How to Become a Home Inspector in Hawaii (2026)
Hawaii does not license home inspectors. A 2019 state audit found no need to regulate them. What new inspectors do instead, from certification to termites.
Short answer: Hawaii does not license home inspectors. The state considered it in 2018, and the State Auditor's 2019 sunrise analysis found no evidence that regulation was reasonably necessary. As of November 2026 there is no state license, exam or board. New inspectors in Hawaii train, earn a national certification, buy insurance, and leave termite reports to licensed pest control operators.
In Hawaii, the question "should home inspectors be licensed?" has an official written answer. The Legislature asked its Auditor, and the Auditor found no case for regulation. That answer shapes what a new Hawaii inspector needs, and what they cannot do without a different license.
Hawaii home inspector requirements at a glance
As of November 2026:
| Requirement | Hawaii |
|---|---|
| License required | No. No state license, certification or registration for home inspectors |
| Regulator | None. Home inspection is not among the professions regulated by the DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing Division |
| Pre-license education | Not required by the state |
| Field training or ride-alongs | Not required by the state |
| Exam | None required by the state. EBPHI says the NHIE is a membership requirement of the Hawaii Association of Home Inspectors |
| Application and license fees | None |
| Insurance or bond | Not required by the state |
| Renewal period | Not applicable |
| Continuing education | Not required by the state. Certifying associations set their own |
| Reciprocity | Not applicable |
How we know Hawaii does not license home inspectors
A state rarely publishes a page saying a license does not exist, so here is the trail.
The 2018 bill and the 2019 sunrise analysis. Senate Bill 2403 (2018) proposed licensing businesses and individuals providing home inspections. The Legislature then adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 27, asking the State Auditor for a sunrise review under the Hawaii Regulatory Licensing Reform Act, HRS chapter 26H. In Report No. 19-09 (March 2019) the Auditor wrote: "We found no evidence that regulation of home inspectors was reasonably necessary to protect consumers." The report noted there were no documented complaints about home inspectors with the Office of Consumer Protection or the Better Business Bureau, and that as of November 2018 Hawaii was one of 17 states that did not regulate the industry.
The 2026 licensing directory. DCCA's Professional and Vocational Licensing Division says it regulates 52 professions and vocations through 25 boards and 27 programs. Its published list of boards and programs has no home inspector entry.
Industry sources agree. ASHI's state regulation page says "Home Inspection is not a licensed profession in Hawaii." EBPHI also lists Hawaii as unregulated.
How to become a home inspector in Hawaii, step by step
- Learn the systems. Take a structured course. One local option: Hawaii Community College offers a self-paced online home inspection course through its career training catalog, with 12 months to complete. National schools and associations also offer online training. See home inspector certification.
- Earn a national certification. InterNACHI's Certified Professional Inspector (CPI) needs its free online exam, ethics and standards courses and four mock reports. ASHI's Inspector level needs 50 fee-paid inspections, and in a state without licensing like Hawaii, ASHI requires the NHIE at that level too. Compare them in InterNACHI vs ASHI.
- Consider the NHIE. EBPHI lists the National Home Inspector Examination as a membership requirement for the Hawaii Association of Home Inspectors. The exam is $225 in most states. Check with EBPHI and PSI for test centers in Hawaii before you book.
- Practice with an experienced inspector. No state rule requires ride-alongs, so arrange them yourself.
- Buy insurance. E&O and general liability are not required by law. They are your main protection when a client disputes a report.
- Decide how you will handle termites. A termite inspection report in Hawaii must come from a licensed pest control operator (see below). Either partner with one, or get licensed yourself through the Pest Control Board.
- Set up the business. Register your business, write a pre-inspection agreement, and build a report template. See how to start a home inspection business.
What it costs to get started in Hawaii
| Item | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State license | $0. There is none | DCCA PVL directory |
| Training course | Varies by school | School's own pricing |
| InterNACHI membership (includes CPI) | $49 a month or $499 a year | InterNACHI |
| ASHI membership | $499 a year, or $49.16 a month plus a $91 fee | ASHI |
| NHIE (if you take it) | $225 | EBPHI |
| E&O insurance | Insureon says its home inspector customers pay a median of $989 a year | Insureon, updated May 27, 2026 |
| General liability | Insureon says a median of $545 a year | Insureon |
| Equipment | Varies with the kit you buy | Typical range, not a board figure |
| Software | Binsr Standard is $75 per inspector per month. The trial covers five inspections, with no time limit and no card | Binsr |
Insurance figures are one broker's medians for its own customers, not a Hawaii average. More quotes in home inspector insurance.
How long it takes
With no state process, your timeline is your training and certification. InterNACHI's CPI can be earned once you finish its courses, exam and four mock reports. ASHI's Inspector level needs 50 fee-paid inspections first. A pest control license, if you want to issue termite reports, has its own requirements set by the Pest Control Board.
What home inspectors earn in Hawaii
BLS does not publish a home-inspector-only figure. Home inspectors are counted within Construction and Building Inspectors (SOC 47-4011), alongside county building inspectors.
| Measure (BLS OEWS, May 2025) | Hawaii | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Employment | 710 | 146,720 |
| Median annual wage | $79,320 | $74,690 |
| Mean annual wage | $79,900 | $77,730 |
| 10th percentile | $53,590 | $47,140 |
| 90th percentile | $99,600 | $114,200 |
The Hawaii figures rest on a small group of 710 jobs, and OEWS leaves out self-employed workers, so inspectors who run their own business are not in these numbers. See the home inspector salary guide.
Keeping your credentials current
Hawaii has nothing to renew because there is no license, so the only renewals are the ones you choose. If you hold InterNACHI's CPI, that means 24 hours of continuing education a year (none in the first year) and a retake of its online exam every three years. At the ASHI Inspector level it means 20 approved CE hours a year. If you partner with a pest control licensee for termite reports, keep that arrangement in writing, since under HAR 16-94-73 the licensee signs the termite report.
What is different about inspecting in Hawaii
Termite reports belong to pest control licensees. Hawaii's Pest Control Board rules (HAR 16-94-73) say a termite inspection "shall be performed by a pest control operator or RME licensed in a BR-1 (Fumigation) or BR-3 (Termite) category", and the licensee signs the termite inspection report (TIR). The report uses the board's PC-9 form with a diagram of termite evidence and damage and a description of inaccessible areas. A home inspector without that license should note visible damage and refer the client. See WDO vs WDI inspections.
The Auditor's view of the job. Report 19-09 describes a home inspection as primarily an observation-based, non-invasive review, not an assessment of building code compliance. It notes that when issues are found, the buyer often has to hire another licensed professional. Writing your agreement and report around that scope protects you.
The question may return. Hawaii has looked at licensing before. Watch the Legislature each session for home inspector bills, and check the DCCA directory if you hear of a change.
Frequently asked questions
Sources and verification
- Hawaii Office of the Auditor, Report No. 19-09, Sunrise Analysis: Regulation of Home Inspectors, Auditor's Summary
- Hawaii Office of the Auditor, Sunrise Analysis and Sunset Evaluations
- Hawaii DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing Division, Boards and Programs and PVL home
- Hawaii DCCA Pest Control Board, HAR Chapter 16-94, Pest Control Operators
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS state data, May 2025 (series OEUS150000000000047401101, 04, 11, 13 and 15)
- ASHI, State regulations, levels of membership and join and renew
- EBPHI, State regulations and NHIE membership requirements
- InterNACHI, CPI requirements and membership
- Hawaii Community College, Home Inspection online course
- Insureon, Home inspector insurance cost
Keep reading
- How to become a home inspector
- Home inspector license requirements by state
- How to become a home inspector in California
- How to become a home inspector in Alaska
- InterNACHI vs ASHI
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