South Carolina Residential Home Inspector
Licensing
LICENSING QUALIFICATIONS AND ELIGIBILITY
Q1: What is the minimum age requirement to become a licensed home inspector in South
Carolina?
A: 18 years old.
Rationale: South Carolina law requires applicants to be at least 18 years of age to qualify for
licensure as a home inspector .
Q2: What educational background is required for home inspector licensure?
A: High School Diploma or GED equivalent.
Rationale: Applicants must possess a high school diploma or GED to meet minimum
educational standards .
Q3: Which state agency regulates home inspectors in South Carolina?
A: South Carolina Residential Builders Commission, under the Department of Labor, Licensing
and Regulation (LLR).
Rationale: The Residential Builders Commission is the official regulatory body responsible for
licensing and overseeing home inspectors .
Q4: What is the primary regulation governing home inspector qualifications in South Carolina?
A: South Carolina Code of Regulations, Chapter 106, Section 106-4.
Rationale: Section 106-4 specifically outlines the qualifications and requirements for home
inspector licensure .
Q5: How many hours of approved pre-licensing education are required in South Carolina?
A: 120 hours of commission-approved training.
Rationale: Applicants must successfully complete a formal course of training or study in home
inspection approved by the Commission, consisting of a minimum of 120 hours (one 120-hour
course, not multiple courses that add up to 120 hours) .
Q6: What topics must the 120-hour pre-licensing course cover?
A: Heating and cooling systems, plumbing systems, electrical systems, structural components,
foundations, roof coverings, exterior and interior components, and site aspects that affect the
building.
Rationale: The approved curriculum must address all major home inspection disciplines .
Q7: How long is a course completion certificate valid for licensing purposes?
,A: Three years.
Rationale: Course completion certificates are valid for three years from the date of issuance .
Q8: What are the two pathways to obtain a home inspector license in South Carolina?
A: (1) Licensure without examination by the Commission (reciprocity/endorsement), or (2)
Licensure by examination.
Rationale: Applicants may qualify either by holding current certification from an approved
organization plus experience, or by completing education and passing the required
examinations .
Q9: What experience is required for licensure without examination?
A: Either (a) one year of experience under direct supervision of a licensed home inspector,
residential builder, general contractor, engineer, or architect; OR (b) performance of a minimum
of fifty residential inspections with documentation.
Rationale: Section 106-4(A) provides these alternative experience pathways for endorsement
applicants .
Q10: What experience is required for licensure by examination?
A: Either (a) one year of experience under direct supervision of a licensed home inspector,
residential builder, general contractor, engineer, or architect; OR (b) successful completion of a
formal course of training approved by the Commission.
Rationale: Section 106-4(B) establishes these qualification options for examination candidates .
Q11: What documentation is required to verify the fifty inspection experience pathway?
A: Name, address, telephone number, and summary page of each inspection submitted for
review.
Rationale: Applicants must provide verifiable documentation for each of the fifty inspections
claimed .
Q12: Is field training and experience explicitly required by regulation?
A: No, but the one-year supervision option or fifty inspection option effectively requires practical
experience.
Rationale: While not labeled as "field training," both qualification pathways involve practical
experience .
Q13: What is the application processing fee for home inspector licensure?
A: The application processing fee is due before submission; specific amount is set by the
Commission and paid to LLR.
Rationale: Fee information is available through the Commission's application portal .
Q14: What happens if an application is incomplete?
A: The Commission will send a deficiency letter identifying missing information.
Rationale: Applications must be complete before review and approval for examination eligibility .
, Q15: What two examinations are required for home inspector licensure in South Carolina?
A: (1) The National Home Inspector Examination (NHIE), and (2) the South Carolina Residential
Business Management and Law Examination.
Rationale: Applicants must pass both the national technical exam and the state-specific
business and law exam .
Q16: How many questions are on the National Home Inspector Examination (NHIE)?
A: 200 questions.
Rationale: The NHIE consists of 200 multiple-choice questions .
Q17: What is the passing score for the NHIE?
A: 500 points or above.
Rationale: The NHIE uses a scaled scoring system requiring a minimum of 500 to pass .
Q18: How much time is allowed for the NHIE?
A: 180 minutes (3 hours).
Rationale: Candidates have three hours to complete the 200-question national exam .
Q19: Is the NHIE an open-book or closed-book exam?
A: Closed book.
Rationale: Candidates may not use reference materials during the NHIE .
Q20: What topics are covered on the NHIE?
A: Site conditions, building exterior components, roof components, structural components,
electrical systems, ventilation systems, plumbing and fuel distribution systems, and interior
components.
Rationale: These content areas comprise the national examination domains .
Q21: How many questions are on the South Carolina Residential Business Management and
Law Examination?
A: 50 questions.
Rationale: The state-specific exam contains 50 multiple-choice questions .
Q22: What is the passing score for the Business Management and Law Examination?
A: 34 correct answers (scale score of 68).
Rationale: Applicants must correctly answer 34 out of 50 questions to pass .
Q23: How much time is allowed for the Business Management and Law Examination?
A: 120 minutes (2 hours).
Rationale: Candidates have two hours to complete the 50-question state exam .
Licensing
LICENSING QUALIFICATIONS AND ELIGIBILITY
Q1: What is the minimum age requirement to become a licensed home inspector in South
Carolina?
A: 18 years old.
Rationale: South Carolina law requires applicants to be at least 18 years of age to qualify for
licensure as a home inspector .
Q2: What educational background is required for home inspector licensure?
A: High School Diploma or GED equivalent.
Rationale: Applicants must possess a high school diploma or GED to meet minimum
educational standards .
Q3: Which state agency regulates home inspectors in South Carolina?
A: South Carolina Residential Builders Commission, under the Department of Labor, Licensing
and Regulation (LLR).
Rationale: The Residential Builders Commission is the official regulatory body responsible for
licensing and overseeing home inspectors .
Q4: What is the primary regulation governing home inspector qualifications in South Carolina?
A: South Carolina Code of Regulations, Chapter 106, Section 106-4.
Rationale: Section 106-4 specifically outlines the qualifications and requirements for home
inspector licensure .
Q5: How many hours of approved pre-licensing education are required in South Carolina?
A: 120 hours of commission-approved training.
Rationale: Applicants must successfully complete a formal course of training or study in home
inspection approved by the Commission, consisting of a minimum of 120 hours (one 120-hour
course, not multiple courses that add up to 120 hours) .
Q6: What topics must the 120-hour pre-licensing course cover?
A: Heating and cooling systems, plumbing systems, electrical systems, structural components,
foundations, roof coverings, exterior and interior components, and site aspects that affect the
building.
Rationale: The approved curriculum must address all major home inspection disciplines .
Q7: How long is a course completion certificate valid for licensing purposes?
,A: Three years.
Rationale: Course completion certificates are valid for three years from the date of issuance .
Q8: What are the two pathways to obtain a home inspector license in South Carolina?
A: (1) Licensure without examination by the Commission (reciprocity/endorsement), or (2)
Licensure by examination.
Rationale: Applicants may qualify either by holding current certification from an approved
organization plus experience, or by completing education and passing the required
examinations .
Q9: What experience is required for licensure without examination?
A: Either (a) one year of experience under direct supervision of a licensed home inspector,
residential builder, general contractor, engineer, or architect; OR (b) performance of a minimum
of fifty residential inspections with documentation.
Rationale: Section 106-4(A) provides these alternative experience pathways for endorsement
applicants .
Q10: What experience is required for licensure by examination?
A: Either (a) one year of experience under direct supervision of a licensed home inspector,
residential builder, general contractor, engineer, or architect; OR (b) successful completion of a
formal course of training approved by the Commission.
Rationale: Section 106-4(B) establishes these qualification options for examination candidates .
Q11: What documentation is required to verify the fifty inspection experience pathway?
A: Name, address, telephone number, and summary page of each inspection submitted for
review.
Rationale: Applicants must provide verifiable documentation for each of the fifty inspections
claimed .
Q12: Is field training and experience explicitly required by regulation?
A: No, but the one-year supervision option or fifty inspection option effectively requires practical
experience.
Rationale: While not labeled as "field training," both qualification pathways involve practical
experience .
Q13: What is the application processing fee for home inspector licensure?
A: The application processing fee is due before submission; specific amount is set by the
Commission and paid to LLR.
Rationale: Fee information is available through the Commission's application portal .
Q14: What happens if an application is incomplete?
A: The Commission will send a deficiency letter identifying missing information.
Rationale: Applications must be complete before review and approval for examination eligibility .
, Q15: What two examinations are required for home inspector licensure in South Carolina?
A: (1) The National Home Inspector Examination (NHIE), and (2) the South Carolina Residential
Business Management and Law Examination.
Rationale: Applicants must pass both the national technical exam and the state-specific
business and law exam .
Q16: How many questions are on the National Home Inspector Examination (NHIE)?
A: 200 questions.
Rationale: The NHIE consists of 200 multiple-choice questions .
Q17: What is the passing score for the NHIE?
A: 500 points or above.
Rationale: The NHIE uses a scaled scoring system requiring a minimum of 500 to pass .
Q18: How much time is allowed for the NHIE?
A: 180 minutes (3 hours).
Rationale: Candidates have three hours to complete the 200-question national exam .
Q19: Is the NHIE an open-book or closed-book exam?
A: Closed book.
Rationale: Candidates may not use reference materials during the NHIE .
Q20: What topics are covered on the NHIE?
A: Site conditions, building exterior components, roof components, structural components,
electrical systems, ventilation systems, plumbing and fuel distribution systems, and interior
components.
Rationale: These content areas comprise the national examination domains .
Q21: How many questions are on the South Carolina Residential Business Management and
Law Examination?
A: 50 questions.
Rationale: The state-specific exam contains 50 multiple-choice questions .
Q22: What is the passing score for the Business Management and Law Examination?
A: 34 correct answers (scale score of 68).
Rationale: Applicants must correctly answer 34 out of 50 questions to pass .
Q23: How much time is allowed for the Business Management and Law Examination?
A: 120 minutes (2 hours).
Rationale: Candidates have two hours to complete the 50-question state exam .
