How to Become a Home Inspector in Nevada (2026)
Nevada certifies home inspectors as Inspectors of Structures: 40 hours, 25 observed inspections, a state exam, $365 and $100,000 E&O and GL. The 2026 path.
Short answer: Yes. Nevada requires a certificate from the Real Estate Division, which calls home inspectors Inspectors of Structures. For the entry-level Certified Residential Inspector you need 40 hours of approved education, 25 observed inspections, a passing state exam, fingerprints, $100,000 each of E&O and general liability insurance, and a $365 fee.
Nevada regulates home inspectors inside its real estate agency, under NRS and NAC chapter 645D. The regulations write the inspection standard into the state code itself, down to running the dishwasher through a full cycle.
Nevada home inspector requirements at a glance
As of November 2026:
| Requirement | Nevada |
|---|---|
| License required | Yes. Certified Residential Inspector (entry level), Certified General Inspector or Certified Master Inspector |
| Regulator | Nevada Real Estate Division, Inspectors of Structures |
| Pre-license education | 40 hours for Residential, 50 for General, 60 for Master, in Division-approved courses |
| Field training | Observe at least 25 inspections performed for a fee by a certified general or master inspector, or by an approved instructor |
| Exam | A Division-approved exam; scaled score of 75 to pass; result dated within 12 months of application |
| Fees | $365 on the Division's certification page. Exam fee $100 per attempt under NAC 645D.250 |
| Insurance or bond | $100,000 errors and omissions and $100,000 general liability, in your own name |
| Renewal period | Every two years. Renewal fee $265 |
| Continuing education | 20 hours per two-year renewal, including 3 hours of safety and 2 hours of Nevada law |
| Reciprocity | No automatic transfer. An inspector certified in another state may submit 25 of their own reports from the past two years instead of the 25 observations (NAC 645D.210) |
Other conditions: a high school diploma or equivalent, and you must be 18 to hold a certificate.
Which exam does Nevada use?
The regulations say only that the exam is given by the Division or its designated agent and must cover the inspection subjects, NRS and NAC 645D, and the state inspection standards in NAC 645D.460 to 645D.580. The Division's pages do not name the National Home Inspector Examination. EBPHI, which runs the NHIE, lists Nevada as an NHIE state and says Nevada candidates must test through the state's contracted provider, Pearson VUE. The Division's testing page, written for its real estate exams, says candidates register and pay on the Division's site before scheduling with Pearson VUE. Confirm the current exam with the Division before you study. Our NHIE guide covers the national exam's format.
How to become a home inspector in Nevada, step by step
- Take 40 hours of approved pre-certification education. The Division publishes a list of approved pre-certification providers.
- Observe 25 inspections. They must be fee-paid inspections done by a certified general or master inspector, or inspections by an instructor approved by the Administrator. The Division's page also accepts a certificate from its approved 25-inspections course. Log them on the Division's form.
- Register for the exam on the Division's website, then schedule with Pearson VUE once you receive your Authorization to Test. You need a scaled score of 75.
- Get fingerprinted. Sign the fingerprint background waiver in Form 573 first, then use an approved vendor. Fingerprints expire after two months, so time them close to your application.
- Buy insurance. $100,000 E&O and $100,000 general liability, with your personal name on the documents.
- Apply with Form 573, your course certificate, observation log, exam result, fingerprints, insurance and the $365 fee. You must also show you can produce a complete and credible report to the state standard.
What it costs to get started in Nevada
| Item | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Certification fee | $365 | Nevada Real Estate Division |
| Exam | $100 per attempt | NAC 645D.250 |
| Background investigation | Actual cost, set by the Division | NAC 645D.165 |
| 40-hour course | Varies by approved provider | School's own pricing |
| E&O and general liability | Insureon says its home inspector customers pay medians of $989 a year for E&O and $545 for general liability | Insureon, updated May 27, 2026 |
| Equipment | Varies with the kit you buy | Typical range, not a board figure |
| Software | Binsr Standard is $75 per inspector per month. Newly licensed inspectors can claim 20 free inspections on Binsr Pro | Binsr |
The Division's separate fee sheet (NRS 645D.240, revised 2019) lists a $100 application fee and a $250 issuance or renewal fee, which does not match the $365 and $265 on its current pages. Confirm the amount with the Division when you apply.
Insureon's figures are one broker's medians for its own customers, and they may not match Nevada's required limits. Get quotes at the $100,000 limits the Division requires. More in home inspector insurance.
How long it takes
Two clocks run. Your exam result must be dated within 12 months of applying, and your fingerprints expire after two months. Plan the order: course, observations, exam, then fingerprints and insurance, then apply. The 25 observations depend on another inspector's schedule, so line them up early.
What home inspectors earn in Nevada
BLS does not publish a home-inspector-only figure. It counts home inspectors within Construction and Building Inspectors (SOC 47-4011), with municipal code inspectors.
| Measure (BLS OEWS, May 2025) | Nevada | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Employment | 1,780 | 146,720 |
| Median annual wage | $75,290 | $74,690 |
| Mean annual wage | $78,320 | $77,730 |
| 10th percentile | $55,510 | $47,140 |
| 90th percentile | $105,490 | $114,200 |
OEWS leaves out self-employed workers, so inspectors who run their own business are not in these figures. See the home inspector salary guide.
Keeping your certificate
Certificates are issued for two years. To renew an active certificate you need 20 hours of approved education within the two years before renewal, including at least 3 hours on the safety of occupants and inspectors and at least 2 hours on NRS and NAC 645D. The renewal fee is $265. An approved hour means at least 50 minutes of instruction.
Insurance has to stay in force the whole time. You submit proof of coverage with your application and with each renewal, and under NAC 645D.335 your certificate expires by law on the 60th day after your coverage lapses. If your certificate expires, reinstating it between 60 days and one year late takes 30 hours of education, including 3 on safety and 2 on law, plus the $265 renewal fee and a $125 late fee. See home inspector continuing education.
What is different about inspecting in Nevada
A state standard of practice in the code. NAC 645D.480 to 645D.580 list what a Nevada inspection must cover, system by system: interior components, built-in kitchen appliances, insulation and ventilation, plumbing, electrical, heating, air conditioning, exterior, roofing, structure and site. Some items are specific. For example, the dishwasher must be run through at least one normal cycle.
Commercial work at the entry level. A Certified Residential Inspector may inspect residential structures of up to four units and commercial structures of up to 10,000 square feet. Larger residential buildings need a general or master inspector on site.
Clear limits on scope. NAC 645D.470 bars a Nevada inspector from offering warranties, calculating the strength or adequacy of a system, predicting future failure, projecting operating costs, repairing a defect found during the inspection, or determining the presence of mold, radon or other hazardous substances unless licensed or certified to do so. See what home inspectors are not allowed to do.
Partial inspections are allowed if the report says so. NAC 645D.450 lets you do a partial inspection or reinspection if the report states its purpose and identifies what it covers.
Records for three years. Keep each report and work file for at least three years, available for audit by the Division. Advertising must show your business name and certificate type.
Frequently asked questions
Sources and verification
- Nevada Real Estate Division, Inspector of Structures: Initial Certification Requirements, including insurance (last updated October 15, 2026)
- Nevada Real Estate Division, Inspector of Structures: Renewal Requirements
- Nevada Real Estate Division, Exam registration
- Nevada Real Estate Division, Inspectors of Structures and Energy Auditors fees
- Nevada Legislature, NRS Chapter 645D
- Nevada Legislature, NAC Chapter 645D
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS state data, May 2025 (series OEUS320000000000047401101, 04, 11, 13 and 15)
- EBPHI, Frequently asked questions and register for the exam
- 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 Arizona
- How to become a home inspector in Utah
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