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How to Become a Home Inspector in Illinois
Olivia Oksenhorn
7/26/22 2:43 PM
Ready to start a career as a home inspector in Illinois?
Becoming a home inspector offers an opportunity for a flexible career where you can contribute to your local community. Whether you're planning to be a home inspector full-time or picking it up as a side hustle, you'll need to become licensed.
In Illinois, home inspectors are regulated by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), and they require all home inspectors to obtain and renew licenses to operate. In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps to take to become a licensed home inspector.
All prospective inspectors in Illinois must complete 60 hours of approved coursework. In this coursework, you can expect to learn the essentials of home inspections that will prepare you for the Illinois Home Inspector Exam.
After completing 60 hours of approved classroom education, all prospective home inspectors must complete 5 field inspection events. To stay compliant with state regulations, all field inspection events must be completed under the direct supervision of a licensed home inspector.
After completing all field inspection events, you'll have to take a field exam and receive a score of at least 70% to earn your license.
Unlike many states, which require home inspectors to pass the National Home Inspector Exam (NHIE), Illinois requires all prospective home inspectors to pass a state-written exam. Once you have completed your education and feel prepared, you can sign up for the exam, which is live proctored at PSI testing centers and costs $125 per attempt.
Once you've completed your education and passed the Illinois Home Inspector Exam, congratulations are in order — you're ready to submit your application to become a home inspector. Along with your application, you'll need to pay a $250 fee to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
Below are the answers to some of the frequently asked questions we see from prospective home inspectors in the state of Illinois. They're all important considerations if you plan on pursuing home inspection as a career.
Home inspectors in Illinois must hold a GED or high school diploma and be at least 18 years of age. If you do not meet both of those requirements, you will not be able to get a home inspection license in the state.
According to Indeed.com, the average home inspector in Illinois earns a salary of $56,140 per year, which is on par with the national average. It's important to note that a home inspector's salary is variable, as many inspectors work part-time.
How you get a job as a home inspector in Illinois depends on whether you choose to start your own business or join an existing multi-inspector firm (both are routes we frequently see new home inspectors take).
If you choose to strike it out on your own, you'll need to take steps like obtaining insurance coverage, registering your LLC, and marketing your business.
If you take the route of joining an existing company, you can seek out home inspector roles through local connections or online job boards.