SB 458: "Home Inspector Licensing Act of Georgia"; enact

Georgia currently does not license home inspectors, the people hired to examine a house's condition before a sale. This bill, the "Home Inspector Licensing Act of Georgia," would change that by adding a new article to the state's contractor licensing law. Starting January 1, 2028, home inspectors and companies that perform home inspections would need a license from the state licensing board, which would fall under the residential contractor division. Applicants would need to be at least 18, have a high school diploma or ten years of relevant experience, pass a criminal background check and an exam, and carry at least $250,000 in liability and errors-and-omissions insurance. People already working as inspectors could get licensed without the education requirement if they pass a national exam. The bill also amends the real estate broker law (O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 40). It requires most Georgia Real Estate Commission members to be licensees in good standing, bans brokers from working with unlicensed "wholesalers" who flip property contracts without owner authorization, and lets the commissioner issue consent cease and desist orders against unlicensed brokers.

• Creates a new state license for home inspectors and home inspection companies, required starting January 1, 2028.
• Sets minimum qualifications for home inspector applicants: age 18, a high school diploma or ten years of experience, a criminal background check, and a passing exam score.
• Requires licensed home inspectors to carry at least $250,000 in general liability insurance and $250,000 in errors-and-omissions insurance, including coverage for referrals.
• Defines a new category called a 'wholesaler' in real estate law and bars brokers from listing property for sale on a wholesaler's behalf without the owner's consent.
• Lets the Real Estate Commission's commissioner issue consent cease and desist orders against people accused of practicing as a broker without a license.
• Requires five of the six Real Estate Commission members to be licensees in good standing who have been actively licensed, not just engaged, in real estate for five years.

Home inspectors and companies that perform home inspections, who would need a new state license and insurance; prospective home buyers and sellers who hire inspectors; real estate brokers and salespersons, who face new restrictions on working with unlicensed property wholesalers; and members of the Georgia Real Estate Commission.

Georgians buying or selling homes would gain assurance that inspectors meet minimum training, background-check, and insurance standards, since no such licensing exists today. Real estate brokers would also face new restrictions on assisting unlicensed wholesalers, changing how certain property flipping arrangements can be marketed.

• Section 3 adds a definition of 'wholesaler' to Georgia's real estate broker law, covering unlicensed people who market property for resale without the owner's written authorization.
• Section 4 requires five of the six Real Estate Commission members to be licensees in good standing actively licensed in real estate for five years.
• Section 6 exempts prospective purchasers from broker licensing only if they are not wholesalers or do not receive a separate fee for their actions.
• Section 7 lets the commissioner issue a final consent cease and desist order against unlicensed brokers under investigation, in addition to the commission's existing cease and desist power.
• Section 9 creates Article 2 of Chapter 41, requiring home inspector and company licensure by January 1, 2028, with renewal every four years by the licensee's birth month.
• New Code Section 43-41-23 sets minimum insurance requirements of $250,000 per occurrence and $500,000 aggregate for both liability and errors-and-omissions coverage.
• New Code Section 43-41-27 allows the board to investigate complaints and impose penalties including fines, license suspension or revocation, or a criminal referral to the Attorney General.
• New Code Section 43-41-30 allows current inspectors to skip education requirements if they pass the National Home Inspector Examination before applying, starting July 1, 2027.

1. 2026-03-31House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
2. 2026-03-31House Third Readers (House)
3. 2026-03-18House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
4. 2026-03-10House Second Readers (House)
5. 2026-03-09House First Readers (House)
6. 2026-03-06Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
7. 2026-03-06Senate Third Read (Senate)
8. 2026-03-06Senate Taken from Table (Senate)

• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)Primary sponsor
• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-050)
• Drew Echols (R, SD-049)
• Emanuel Jones (D, SD-010)
• David Lucas (D, SD-026)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-052)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)
• Gail Davenport (D, SD-017)
• Tonya Anderson (D, SD-043)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)
• RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-038)
• Sonya Halpern (D, SD-039)
• Clint Crowe (R, HD-118)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 6, 2026

   46 yea, 2 nay (3 not voting, 4 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #680

2. PassedHouse voteMarch 31, 2026

   138 yea, 19 nay (9 not voting, 10 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #800

• home inspections
• real estate licensing
• consumer protection
• professional licensing
• property sales