Overview

A Home Inspector is defined as an individual who is employed by one or more home inspection businesses to conduct home inspections.

A Home Inspection means an opinion as to the condition of a dwelling based primarily on a non-invasive examination of readily accessible features and components of the dwelling.

Cost

There is no cost for a home inspector licence.

How to apply

You will need to complete an application form, and provide proof of education. To get started, follow these instructions to save and open the application.

Failure to provide complete information will delay processing of your application and may result in closure of your file.

Step 1. Fill out the application form

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Application for a Home Inspector Business Licence (PDF, 1.8 MB)

Step 2. Provide proof of education

There are 2 options for providing proof of education.

Option 1

Provide both:

  • degree, diploma or certificate in home inspection from an approved educational institution
  • satisfactory completion of a test inspection of a dwelling supervised by an approved educational institution or a licensed home inspector holding a Certified Master Inspector (CMI) designation or a Registered Home Inspector (RHI) designation

A degree, diploma or certificate in home inspection includes:

  • Advanced Home Inspection Certificate from Professional Home Inspection Institute (PHII)
  • Alberta Home Inspector Pre-Licensure Course from NIBI (National Institute of Building Inspectors)
  • Carson Dunlop Certificate from an authorized Carson Dunlop training provider including: Academy of Learning
    • Algonquin College
    • Ashton College
    • Bow Valley College
    • Carson Dunlop College
    • Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)
    • Medicine Hat College
    • NorQuest College
    • SAIT Polytechnic (Home Inspection Certificate of Achievement
  • Certified AmeriSpec Inspector from Amerispec Academy
  • Certified Canadian Home Inspector from AlbertaACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspector of Canada)
  • Certified Home Inspector Certificate from Canadian Residential Inspection Services Ltd.
  • Certified Home Inspector Certificate from InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors)
  • Certified Home Inspector Pre-Licensing Training, Proctored Exams #1 and #2, and the Supervised Test Inspection from Inspection Time Training Career College
    • Formerly: Certified Home Inspector Pre-Licensing Training, Proctored Exams #1 and #2 from Inspection Time Inc.
  • Global Property Inspections Training Course (120 hours) and Ride Along Training (80 hours) from National Property Inspections, Inc.
  • Home Inspection Master Course (120 hours) from The American Home Inspectors Training Institute, Ltd.
  • Home Inspection Training Program Certificate from Pillar To Post
  • Residential Home Inspection Certificate from Inspect4uInc.

Note: Additional degrees, diplomas or certificates may be added to this list. For consideration by the Director please submit details with your application or directly to the Director at the address on the application.

Option 2

Provide an approved home inspection designation or licence from an approved industry association or regulatory body

An approved home inspection designation includes:

  • CMI (Certified Master Inspector) granted by the Master Inspector Certification Boards, Inc.
  • RHI (Registered Home Inspector) granted by CAHPI (Alberta) (Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors (Alberta))
  • Associate Inspector from CAHPI (Alberta)
  • NHI (National Home Inspector) from the National Home Inspector Certification Council (NHICC)
  • CMHI (Certified Master Home Inspector) granted by CanNACHI (Canadian National Association of Certified Home Inspectors)

A licence from an approved regulatory body includes:

  • Home Inspector licence from Consumer Protection BC

Step 3. Submit the application form

Email your application form, and proof of education to sa.businesslicensing@gov.ab.ca.

You may also mail or drop off your application package to the address noted on the application. You may pay by credit card online, by credit card or debit card in person at our office, or you may mail a cheque or money order to our office.

When paying by cheque or money order please make it payable to the Government of Alberta.

After you apply

Licence takes effect the day the licence is issued.

It is your responsibility to ensure your licence is in force as long as you continue to do business. Once your licence is issued please make note of the expiry date and ensure your licence is renewed prior to this date.

Licence holders must notify Service Alberta in writing within 15 days of ceasing to carry on the activities for which the licence was issued.

Your responsibilities

  • A home inspector must have a licence and shall produce his or her home inspector licence and a copy of the home inspection business licence for inspection, or provide details about those licences, that make it possible to determine if the person is licensed when requested to do so by a consumer or potential consumer, the person whose home is being inspected, an inspector or the Director, or a peace officer.
  • If the applicant's primary residence is Out-of-Canada, a criminal record check is required from the jurisdiction of the individual’s primary residence which follows the requirements set out by Citizenship and Immigration Canada or a check provided by a local policing organization (i.e., state or municipal police service) provided the results include national records. For US applicants, a criminal history record information check performed by a vendor from this list is also acceptable.
  • Compliance

Copies of legislation can be obtained from the Queen’s Printer Bookstore.

Contact

To connect with the Consumer Contact Centre:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-427-4088
Toll free: 1-877-427-4088 (in Alberta)
Email: sa.businesslicensing@gov.ab.ca