Pennsylvania does not license home inspectors. A bill just passed the House

When you book a home inspection, you need to know what qualifications Pennsylvania requires today and whether a new bill changes your plans. Pennsylvania does not issue home inspector licenses, and the House passed a bill to create a licensing system on Sept. 29, 2026.

HB 2645 has not become law. Your inspection this fall remains governed by existing state rules, which set qualifications and insurance requirements for inspectors working under a buyer’s inspection right.

01The short answer

Pennsylvania has never issued a home inspector license, and HB 2645 would create one, but the bill is not law. The House passed it 190-13 on Sept. 29, 2026, with licensing placed under the State Real Estate Commission. The bill record shows its current status.

As of Oct. 8, HB 2645 has not been sent to a Senate committee. The Senate has five session days remaining before the session ends Nov. 30, leaving a short window for action.

“No license” does not mean “no rules.” A 2000 law, Act 114, established requirements for who may perform a buyer’s inspection, minimum insurance, and penalties for unqualified work. You can read those rules in Chapter 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes.

Nothing changes for an inspection you book this month. HB 2645 would need Senate approval and the governor’s signature before becoming law, and its licensing system would take time to implement.

02What Pennsylvania law requires right now

Pennsylvania’s current law sets qualifications and insurance requirements when your agreement of sale gives you the right to an inspection. Under Chapter 75, the inspector must be a full member of a qualifying national home inspectors association, a licensed professional engineer or architect, or work under a full member who signs the inspection report.

A qualifying association must be nonprofit and have members in more than 10 states. Its full-membership standards must require more than 100 inspections and an examination, along with a code of conduct and continuing education. The law’s association requirements spell out these criteria.

The inspector must carry at least $100,000 in coverage per occurrence and $500,000 in aggregate. If you bring a claim related to the inspection, the deadline to sue is one year from the date the report is delivered.

Performing an inspection without the required qualifications is a summary offense for a first violation and a misdemeanor for a later violation. Pennsylvania has no state agency that issues inspector credentials or takes complaints, leaving enforcement of these current requirements without a dedicated licensing office. That gap is what HB 2645 is designed to address.

03What HB 2645 would change

HB 2645 would create a state license with required education, supervised field work, an exam, and a background check. The bill’s proposed text lays out the licensing and conduct requirements.

To qualify, you would need 80 hours of approved classes, registration as an inspector-in-training, 50 mentored inspections, a state-approved exam, and a criminal background check. License holders would complete 32 hours of continuing education every two years, including three hours on manufactured and modular homes.

The bill requires written inspection reports covering the scope of the work, material defects, and visible interior mold. A mold finding would need to identify its location and recommend professional evaluation. Inspectors would also need a typed contract showing the scope, fee, and license number, and they would have a duty to warn occupants about immediate dangers.

An inspector’s company could not perform repair work on a home it inspected within the prior 12 months, with exceptions for radon and termite work. Insurance minimums would rise to $250,000 per occurrence and $500,000 in aggregate.

The first violation would be a summary offense; a later violation would be a third-degree felony. Civil fines could reach $1,000. Working inspectors would have a grandfather path if they apply within two years.

04Can it pass before Nov. 30?

HB 2645 has a narrow path through the Senate before the session ends Nov. 30. The remaining Senate session days are Oct. 19, 20, and 21, followed by Nov. 17 and 18, according to the Senate session calendar.

The Senate must consider a bill on three separate days. If senators amend HB 2645, it must return to the House for concurrence. Sen. Frank Farry’s near-twin bill, SB 907, cleared committee in May 2026, was laid on the table in June, and has not moved since.

Pennsylvania has considered licensing before. Lawmakers sent HB 21 to Gov. Tom Wolf in 2020, and he vetoed it. If HB 2645 does not pass this session, it must be reintroduced in January.

If it passes, the State Real Estate Commission would have 18 months to write rules, and most of the law would take effect two years after enactment. That timeline means inspectors would not need licenses before 2028 at the earliest.

05What a Pennsylvania buyer should do this fall

Use today’s rules to check your inspector before you sign an agreement. Work through this checklist:

1. Ask which national home inspectors association the inspector belongs to, then use the association’s own lookup to confirm full membership.
2. If the inspector relies on an engineering or architecture license, verify it through the state license search.
3. Request a certificate of insurance and check that the coverage meets the current $100,000-per-occurrence and $500,000-aggregate minimums.
4. Read the contract’s inspection scope and exclusions before signing. Ask for the inspector’s qualifications in writing; current law lets you rely on that statement.
5. Mark your calendar for one year after the report is delivered, the current deadline for bringing a claim.
6. Arrange separate tests, such as a sewer scope or radon test, if the standard inspection does not include them.

Sources (5)

• palegis.us
• legis.state.pa.us
• pacodeandbulletin.gov
• palegis.us
• palegis.us

Photo by user32212 on Pixabay.