Home inspector exam: format, scoring and states
A summary of publicly available information about the National Home Inspector Examination, which is developed by the Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors (EBPHI). Details change, so confirm everything with the official exam site (homeinspectionexam.org) and your state board before you register.
Format
- About 200 multiple-choice questions, of which a portion (typically 25) are unscored pretest items you can't identify.
- About 4 hours of testing time, taken on a computer at a test center or, where offered, by remote proctoring.
- Fees, scheduling and ID rules are set by the exam owner and its testing vendor and can change.
Content outline
The published outline groups questions into three domains:
| Domain | Approx. share |
|---|---|
| Property & Building Inspection | 70% |
| Analysis of Findings & Reporting | 20% |
| Professional Responsibilities | 10% |
The first domain is split into systems such as roof, structure, electrical, heating, plumbing and life safety. Our study guide follows the same 19-task structure.
Scoring
Results are reported as a scaled score rather than a raw percentage. The exam owner publishes the scale and passing standard (historically a scaled score of 500 on a 200 to 800 scale). Because pretest items are unscored and scaling depends on the exam form, a practice percentage cannot be converted into a predicted official score.
Which states use it
Many US states that license home inspectors accept or require this exam, while some use their own state exam or have no state licensing at all. The list changes, so check the state requirements page on the official exam site (homeinspectionexam.org) and your state licensing board. See our state licensing overview.
InspectExam is not affiliated with EBPHI or any testing vendor. National Home Inspector Examination is a trademark of its owner. Information here is a general summary last reviewed 2026-11-01 and may be out of date.