The Great Mount Rushmore State offers a lengthy but straightforward path to home inspection certification and licensing. Phase one is registration. Phase two is licensing. But before either of those can happen, you need an education.
If you’re living in South Dakota and want to pursue a career in home inspecting, here’s what you can expect.
Get Certified with a Home Inspector Education Program
The first phase of a new home inspector’s career in South Dakota is education. You’ll need an approved school, such as ICA School’s home inspector training program, to fulfill the 40-hour requirements.
When you pass your training program, you’ll have the foundation for the next step: the home inspection exam. According to the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, the exam is rooted heavily in the material covered by the training program. There won’t be any surprise or trick questions later.
Pass the South Dakota Home Inspection Exam
Home inspection exam timing is important. Your score is only valid for 60 days, and you must apply for licensing during that period. On day-61, the Department of Labor and Regulation says your score becomes void and you’ll have to test again before applying for licensure.
You may want to dive straight into the exam or spend a little more time studying. Either way, Applied Measurement Professionals administers the exam and provides the necessary study guide. Choose the “Candidates” option from the drop-down menu at the top of their home page and find the Candidate Handbook for South Dakota Home Inspector Exam.
- The Department of Labor and Regulation recommend highlighting these study guide sections:
- Definitions
- Who needs a home inspector license
- Requirements to become licensed
- Requirements to maintain the license (i.e. renewal procedures, ARSD 20:74:04:07 and ARSD 20:74:04:08)
- Grounds for disciplinary action
- The standards of practice
You can ignore the rest of the guide, which is directed at other real estate professionals. However, pay special attention to ARSD 20:74:04:07 and ARSD 20:74:04:08, which deal with license renewal questions covered on exam day.
Official fingerprinting helps complete the necessary criminal background checks.
Apply for a Home Inspector License
A passing score on the home inspection exam sends you to the next level, which is the home inspection license application. There’s a $200 application fee as well as a $43.25 fee for criminal background checks and fingerprint cards. The DoL recommends fingerprinting at a law-enforcement agency or similar location.
Once approved, your home inspection license will remain inactive for 1 year and until you complete 100 home inspections. During that time, you’ll be known as a registered home inspector. After the year is up, and after submitting a detailed log of home inspection work, you’ll have a full-fledged South Dakota license.
There aren’t any shortcuts to home inspection certification and licensing in South Dakota, but the path is direct and clear. Begin with a home inspection training program, take the exam, apply for licensure and go to work. In one year, you’ll be ready to forge ahead as a licensed home inspector.
Ready to begin the journey? Enroll now with ICA School and start training a home today.
