Becoming an Arizona Home Inspector

May 28 • Written By Voyager Home Inspections

So you have committed yourself to becoming one of us and joining our home inspection profession. Wonderful! Welcome! You’ve done your research, created your pros and cons lists, talked with fellow home inspectors, and have decided that the benefits, perks, and lifestyle outweigh the downsides. I didn’t regret it and I don’t think you will either. If you haven’t decided yet or are still wavering give “Should I Become a Home Inspector” a read.

Home inspecting around the country has various different rules, regulations, restrictions, and requirements. Each state is different from California having no licensing to Florida having strict licensing procedures. Be sure to research and know your own state’s specific requirements. This article is focused on Arizona procedures and regulations. Our rules change over time, so check with your local governing board to ensure you have the most up-to-date information. Arizona home inspectors are governed by the Board of Technical Registration – all the most current information can be found at btr.az.gov.

Step 1 – Hardest One

You’ve already made it: the decision to commit to the career. Yes, this is a career. This isn’t a stepping stone to another position, the ladder is gone. For some this is found early in their working life, for most it is a final more relaxing way to finish their working chapter. Regardless of your life path getting here, you are on a new trail and the first leg of that trail is long and hard. Remember, a journey of a thousand miles starts with just one step. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other and you’ll get there.

Step 2 – Check Yourself

Go through your local licensing body application thoroughly before taking the next steps to ensure you are eligible to become a home inspector. For Arizona applicants, start at the Arizona Board of Technical Registration applicants site.

Not sure? Check out “The Dark Side of the Home Inspection World.”

Step 3 – Don’t Quit Your Day Job

One of the biggest mistakes I see when people start the process of becoming a home inspector is leaving their current job or career. The process from day one to first paycheck is a long road, most of which you can do while still earning from your current position. If you are in-between jobs, consider getting a part-time gig to stave off the burn of the wait.

Step 4 – Get Schooled

In Arizona you need a minimum of 84 hours of training. That training can be accomplished a variety of ways – in-school, online, or a hybrid of each.

For Arizona applicants the training or an equivalent course must be conducted by an educational facility that is licensed by the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education, or accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission, or by an accrediting agency approved by the United States Department of Education, in accordance with R4-30-247(A)(5).

The different ways to get your schooling depend on how you learn. Most of us learn the best by experience, good old hands-on training. Don’t worry, that comes later. First, you’ll need to hit the books, memorize clearances, requirements, and concepts, which will be guided by the codes. Consider this your foundation and your prep for the National Exam.

Choosing how you learn

For book learning, you need to ask yourself:

Each has its pros and cons. The decision may not be simple. It should be heavily influenced by how you personally learn best.

In-school

In-school offers the most interactive experience. The teacher can see you. They may even be able to tell when you are lost or may need a little further explanation. You have the ability to ask questions. It is the most engaging. Most in-person schools will have props and hands-on materials. Having classmates to chat with, bounce ideas off, and study with can be extremely helpful. Your classmates and instructors are also the first networking group of your new career. These relationships can prove to be invaluable for the future. The downsides are the commute to and from, little to no flexibility for the hours of training, and, of course, the cost.

Online

This can be the most inexpensive and also the hardest way to learn. If you have the ability to focus, separate yourself from distraction, stay engaged, and simply put your nose to the grindstone and get it done, it can be a great path. No commute, no set hours, no big tuition. This was my path – while working a full schedule I was able to complete the course in about two weeks, locked in a room of the house and just grinding it out. Work, school, sleep, repeat.

The best part of this option is you don’t have to follow my footsteps and grind it out. You can just do a part of a class at night after the kids go to sleep, finish the class the next night, or take the weekend to knock out a course or two. The freedom is there for you to go at your own pace. A bonus of the online video classes is most schools allow you to re-watch those classes for a given period of time even after completing the course. You do lack the social interaction and networking opportunities and at times have to work harder to grasp a concept or theory that is new to you. Study buddies are non-existent and there are no props.

Hybrid

Here is where, depending on the hybrid course, you can intermingle the two. Virtual learning is quickly becoming the norm. Not having to drive in or commute, but still having the ability to ask questions. Still engaging with classmates and creating those networking opportunities without leaving home. You may even have the opportunity to start and stop if the need arises or do a class on a different date, all depending on the school and the course. The cost may not be as expensive as an in-person course but is typically higher than an online video course.

Again, look inward. Do what is best for you. I teach in person at Inspector Career Training Academy. When I did my schooling it was through AHIT – American Home Inspector Training. I see the benefits of both.

Pro hack – get your 84 hours of training for under $100

InterNACHI is a home inspector association. As is ASHI. I am an active member of both and each are great in their own right. Each have a similar training path. Let’s focus on InterNACHI. InterNACHI comes with their membership – an online education that is accepted by the Arizona BTR for training. You can get a year membership for a cheaper price than the typical online courses, or you can just pay month to month.

Whatever your choice ends up being, focus, study, take notes, and do further side research to grasp those important concepts. Take your schooling seriously; this is your foundation for the obscurities you’ll see in the real world.

Step 5 – Test Time

Time to take the National Home Inspector Examination (NHIE). The day you get your school certificate you should go online and sign up for the soonest available slot to take the test. Take the test and get it off your plate. I truly feel the sooner you take the test after completing the course the better your chances of passing are.

Step 6 – Review Application

Congratulations, you are about halfway through the process. The hardest part is behind you. It is time to step back and review your application with a fine-tooth comb. Most of it should be ready to go – fingerprint card, documentation, school certificate, NHIE certificate, etc. The only thing you should be missing at this point is your parallel inspection log, parallel instructor review, and affidavit.

Step 7 – Parallels

Time to get down and dirty. Again, don’t start this process too early or hastily. Each step is a process and should be taken in stride with focused attention. On average, a parallel inspection costs about $100; 30 inspections is roughly $3,000, more than all the rest of the process combined, so choose instructors wisely.

Ideally, you should try and view as many different types of properties as you can and work with multiple instructors. The goal is not just to check a box but to learn how to inspect homes in your area and see as much as possible.

Step 8 – Submit Application

Now it’s time for you to go through your application with a fine-tooth comb. Make sure everything is perfect. Double check and re-check. Submit your application following the procedures of your local jurisdiction.

Step 9 – Wait

The waiting is truly the hardest part. Your application is in a pile and someone will get to it when they get to it. They have up to 60 days to review. If they ask for further information, that 60-day clock pauses until you respond.

Step 10 – Submit Report

You will be notified to submit a specific report and have ten days to get it to them. Don’t wait if you don’t have to. Work with your instructor to review the report one more time, use the BTR checklist, make any changes needed, and submit.

Step 11 – Wait (Again)

After submission your report is reviewed by an Arizona home inspector approved by the board. They have their own timelines and review cycles. No news is usually good news. Once an approved report is on file, your name goes on the agenda for a board meeting and, upon approval, your license is issued.

Step 12 – Hello, Home Inspector

Congratulations, you are officially a Home Inspector. A few more administrative steps remain before you inspect on your own.

Step 13 – Get Insurance

Every inspector has to carry insurance or a bond per ARS 32-122.02 within 60 days of receiving your license and before you do any home inspections. Shop around, get multiple quotes, and once you have coverage submit documentation back to the BTR.

Step 14 – Become a Realtor (Sort Of)

Not really a realtor, but you will need to become an affiliate of the realtor association in your area so you can access properties and lockboxes in the same way agents do.

Step 15 – Get Your Skeleton Key

In the Phoenix Metro Area, the common practice is to use a Supra eKey to access homes. After affiliation with the local association, visit the ARMLS office with your home inspector license and membership documentation to get set up.

Step 16 – Get to Work

Now you can go and do home inspections. Get your tools and get to work. Whether you join a company or go out on your own, this is where the journey really starts.

Step 17 – Optional Steps

Join associations

The best way to keep up with current changes in the industry, codes, and practices is to be part of an association such as InterNACHI or ASHI, along with local chapters like AZ ASHI.

Attend conferences

Conferences provide concentrated education, exposure to tools and software, and networking with inspectors from other markets. Consider attending as a new inspector.

Keep up on current code

We are not code inspectors, but our services are guided by code. Publications like Code Check are a practical way to stay familiar with requirements without having to carry full code books to every inspection.

Step 18 – Keep on Stepping

The journey is everlasting and never stops. For more information and other articles, visit the Voyager Home Inspections articles page.