A Real Estate Inspector is licensed to perform a real estate inspection for a buyer or seller of real property but is required to do so under the indirect supervision of a Professional Real Estate Inspector.

You have one year from the date your application is filed to meet all education and experience requirements for a license.

Qualifications

• Citizen of the United States or lawfully admitted alien
• 18 years of age or older
• Be sponsored by a professional inspector
• Meet TREC’s qualifications for honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity
  • Consider requesting a  Fitness Determination before applying for the license

Requirements

Experience and Education

Current Apprentice Inspectors: Sponsored Experience and Education

• Have at least 3 months of active experience as a licensed apprentice inspector sponsored by a Texas professional inspector during the 12-month period preceding the application date.
• Complete 25 real estate inspections under direct supervision.
• 40 hours in Property and Building Inspection Module I
• 40 hours in Property and Building Inspection Module II
• 10 hours in Business Operations and Professional Responsibility Module

Substitute Experience and Education

• 40 hours in Property and Building Inspection Module I*
• 40 hours in Property and Building Inspection Module II*
• 10 hours in Business Operations and Professional Responsibility Module
• 24 hours in Texas Standards of Practice Module
• 40 hours in Texas Practicum
  • You must submit the Texas Practicum Credit Request form with your application for credit

Find a qualifying education provider. After completing your course work, you are welcome to submit a course and instructor evaluation. 

*You may receive credit for these courses if you have 3 years of personal experience in a field directly related to home inspection and provide two affidavits from persons who have personal knowledge of your experience.

 

Filing your Application

• Mail your application for Real Estate Inspector License and fee to TREC.
• Include copies of your education and experience documents with your application.

Get your Fingerprints Taken and Pass Your Background Check

• You are required by law to have fingerprints on file with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) so a background check can be performed. Fingerprints on file for other agencies will not be accepted.
• A license will not issue if the background check has not been passed. Expect a delay if you are notified of an investigation into your background history.

Take the Exam

The examination requirement for a real estate inspector license consists of a national exam and a state exam.

Before you can take the national portion of the examination, you must complete the following courses:

• Property and Building Inspection Module I
• Property and Building Inspection Module II
• Business Operations and Professional Responsibilities Module

Before you can take the state portion of the examination, you must complete the following courses:

• Texas Standards of Practice Module
• Texas Practicum

Once you have met the experience and education requirements, you will be sent an exam approval notice with instructions for scheduling the exam and obtaining a copy of the exam Candidate Handbook. License exams are administered by PearsonVUE, a testing service company. 

• If you fail the exam three times, you will be required to take additional education before you can retake the exam.

Real Estate Inspection Recovery Fund

Prospective inspectors who submitted their application prior to September 1, 2023, are required to pay a fee for deposit in the Real Estate Inspection Recovery Fund after passing their exam.

Financial Responsibility

You must submit proof of professional liability insurance or any other insurance that provides coverage for violations of Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1102, Subchapter G ($100,000 per occurrence) before a license will issue.

Send the TREC Certificate of Insurance form or Proof of Financial Responsibility form to documents@trec.texas.gov.