Home inspectors are trained to locate defects and code violations that a home buyer normally would not know about on their own. This service is vital to home buyers during real estate transactions. To become a home inspector in New Jersey, you first need to obtain a license from the Home Inspection Advisory Committee of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs.
Complete a 180-hour training class, which includes 40 hours of unpaid training in the field, from an approved vendor. You can find a list of approved vendors on the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs website (see Resources).
Register for and pass the National Home Inspector Examination. You can register for the examination from the Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors website. The examination is given at testing centers run by a private company, PSI.
Obtain Errors and Omissions insurance that covers a minimum of $500,000 per occurrence. List the Home Inspection Advisory Committee as a certificate holder so the agency receives notification if you cancel or amend the policy.
Download the Application for Licensure as a Home Inspector from the Division of Consumer Affairs website (see Resources).
Complete the license application and mail it along with proof that you meet the educational, examination and insurance requirements to Division of Consumer Affairs (see Resources). Pay the license fee, which is $125 as of November 2010, by check or money order.
Tips
You can substitute the training class requirement by completing 250 home inspections under the direct supervision of a licensed home inspector.
References
Writer Bio
Tom Johnson graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science in finance. He has worked in the insurance industry for over 15 years and is currently employed by a government agency that regulates insurance companies and brokers. Johnson began freelance writing in 2009, focusing his efforts on insurance and finance-related articles.