Skip to content
CLR

North Dakota Home Inspector License Requirements (2026)

Gabriel Giner

By Gabriel Giner, Editor  ·  Reviewed 2026-06-29  ·  CLR Editorial Review Desk

North Dakota requires statewide registration of home inspectors through the Office of the Secretary of State under North Dakota Century Code Chapter 43-54. This is a mandatory registration model rather than a graded state license: an individual may not perform a home inspection for compensation in North Dakota unless registered, and doing so without registration is a class B misdemeanor. To register, an applicant must be at least 18, submit proof of satisfactory completion of an approved home inspection examination, and provide a certificate of errors and omissions (E&O) liability insurance with coverage of $100,000 or more. The registration fee is $200, registrations expire June 30, and renewal costs $50 annually. North Dakota does not impose pre-licensing education hours, supervised field inspections, or continuing education, and it does not administer its own state examination.

Regulatory Body Profile

North Dakota Office of the Secretary of State (SOS) is the statutory authority responsible for issuing and enforcing this license under NDCC ch. 43-54. Administers mandatory statewide registration of home inspectors under NDCC ch. 43-54; receives registration applications (form SFN 54381), renewal filings, fees, proof of an approved home inspection examination, and certificates of errors and omissions insurance.

The Eligibility Audit

The threshold requirements are straightforward: age 18 or above, plus a valid Social Security Number. No residency requirement. Out-of-state inspectors must register with the North Dakota Secretary of State under NDCC ch. 43-54 on the same terms as in-state applicants before performing inspections for compensation.

Good moral character

No good-moral-character standard is referenced on the official Secretary of State registration page, on form SFN 54381, or in NDCC ch. 43-54 as confirmed via official sources.

Background investigation

Not required. No background check is referenced on the official Secretary of State registration page, on the registration form, or in NDCC ch. 43-54 as confirmed via official sources; it could not be affirmatively excluded from the full unparsed statute text.

Disqualifying conditions

Experience and Education Standards

Rather than a set number of years, the cited materials define eligibility through No pre-licensing education hours and no supervised field inspections are required. Eligibility rests on being at least 18, proof of satisfactory completion of an approved home inspection examination, and proof of E&O insurance of $100,000 or more..

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

  • Proof of satisfactory completion of an approved home inspection examination (ASHI, InterNACHI, EBPHI, or ICC)
  • Certificate of errors and omissions insurance of $100,000 or more
  • Completed registration form SFN 54381

Education substitution

Not applicable; North Dakota requires no education hours, so no substitution scheme exists.

The Exam Syllabus

There is no statewide written trade test for this credential in the cited record; the controlling process is: North Dakota does not administer its own state examination. The applicant must submit proof of satisfactory completion of a home inspection examination offered by an approved organization: the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI), the Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors (EBPHI, which administers the National Home Inspector Examination), or the International Code Council (ICC). The exam is taken and paid for through the chosen provider.

Examination fee: Set by the exam provider; not collected by the state.

Retake policy: Retake policies are set by the chosen approved examination provider (ASHI, InterNACHI, EBPHI, or ICC); the state imposes no separate retake rule and only requires proof of satisfactory completion.

Bonding, Insurance & Financial Security

The relevant coverage for a home inspector is professional liability (E&O), not a contractor surety bond. The exact obligation in this state is set out below.

General liability

A certificate of errors and omissions (E&O) liability insurance with coverage of $100,000 or more, covering all home inspection activities, is required at registration and must remain current and in effect throughout the registration period and at each renewal.

Workers' compensation

Not referenced in the home inspector registration requirements on the official Secretary of State page or in NDCC ch. 43-54; standard North Dakota employer workers' compensation rules apply separately if the inspector has employees.

Additional financial requirements

Not required.

Schedule of Fees

Fee Amount
Application (non-refundable)$200
Initial licenseNo separate state fee
Renewal (every year)$50

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 North Dakota home inspector.

Renewal and Continuing Obligations

The Home Inspector Registration runs on a year renewal cycle. The current renewal fee is $50. All registrations expire June 30 and must be renewed annually. Renewal requires the renewal filing with the Secretary of State, a current E&O insurance certificate, and the $50 renewal fee.

Continuing education: None required.

Downloadable Asset

2026 North Dakota Home Inspector License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Out-of-State Reciprocity

How an inspector already credentialed in another state is treated in North Dakota is summarized below.

Reciprocal State Accepted Exam Conditions
No formal bilateral reciprocity agreements identified.

No formal reciprocity program exists. Out-of-state inspectors must register with the North Dakota Secretary of State under NDCC ch. 43-54 like any other applicant, satisfying the same approved-exam and $100,000 E&O insurance requirements before performing inspections for compensation in the state.

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 North Dakota's requirements against the bordering jurisdictions before committing to an application:

The Application Roadmap

  1. Confirm the registration requirement applies. Verify that you intend to perform home inspections for compensation in North Dakota. Performing a home inspection for compensation without registering under NDCC ch. 43-54 is a class B misdemeanor.
  2. Take an approved home inspection examination. Sit for an examination offered by an approved organization (ASHI, InterNACHI, EBPHI, or ICC) and obtain documentation of satisfactory completion. Exam fees are set and collected by the provider, not the state.
  3. Obtain $100,000 E&O insurance. Secure errors and omissions liability insurance with coverage of $100,000 or more covering all home inspection activities, and obtain a certificate of insurance to submit with the application.
  4. Complete registration form SFN 54381. Fill out the official Home Inspector Registration form SFN 54381, attaching proof of the approved exam and the E&O certificate, and confirm you are at least 18.
  5. Submit the application and $200 fee. File the completed form with proof of exam and insurance to the North Dakota Secretary of State with the $200 registration fee.
  6. Renew annually by June 30. All registrations expire June 30. Renew each year by filing the renewal with the Secretary of State, providing a current E&O insurance certificate, and paying the $50 renewal fee. No continuing education is required.

Where Applications Stall

These are the recurring mistakes that most often delay or reject a North Dakota Home Inspector application, based on the official instructions cited here.

Operating before registering

Performing a home inspection for compensation before completing registration under NDCC ch. 43-54 is a class B misdemeanor, not merely a paperwork lapse.

Using an unapproved exam provider

Only ASHI, InterNACHI, EBPHI, and ICC are listed as approved organizations on the official Secretary of State page; proof from a non-listed provider may not satisfy the requirement, so confirm provider acceptance before testing.

Letting E&O coverage lapse

The $100,000 E&O insurance must remain current throughout the registration period and at renewal; allowing it to lapse can jeopardize the registration even mid-cycle.

Missing the June 30 expiration

All registrations expire June 30 regardless of when first issued; failing to file the annual renewal and $50 fee by that date can interrupt the authority to inspect for compensation.

Pre-Application Checklist

Have each of the following squared away before the packet goes to SOS:

Recommended Study 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.

  • National Home Inspector Examination — Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors (EBPHI). One of the approved examinations accepted by North Dakota; EBPHI publishes candidate handbooks and content outlines for exam preparation.
  • ASHI Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics — American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI). ASHI is an approved examination organization; its standards of practice are a common preparation reference for inspectors.
  • InterNACHI online education and exam materials — International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI). InterNACHI is an approved examination organization offering training and exam resources accepted toward North Dakota registration.

Other North Dakota Trade Licenses

Looking at a different trade? CLR also publishes these North Dakota licensing guides:

Common Questions

Does North Dakota license home inspectors?

North Dakota requires mandatory statewide registration rather than a graded occupational license. Home inspectors register with the Office of the Secretary of State under North Dakota Century Code Chapter 43-54, and an individual may not perform a home inspection for compensation unless registered.

What exam does North Dakota accept?

North Dakota does not administer its own examination. The applicant must submit proof of satisfactory completion of a home inspection examination offered by an approved organization: ASHI, InterNACHI, EBPHI (which administers the National Home Inspector Examination), or the International Code Council (ICC).

What insurance is required to register?

The applicant must carry errors and omissions (E&O) liability insurance with coverage of $100,000 or more covering all home inspection activities. The certificate must be provided at registration and remain current throughout the registration period and at each renewal. No surety bond is required.

How much does registration cost and how often is renewal?

The registration fee is $200, payable to the North Dakota Secretary of State, and the license is included in that fee. All registrations expire June 30 and must be renewed annually for a $50 renewal fee. There is no continuing education requirement.

What happens if I inspect homes without registering?

Performing a home inspection for compensation in North Dakota without being registered under NDCC ch. 43-54 is a class B misdemeanor. Inspectors should complete registration before accepting compensation for any inspection work in the state.

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

  1. North Dakota Secretary of State — Home Inspectors (registration requirements, fees, exam, insurance, renewal)
  2. North Dakota Century Code, Title 43, Chapter 43-54 (Home Inspectors) — governing statute
  3. Home Inspector Registration form SFN 54381 (official North Dakota state eform)

Verified 2026-06-29  ·  Next scheduled review 2026-09-27