the national median for this occupation. OEWS does not count self-employed inspectors, and many home inspectors run their own business, so treat these as a benchmark. See the home inspector salary guide.
Keeping your credentials current
No state renewal exists. What you keep up is your association status. InterNACHI asks certified members for 24 hours of CE a year and a retake of its online exam every three years with a score of 80% or better. ASHI asks ASHI Inspector members for 20 hours of ASHI-approved CE a year. Keep your insurance current too.
What is specific to Colorado
The purchase contract drives the inspection. The Colorado Real Estate Commission's residential Contract to Buy and Sell Real Estate (form CBS1, the version for use from January 1, 2026) gives the buyer the right to inspections "by one or more third parties" and to object if the property's condition is "unsatisfactory, in Buyer's sole subjective discretion". Your report is what the buyer uses to decide whether to object or renegotiate, so turnaround matters. Tools that deliver the report the same day help. Binsr, for example, lets agents build a repair request straight from the findings.
Radon is part of the conversation. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) publishes a "required brochure for real estate transactions and rental agreements" on radon. If you plan to offer radon testing alongside your inspections, see radon testing for home inspectors.
Local associations exist. ASHI's Rocky Mountain Chapter meets monthly in Denver. InterNACHI is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado. You may join either, both or neither. The InterNACHI vs ASHI page compares them.
Frequently asked questions
Sources and verification
- Colorado Office of Policy, Research and Regulatory Reform: Archive of reviews (2019 sunrise report, Home Inspectors)
- COPRRR: 2019 Sunrise Review, Home Inspectors (PDF copy hosted by the Institute for Justice)
- Colorado General Assembly: SB17-038, Registration Home Inspectors
- Colorado Division of Real Estate: Contract to Buy and Sell Real Estate (Residential), CBS1, for use on or after January 1, 2026 (PDF)
- Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment: Radon and real estate
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: OEWS May 2025, construction and building inspectors
- ASHI: Home inspection requirements for Colorado
- ASHI: Rocky Mountain Chapter
- ASHI: Levels of membership
- Utah Division of Professional Licensing: Building inspector and home inspector licensing
- ASHI: Join and renew
- InterNACHI: About
- InterNACHI: CPI requirements
- InterNACHI: Membership
- EBPHI: Test policies
- Insureon: Home inspector insurance cost
- biBerk: Home inspector E&O insurance cost
Keep reading
- How to become a home inspector
- Home inspector license requirements by state
- How to become a home inspector in Wyoming
- How to become a home inspector in Utah
- How to become a home inspector in New Mexico
- How to start a home inspection business
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