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This trade involves inspecting properties, assessing their condition, and informing interested parties (buyers, sellers, and lenders) of defects. Before you can become a home inspector, however, you must obtain a license from the Arizona State Board of Technical Registration. What can you do with this license, and how do you obtain one? 

Working as an Arizona Home Inspector 

Home inspectors have a specific job: to assess the condition of a property, making sure the home is structurally sound and safe for habitation and that all systems are functioning properly.  

You’ll create a report detailing your findings, including defects and any hazards you discover. This job does not include investigating or diagnosing the causes of defects, recommending how to fix them, or offering contractor services. 

What do home inspectors look at during an assessment? You might inspect several key areas, including: 

• Kitchen 
• Bedrooms and bathrooms 
• Basements and attics 
• Home exterior 
• Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems 

While home inspectors check the entire property, including items like fireplaces, foundations, pools/hot tubs, and so on, they will not thoroughly inspect items that aren’t essential to the function or safety of the home. 

How to Obtain a Home Inspector License 

To become a home inspector in Arizona, you will have to meet several requirements, starting with being at least 18 years old when you apply.  

You must complete 84 hours of applicable classroom training and submit proof, along with a log showing 30 completed parallel inspections, including a notarized affidavit signed by each parallel inspector. You must also include an original home inspection report for one of the properties listed. 

Other documents you must include with your application are an Arizona Statement of Citizenship form, a signed Notice to Home Inspectors, and a Verification of Experience form completed by a certified home inspector. A DPS fingerprint clearance card is also required. Finally, you must pay application fees and pass the National Home Inspectors Exam (NHIE). 

What to Expect From the NHIE 

This is a closed-book exam consisting of 200 questions on the following topics: 

• Site conditions 
• Building exterior components 
• Roof components 
• Structural components 
• Electrical systems 
• Ventilation systems 
• Plumbing and fuel distribution systems 
• Interior components 

You will have four hours to complete this exam, and you must receive a minimum score of 500 points to pass. What does this mean? The NHIE is a scale scored test, which means that raw scores (number of questions answered correctly) are converted to a standardized scale. 

The goal is to show relative competency when different forms may be used for testing purposes. Scores for the NHIE can range from 200 to 800. With the right exam prep program for working professionals, you have the best opportunity to pass your exam on the first try. 

Are you ready to obtain your home inspector license in Arizona? Contact RocketCert now to learn more.