How to Become a Home Inspector in Vermont (2026)
Vermont licenses home inspectors as Property Inspectors. The 80 education hours, NHIE or ASHI ACI route, $115 fee and Fast Track Endorsement, as of Nov 2026.
Short answer: Yes. In Vermont the credential is called a Property Inspector license, issued by the Secretary of State's Office of Professional Regulation (OPR). The standard route is 80 hours of approved education plus a pass on the National Home Inspector Examination. Holders of ASHI Certified Inspector status can use a certification route, and inspectors licensed elsewhere for three years can use Fast Track Endorsement.
Vermont does things its own way. The license says "property inspector", not "home inspector", and the law covers inspection of "real property structures and other improvements" for a fee. There is no board. OPR runs the program with advice from two appointed property inspectors.
Vermont property inspector requirements at a glance
As of November 2026, from 26 V.S.A. chapter 19, the OPR Administrative Rules for Property Inspectors (effective December 1, 2015) and OPR's application instructions (February 2026).
| Requirement | Vermont rule |
|---|---|
| License required? | Yes. Property Inspector license (26 V.S.A. s.1051 and s.1053) |
| Regulator | Office of Professional Regulation, Vermont Secretary of State |
| Pre-license education | 80 hours of education approved by the Director, covering nine core components (26 V.S.A. s.1091) |
| Field training | Not required |
| Exam | National Home Inspector Examination, adopted by rule 2.3 and administered by PSI |
| Alternative route | ASHI Certified Inspector (ACI) status satisfies the education and exam (application instructions) |
| Application fee | $115 (OPR fee schedule, 3 V.S.A. s.125) |
| Insurance or bond | Not required by the statute or rules |
| Renewal | Every two years, due June 30 of odd years. Biennial renewal fee $275 |
| Continuing education | No hour requirement in chapter 19 or the property inspector rules |
| Reciprocity | Fast Track Endorsement for people licensed in good standing elsewhere for the three years before applying |
Step by step: the examination path
The examination path is the standard route for anyone without ASHI Certified Inspector status or three years of licensure elsewhere.
- Meet the basics. You must be at least 18 and have finished high school or the equivalent.
- Complete 80 hours of approved education. The course must cover heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical, structural components, foundations, roof coverings, exterior and interior components, and site aspects. OPR publishes a list of approved 80-hour course providers. It includes national schools such as AHIT, ICA, ATI, the ASHI School and InterNACHI, plus two New England options: the New England School of Home Inspection and Manchester Community College in Connecticut.
- Pass the NHIE through PSI. Vermont has its own PSI registration page. Results are valid for one year from the date you pass, so apply within that window. Our NHIE guide covers the format.
- Apply online through OPR's Online Services System. Upload your 80-hour certificate and NHIE result, pay the non-refundable application fee, and add license verifications if you have held a license in another state.
The certification path
If you already hold ASHI Certified Inspector (ACI) membership, you can skip the separate education and exam evidence and apply by certification. ACI status itself requires the NHIE and at least 250 fee-paid inspections, according to ASHI.
Watch the InterNACHI detail. OPR accepts NAHI certifications issued on or before July 2, 2020 for the certification path. InterNACHI certificates issued after that date do not qualify for it, although OPR still accepts the InterNACHI education toward the 80 hours. Those applicants use the examination path. Our InterNACHI vs ASHI comparison explains the two associations.
What it costs to get started in Vermont
| Item | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 80-hour course | Set by each provider | OPR approved provider list |
| NHIE | $225 | EBPHI (exam owner) |
| Application | $115 | OPR fee schedule |
| Biennial license renewal | $275 | OPR fee schedule |
| Insurance | Not required by law. Insureon says home inspectors pay a median of $989 a year for E&O | Insureon, updated May 27, 2026 |
| Tools and equipment | Depends on what you buy | Not published |
| Report software | Binsr Standard is $75 per inspector per month | Binsr pricing |
OPR's 90-day policy matters for timing. A license issued 91 days or more before June 30 of an odd year must be renewed, and the renewal fee paid, at that deadline. A license issued within 90 days of it runs through the next full two-year period.
How long it takes
No waiting period or supervised work is written into Vermont law. Your timeline is the 80 hours, an NHIE date, and OPR processing. OPR asks applicants to allow three to five business days for it to process documents they send. If you fail the NHIE, EBPHI requires 30 days between attempts, and Vermont's rule 2.3 adds a hard stop: after three consecutive failures you cannot retest or reapply until you show OPR you have completed additional core education.
What inspectors earn in Vermont
BLS does not publish a figure for home inspectors alone. The nearest category is SOC 47-4011, Construction and Building Inspectors, which also covers municipal building, electrical and plumbing inspectors.
| BLS OEWS, May 2025, SOC 47-4011 | Vermont | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Employment | 120 | 146,720 |
| Median annual wage | $66,580 | $74,690 |
| Mean annual wage | $70,850 | $77,730 |
| 10th percentile | $49,350 | $47,140 |
| 90th percentile | $92,110 | $114,200 |
With only about 120 people counted statewide, the Vermont figures rest on a small sample, so treat them as a rough guide. BLS wage data also excludes the self-employed, which includes many home inspectors. Our home inspector salary guide covers what drives income.
Keeping your Vermont license
Licenses renew every two years on June 30 of odd years, with the $275 fee. A lapsed license can be renewed with the biennial fee plus a late renewal penalty. The Director may add conditions for anyone whose license has lapsed or who has not worked as a property inspector for more than five years.
Neither 26 V.S.A. chapter 19 nor the OPR property inspector rules set a continuing education hour requirement, as of November 2026. OPR's property inspector pages link to its general continuing education request portal, so confirm with OPR before each renewal in case the rules change.
Rules only Vermont has
A standards of practice in the rules. Part 3 of the OPR rules sets what a Vermont inspection must cover and report. It lists what the inspector must observe in each system and what the written report must include. Standards from ASHI or InterNACHI do not replace it.
Advisors instead of a board. The Secretary of State appoints two property inspectors, each with at least five years of experience and a Vermont license, as advisors to OPR. Discipline goes to an administrative law officer.
A broad definition. The practice of property inspecting covers physical inspection of "real property structures and other improvements" for a fee, to evaluate condition, safety issues or material defects. The statute does not limit it to one-to-four-unit homes, as Massachusetts does.
No insurance mandate. Unlike Massachusetts ($250,000 E&O) or Rhode Island ($500,000 E&O plus $500,000 general liability), Vermont's law does not require insurance. Most inspectors carry it anyway. See our insurance guide.
Frequently asked questions
Sources and verification
- Property Inspectors, Vermont Secretary of State, Office of Professional Regulation
- Property Inspector Forms and Instructions, OPR
- Property Inspector Application Instructions, February 2026, OPR
- Administrative Rules for Property Inspectors, OPR
- Approved 80 Hour Course Providers, OPR
- Initial Licensing and Renewal Fees and Dates, 90 Day Initial Licensing Policy, OPR
- Fast Track Endorsement, OPR
- 26 V.S.A. chapter 19, Property Inspectors, Vermont General Assembly
- 3 V.S.A. s.125, Vermont General Assembly
- OEWS state data, May 2025, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (API series OEUS500000000000047401101, 04, 11, 13 and 15)
- NHIE test policies, Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors
- Levels of membership, American Society of Home Inspectors
- Home inspector insurance cost, Insureon
Keep reading
- How to become a home inspector
- Home inspector license requirements by state
- How to become a home inspector in New Hampshire
- How to become a home inspector in Massachusetts
- How to become a home inspector in New York
- Home inspector certification
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