Home inspections
By law, anyone who engages in home inspection activity needs a licence. Generally speaking, a home inspection is a visual (and typically non-invasive) inspection of a residential home or property.
Read the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act.
Read the Home Inspector Licensing Regulation.
How to get licensed
You are required to provide the following to be licensed.
Step 1: Complete your education
Expect to spend at least 150 hours to learn about topics as roofing, flashing, chimneys, heating and cooling, plumbing, electrical and structural systems and more. You must complete (or have completed) your education through one of the approved home inspector programs.
Active programs:
Discontinued programs:
Step 2: Pass the exam
Provide a certificate or transcript demonstrating you have passed one of the following exams:
- Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of British Columbia’s House Inspection Competency Examination; House inspection competency examination
- Home Inspection Association of British Columbia. As referenced in the regulations: “Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors (BC)’s Canadian Home Inspection Examination”; Canadian home inspection examination
- Canadian National Association of Certified Home Inspectors’ Associate Level Examination; Associate level examination
- National Home Inspector Certification Council – National Home Inspector Exam. As referenced in the regulations: “Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors’ National Home Inspector Examination (United States)”; National home inspector examination
Step 5: Provide proof of registration or incorporation
You must provide proof of incorporation or registration during the application process. To register your business in BC, visit OneStop BC Business Registry. If you are starting a new business, visit Small Business BC.
If your business is a partnership or proprietorship, you must provide:
- Names of the partners or proprietors
- Current copy of any trade name registration(s) under which you intend to operate
If your business is a corporation, you must provide:
- Names of directors, senior officers, and beneficial owners with voting shares
- Current copy of any trade name registration(s) under which you intend to operate
How to become an approved trainer and/or evaluator
You are required to provide the following to be qualified as an approved trainer and/or evaluator.
Read the Home Inspector Approved Trainer and/or Evaluator Policy.
Licence application forms