How to Become a Home Inspector in Florida

Becoming a home inspector is a career as flexible and potentially-lucrative as it is rewarding in its contributions to public health and safety. As a home inspector, your task is to work alongside real estate agents to ensure the safety of residential properties for potential homebuyers.

Education & Training

How Long Does It Take?

Florida requires prospective home inspectors to complete 120 hours of education before taking the state exam. After passing the exam, which any of 4 recognized home inspection organizations may offer, home inspectors must complete 14 hours of continuing education in total. 2 hours of continuing education must address wind mitigation and hurricanes, and 12 hours of continuing education must manage home inspection services.

How Much Does It Cost?

The cost of an educational or certificate program in home inspection may typically range between $500 to $2,500, including estimated tuition for both on-campus vocational training and online coursework. There are no Associate’s degree programs or higher in the home inspection field. However, many tradespeople educated in other skilled trades may find themselves using the same knowledge should they choose to pursue a career in home inspection.

What Do You Study?

Home Inspection Fundamentals: The purpose, scope, methods, and standards for home inspections as well as the types of home inspection and any necessary equipment.
Writing Reports: Any appropriate reporting practices necessary for drafting a home inspection report.
Construction Fundamentals: Common construction materials and methods used in residential construction and any common defects found.

Benefits of Taking the Course

Enrolling in an online home inspector certification training program offers a variety of comparative benefits relative to other vocational training programs:

Online certification programs grant prospective home inspectors the flexibility they may need to continue their careers while fulfilling Florida’s educational requirements.
Online certification programs often feature additional training time beyond Florida’s 120-hour requirement, offering specific support and training that may address more advanced credential programs.
While on-campus programs may have a specific schedule that follows a semesterly program, online courses typically offer open enrollment, allowing you to complete your education efficiently and start earning sooner.

Salary

How Much Can You Make?

Full-time home inspectors in Florida may expect to earn an annual salary ranging between $42,000 and $90,000 a year, depending on seniority and their place of employment. The annual mean wage in Florida is $63,040, and the hourly mean wage is $30.31, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Average salaries for Florida’s largest 5 cities are as follows:

Miami: $30/hr or $62,534 per year
Tampa: $29/hr or $60,163 per year
Jacksonville: $29/hr or $59,311 per year
Orlando: $28/hr or $59,311 per year
St. Petersburg: $25/hr or $51,126 per year

Certifications and Exams

A career as a home inspector demands a versatile skillset. While only one license is required in Florida (excluding any small business or private contracting licenses), having a background in or some knowledge of the skilled trades acquired through additional licensing is a great tool to further your employment opportunities.

State License or Certification

To become a home inspector in Florida, you must fulfill 120 hours of prerequisite educational training before taking a state exam and 14 hours of continuing education credits obtained after licensing.

A prospective home inspector may take their Home Inspector Licensing Exam offered by one of 4 state-approved institutions. The Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors provides the National Home Inspection Exam (NHIE). The Florida Association of Building Inspectors (FABI) and the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) both offer the Florida Home Inspector Licensing Examination (FHIE). The Association of Construction Industry Certified Professionals (ACICP) offers the Certified Home and Property Inspector Examination (CI-PHI). All three of these examinations fulfill Florida’s requirement for state licensing.

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are not required to become a home inspector. However, for an individual with limited work experience in construction and skilled trades, an apprenticeship can be a valuable way to obtain prior work experience with only the necessary prerequisite training.

Additional certifications are also available to prospective home inspectors, offered by the National Institute of Building Inspectors (NIBI), who provide a variety of courses in areas such as structural systems, insulation and ventilation, cooling systems, and other various mechanical and electrical systems as well as interior and exterior elements of construction. The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) and the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) also offer additional specific educational opportunities for home inspectors.

Having a background in the skilled trades, which may include any prior certification or diploma programs, such as an HVAC/R certificate, license, or qualifications in plumbing, electrical work, or construction, may also expand your employment opportunities and earning potential.