Maryland Home Inspector License Requirements (2026)

Regulatory Body

Maryland Commission of Real Estate Appraisers, Appraisal Management Companies and Home Inspectors (Maryland Home Inspector Commission) is the statutory authority responsible for issuing and enforcing this license under Md. Code, Business Occupations and Professions Article, Title 16; COMAR 09.36. The Commission licenses Maryland home inspectors, approves qualifying and continuing education, and administers licensing, renewal, and discipline.

• Official portal: https://www.labor.maryland.gov/license/reahi/
• Address: 100 S. Charles Street, Tower 1, Baltimore, MD 21201
• Phone: (410) 230-6363

Eligibility Requirements

This guide does not establish a minimum applicant age; confirm any age requirement with the issuing authority. Check the current application for identification and tax-number requirements. The reviewed state qualifications do not state a Maryland-residency requirement. Maryland offers a reciprocal application for qualifying out-of-state licensees; its listed states and conditions are described below.

Good moral character

The Commission states that a felony or misdemeanor conviction does not automatically make an applicant ineligible. Applicants with convictions submit certified “True Test” copies of the proceedings for case-by-case review.

Background investigation

The official application materials reviewed do not establish a routine fingerprint requirement. Conviction disclosures and certified court records are required when applicable.

Experience and Education

The cited source set does not publish a fixed year-based experience threshold for this credential. The controlling requirement is Complete a minimum 72-hour on-site home-inspector training course approved by both a national home-inspection organization and the Commission. The current qualification statute and Commission requirements do not state a separate supervised-inspection-hour prerequisite..

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

• Certificate(s) for the 72-hour approved on-site course
• High-school diploma, GED, or proof of higher education
• Passing NHIE score report
• Certificate of general liability insurance in the applicant’s name

Education substitution

The 72-hour approved course, high-school diploma or equivalent, NHIE, and insurance are the published qualification path; the reviewed sources do not state a substitution based solely on field experience.

Exam Requirements

There is no statewide written trade test for this credential in the cited record; the controlling process is: PSI Services LLC — National Home Inspector Examination

Examination fee: $225 per registration. PSI states that examination fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable.

Retake policy: PSI permits retakes as needed, with a 30-day wait between attempts. The $225 fee applies to each registration, and an examination fee is forfeited if the applicant does not test within one year of payment.

Insurance and Bonds

For this credential the financial-responsibility question is one of professional liability coverage, not a contractor surety bond. The state-specific position is detailed below.

General liability

Maintain general liability insurance of at least $150,000. Proof is required with the application and renewal, and the applicant/licensee’s name must appear on the certificate of insurance; a company name may also be listed. The licensee must notify the Commission at least 10 days before cancellation.

Workers' compensation

Workers’ compensation is a separate business/employer obligation, not a home-inspector licensure requirement.

Additional financial requirements

No financial-statement or surety-bond requirement is stated in the reviewed home-inspector licensing materials.

Fee Schedule

To turn these board fees into a realistic year-one budget — bond premium, liability insurance, and exam prep included — open the cost calculator preloaded for Maryland home inspector.

Renewal and Continuing Education

The Maryland Home Inspector License must be renewed every 2 years. The fee to renew is presently $325. Maintain $150,000 general liability coverage. The Commission emails renewal instructions about 60 days before expiration.

Continuing education: No CPC is required for the first renewal. After that, complete 30 hours of Commission-approved continuing professional competency before renewal. The Commission currently requires 2 hours related to report writing; the 2-hour minimum-standards requirement is delayed until January 1, 2027. No more than 8 hours in one topic/component count, and up to 30% may be earned outside a classroom setting.

Reciprocity

Whether Maryland recognizes a home inspector licensed elsewhere — and on what terms — is detailed below.

Maryland’s current reciprocal application identifies AZ, AR, CT, DE, FL, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MS, NV, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, and WV as states whose licensees may be considered. The applicant must provide an active good-standing license, NHIE evidence, satisfy the statutory equivalency/comparable-qualification standard, pay fees, and have no discipline that limits practice. Commission approval remains required.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares Home Inspector license requirements in every state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

Home Inspector Licensing in Neighboring States

Contractors working near a state line, or weighing where to qualify first, should compare Maryland's requirements against the bordering jurisdictions before committing to an application:

• Delaware Home Inspector License Requirements — Home Inspector (with Home Inspector Trainee registration as a prerequisite path)
• District of Columbia Home Inspector License Requirements — No District of Columbia home inspector license (home inspectors are not licensed or registered at the DC level)
• Pennsylvania Home Inspector License Requirements — No Pennsylvania State Home Inspector License — Home Inspection Law Requirements
• Virginia Home Inspector License Requirements — Home Inspector License (with optional New Residential Structure (NRS) specialty designation)
• West Virginia Home Inspector License Requirements — West Virginia Home Inspector Certification

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

1. Confirm the service is Maryland home inspection. The Commission defines it as a written evaluation of one or more components of an existing residential building for compensation. Use the state minimum standards for the actual scope.
2. Complete the approved 72-hour course. Use an on-site course approved by a national home-inspection organization and the Commission; the Commission says qualifying education is not virtual.
3. Pass the NHIE. Register with PSI, pass the NHIE, and retain the score report. PSI lists $225 per registration and a 30-day wait between retakes.
4. Obtain the required insurance. Secure at least $150,000 general liability coverage and make sure the applicant’s name appears on the certificate.
5. File the original application and review fee. Submit the application, training certificate, education evidence, NHIE score report, and $50 nonrefundable review fee. Once approved, pay the $325 license fee and provide insurance proof.
6. Follow state standards in practice. Maryland’s standards cover visual inspection of readily accessible components. They do not turn the service into code enforcement, engineering, a warranty, or a guarantee.
7. Renew every two years. Renewal is $325 and requires current insurance. No CPC is required for the first renewal; after that, complete 30 hours of Commission-approved continuing professional competency before renewal.

Application Checklist

Before submitting to Maryland Home Inspector Commission, the applicant should have each of the following ready:

• High-school diploma, GED, or higher-education evidence
• 72-hour on-site course approved by a national organization and the Commission
• Passing NHIE score report
• $150,000-or-more general liability insurance certificate in the applicant’s name
• $50 original application review fee
• $325 license fee after approval
• 30 Commission-approved CPC hours before renewals after the first

Progress is saved in this browser, so you can return to this checklist while your application is in flight.

Common Filing Mistakes

The following pitfalls summarize the issues most likely to delay, return, or derail a Maryland Home Inspector application based on the published board instructions and source materials cited on this page.

Taking a virtual qualifying course

The Commission says the 72 qualifying hours must be completed on-site, not virtually.

Buying insufficient or incorrectly named insurance

General liability must be at least $150,000 and the individual applicant/licensee’s name must appear on the certificate.

Treating inspection as a code-compliance or engineering service

Maryland’s standards define a visual inspection and expressly distinguish it from code enforcement, engineering, warranties, and guarantees.

Missing renewal education timing

The first renewal is exempt from CPC, but later renewals require 30 approved hours completed before renewing.

Study and Reference Materials

The list below collects the board's cited references and the materials applicants typically study from. CLR is not paid to recommend any of them.

• PSI National Home Inspector Examination Candidate Bulletin — PSI Services LLC. Official Maryland scheduling, fee, and retake information.
• Maryland Home Inspector Minimum Standards of Practice — Maryland Department of Labor. Governs the state minimum scope and limitations of home inspections.
• Commission-approved 72-hour course — Maryland Home Inspector Commission and approved organizations. Use a course approved by both the national organization and Commission.

Other Maryland Trade Licenses

CLR maintains guides for additional Maryland trades; the published ones are listed here:

• Maryland General Contractor License Requirements
• Maryland Electrician License Requirements
• Maryland Plumber License Requirements
• Maryland HVAC Technician License Requirements
• Maryland Roofing Contractor License Requirements
• Maryland Painting Contractor License Requirements
• Maryland Landscaping Contractor License Requirements
• Maryland Masonry Contractor License Requirements
• Maryland Concrete Contractor License Requirements
• Maryland Carpentry Contractor License Requirements
• Maryland Solar Installer License Requirements
• Maryland Low-Voltage Technician License Requirements
• Maryland Fire Sprinkler Contractor License Requirements
• Maryland Pool Contractor License Requirements
• Maryland Handyman License Requirements
• Maryland Pest Control License Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Maryland require a home inspector license?

Yes. Maryland licenses individuals who provide home inspection services for compensation through the Commission.

What is required for an original Maryland home inspector license?

Complete the 72-hour approved on-site course, have a high-school diploma or equivalent, pass the NHIE, submit the application and $50 review fee, provide at least $150,000 general liability insurance, and pay the $325 license fee after approval.

How much does the NHIE cost in Maryland?

PSI’s Maryland candidate bulletin lists $225 per registration. Fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable.

How often is a Maryland home inspector license renewed?

The license is on a two-year cycle. The first renewal does not require continuing education; every later renewal requires 30 hours of Commission-approved continuing professional competency and current insurance.

Can an out-of-state inspector use reciprocity?

Possibly. Maryland lists specific states eligible for consideration and requires an active good-standing license, NHIE evidence, and the statutory equivalency or comparable-qualification showing. Confirm eligibility with the Commission before applying.

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