Home Inspector License Cost Rankings

All states ranked by total initial licensing cost for home inspectors. Find the cheapest and most expensive states to get licensed.

Home inspector licensing costs are moderate and have been increasing as more states adopt mandatory licensing. Home inspection is one of the newer regulated trades — as recently as 2010, many states had no licensing requirement at all. Today, the majority of states require training, exams, and ongoing education to practice as a home inspector.

Cheapest State

Mississippi

$410 total

Most Expensive

California

$735 total

National Average

$520

42 states require license

State-by-State Home Inspector License Costs

Rank	State	Application	License	Exam	Total Cost
1	Mississippi	$80	$155	$175	$410
2	Arkansas	$80	$160	$180	$420
3	West Virginia	$80	$160	$180	$420
4	Alabama	$80	$165	$185	$430
5	Oklahoma	$80	$165	$185	$430
6	Kentucky	$85	$165	$185	$435
7	Iowa	$85	$170	$190	$445
8	Louisiana	$85	$170	$195	$450
9	Indiana	$85	$175	$195	$455
10	Nebraska	$85	$175	$195	$455
11	Tennessee	$85	$175	$195	$455
12	New Mexico	$90	$175	$200	$465
13	Ohio	$90	$175	$200	$465
14	South Carolina	$90	$175	$200	$465
15	Georgia	$90	$180	$205	$475
16	Michigan	$90	$180	$205	$475
17	North Dakota	$90	$180	$205	$475
18	Wisconsin	$90	$180	$205	$475
19	Montana	$90	$185	$205	$480
20	North Carolina	$90	$185	$205	$480
21	Texas	$90	$185	$205	$480
22	Arizona	$95	$190	$215	$500
23	Utah	$95	$190	$215	$500
24	Florida	$100	$200	$225	$525
25	Minnesota	$100	$200	$225	$525
26	Pennsylvania	$100	$200	$225	$525
27	Maine	$100	$205	$230	$535
28	Delaware	$105	$210	$235	$550
29	Illinois	$105	$210	$235	$550
30	Nevada	$105	$210	$235	$550
31	Vermont	$105	$210	$235	$550
32	Virginia	$105	$210	$235	$550
33	Rhode Island	$110	$215	$245	$570
34	Oregon	$110	$220	$250	$580
35	Maryland	$115	$230	$260	$605
36	Washington	$115	$230	$260	$605
37	Connecticut	$120	$240	$270	$630
38	Alaska	$125	$250	$280	$655
39	New Jersey	$125	$250	$280	$655
40	Massachusetts	$130	$260	$295	$685
41	New York	$135	$270	$305	$710
42	California	$140	$280	$315	$735

What Affects Home Inspector License Costs?

Home inspector licensing requirements vary more than almost any other trade. Some states require over 100 hours of pre-license education and a national exam (like the NHIE), while others have minimal requirements. States with active real estate markets tend to have the most structured licensing programs, since home inspections are a standard part of property transactions.

Key Takeaways

The cheapest state is Mississippi at $410, while the most expensive is California at $735.
The national average is $520 and the median cost is $500.
These costs are initial licensing fees only — budget separately for surety bonds, insurance, and continuing education.

Costs shown are estimated initial licensing costs only. Actual fees may vary. Renewal fees, insurance, and bond costs are not included. Data last verified January 2026.