Georgia CommonsHB 1305: Home Inspector Licensing Act of Georgia; enact
Last action February 24, 2026 · House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
A House substitute would create the Home Inspector Licensing Act of Georgia, requiring anyone who inspects homes for buyers or sellers, and companies that perform such inspections, to be licensed by the state starting January 1, 2028.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Comm Sub version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
Georgia currently has no statewide licensing system for home inspectors, the people who examine a house's roof, electrical, plumbing, and other systems before a sale. This bill adds a new article to the state law governing residential and commercial contractors (O.C.G.A. Chapter 41 of Title 43) to require home inspectors and home inspection companies to be licensed by the state Construction Industry Licensing Board, through its residential contractor division, beginning January 1, 2028. Applicants must be at least 18, have a high school diploma or ten years of industry experience, pass a criminal background check and an exam, and carry set amounts of liability and errors-and-omissions insurance. Companies must register, list their licensed inspectors, and keep inspection records. The board must write standards of practice, investigate complaints, and can fine, suspend, or revoke licenses. Real estate appraisers, brokers, licensed residential contractors, and government employees are exempted. People already working as inspectors before July 1, 2027 can get licensed without the usual education requirement if they pass a national exam.
What the bill does
- Requires home inspectors to obtain a state license from the board's residential contractor division starting January 1, 2028.
- Sets minimum qualifications for licensure: age 18 or older, a high school diploma or ten years of industry experience, a passed criminal background check, and a passed exam.
- Requires home inspectors to carry at least $250,000 per occurrence (up to $500,000 total) in both general liability and errors-and-omissions insurance.
- Requires companies that perform home inspections to register with the board, list their licensed inspectors, and keep inspection records, also starting January 1, 2028.
- Gives the board authority to investigate complaints and impose penalties including fines, license suspension or revocation, required retraining, or criminal referral to the Attorney General.
- Creates an exception letting people already working as home inspectors before July 1, 2027 skip the education requirement if they pass a national licensing exam.
Who it affects
Home inspectors and home inspection companies operating in Georgia, prospective home buyers and sellers who hire them, the state's residential contractor licensing board, and related licensed professionals such as real estate appraisers, brokers, and residential contractors who are specifically exempted from this new licensing requirement.
Why it matters
Once in effect, Georgians buying or selling homes would be dealing with inspectors who must meet state-set training, exam, background check, and insurance standards, rather than an unregulated market. The state would gain new enforcement tools, including fines and license revocation, for inspectors who violate practice standards or engage in unfair trade practices.
Key provisions
- Section 3 reorganizes existing contractor licensing law by designating current sections 43-41-1 through 43-41-18 as 'Article 1'.
- Section 4 adds Article 2, defining terms like 'home inspection,' 'home inspector,' and 'unfair trade practices' in new Code Section 43-41-20.
- Code Section 43-41-21 requires licensure starting January 1, 2028 and directs the board to allow reciprocity with other states that have substantially equal requirements.
- Code Section 43-41-22 sets applicant qualifications including age, education or experience, background check, exam, and four-year license renewal by birth month.
- Code Section 43-41-23 sets specific insurance minimums ($250,000 per occurrence, $500,000 aggregate) for both liability and errors-and-omissions coverage.
- Code Section 43-41-25 requires licensing of companies performing home inspections, including registering, listing licensed staff, and record-keeping.
- Code Section 43-41-27 lays out the board's complaint and investigation process and available penalties, subject to Georgia's Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 13 of Title 50).
- Code Section 43-41-30 creates a grandfather clause letting existing inspectors get licensed without the standard education requirement if they pass a national exam before July 1, 2027.
From the bill
“'Home inspector' means any person, except an employee of a county, municipality, or political subdivision while engaged in the performance of the duties of his or her employment, who, for consideration, inspects and reports on the condition of any home”
“Home inspectors shall be licensed by the board beginning January 1, 2028.”
“Beginning July 1, 2027, any person working as a home inspector on or before such date may apply to the board for licensure without meeting the initial education requirements if they pass the National Home Inspector Examination or meet an equivalent competency measure as approved by the board.”
Status timeline
- House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Clint Crowe (R, HD-118)
- Beth Camp (R, HD-135)
- Dale Washburn (R, HD-144)
- Miriam Paris (D, HD-142)
- Alan Powell (R, HD-033)
Topics
- home inspectors
- professional licensing
- consumer protection
- real estate
- contractor regulation