ICA will help you get started in Home Inspection in Illinois through online training and hands on field training. It is a straightforward 3-step process to get your Illinois Home Inspector License.
Become a Home Inspector in Illinois in 3 Steps:
Step One: Complete an approved 60-hour home inspection course.
Step Two: Complete 5 ride-along inspections with an Illinois licensed home inspector with a minimum of 5 years experience.
Our course is fully approved to fulfill both of these requirements. View our approval license documents. You’ll just complete our online course, then come in for 3 days of field training where our instructor will take the class on five home inspections. Total tuition for the online course plus the 3 days of field training is $1,495. The dates for our field sessions are listed below. To register for an upcoming field session call us at (888) 374-4096. If you prefer to just register for the online class at this time you can do that for $695 here on our website or over the phone and arrange your field training at a later date.
Step Three: Take and pass the Illinois State Home Inspectors Exam.
Start your own business or go to work for an existing company!
Why You Should Choose ICA for Your Illinois Home Inspector Training
To register today, call us at (888) 374-4096. If you prefer to sign up only for the online class at this time, call or contact us through our website. You can schedule the classroom and ride-along field training later.
In need of a career change? Earning your Illinois home inspector license is a great option. Home inspectors enjoy high income potential, job security, flexible scheduling, and the ability to work for themselves. Professional home inspectors equip home buyers with essential details and objective information about a home’s condition, which enables them to make sound financial decisions. Buying a home is one of the largest investments anyone can make during their lifetime, and home inspectors provide the peace of mind needed to make the right choice. This service is incredibly valuable and incredibly necessary.
How to Become a Home Inspector in Illinois
One of the best parts about a career in home inspection is the relatively low barrier to entry. Switching careers often requires expensive training courses and years in the classroom, but earning your Illinois home inspector license is much more straightforward.
First, you’ll need to complete ICA School’s online home inspection course. Next, you’ll need to attend five ride-along inspections with a licensed Illinois home inspector who has at least five years of experience. These ride-alongs are included as part of our three-day classroom field sessions. Upon completion, you’ll be ready to take the Illinois Home Inspector Examination. Been awhile since you last took a test? We provide over 700 practice questions to help you prepare.
The Impact of a Home Inspector
Illinois home inspectors make a world of difference in the lives of their clients. These professionals work tirelessly to educate and inform buyers about their prospective investments. Without the insight of a home inspector, buyers would be on their own to assess the condition of a property they’re considering. In many ways, home inspectors are the ultimate consumer protection tool. That’s part of what makes the job so rewarding.
When home inspectors uncover something expensive to repair or hazardous to the health and safety of the residents, they have a real, positive impact. Even when home inspections fail to reveal anything especially noteworthy, home buyers feel a real sense of relief. That’s the power of a home inspector: No matter what they uncover in their line of work, the results are empowering for the client.
Illinois Home Inspector Salaries
The average salary of an Illinois home inspector is more than $80,000 annually. Of course, it’s important to keep the word average in mind. New home inspectors just building their client base may make a little less than average as they’re starting out, while experienced inspectors may make far more than average.
In some ways, you dictate your own annual salary as a home inspector. Many self-employed inspectors opt to work part-time or gear up and work overtime during busy home-buying seasons. Some schedule just one inspection per day so they can really focus on the property at hand, while others may schedule back-to-back inspections to maximize their output. This flexibility and freedom is a key benefit of working in home inspection.
Demand Is High for Home Inspection in Illinois
The Illinois housing market is one of the hottest in the nation. While home inspections in Illinois aren’t state-mandated, many communities require buyers to get their homes inspected before purchase. This protects both the community and the buyers since all parties are clear on what the sale of the home really entails. As long as homes are bought and sold in the Prairie State, home inspectors will have no shortage of opportunities to earn a healthy living.
Want to diversify your skills and offer even more options for clients? Take advantage of our bonus courses on topics like marketing, thermal imaging, smart homes, and mold and radon inspections. These classes are free for ICA School students and allow you to offer your clients a wide range of inspections.
Start Home Inspector Training Now
Now that you know how to become a home inspector in Illinois, the only thing left to do is enroll with ICA School. Beyond our convenient, comprehensive training courses, we offer a number of excellent resources and tools to each of our students. Those resources don’t go away after you finish training, either. You’ll enjoy lifetime access to our bonus courses, as well as unlimited instructor support should you need any guidance while out in the field. Explore more of the benefits of becoming an ICA School student here.
To register today, call us at (888) 374-4096. If you prefer to sign up only for the online class at this time, call or contact us through our website and schedule the classroom and ride-along field training later.
Enroll now and you can open your own business as a licensed Illinois home inspector in just a few short weeks.
Still have questions about ICA or our Illinois home inspector classroom and field training program? Check out our FAQs below or feel free to call us. We’ll be glad to help you get started on your way to a new and rewarding career as a licensed Illinois home inspector.
Frequently Asked Question about IL Home Inspector Licensing
How do I become a home inspector in Illinois?
As stated above, once you complete our online home inspection course, you will have the hours needed to become a certified home inspector. The other thing Illinois requires is that you do five ride-along inspections with an Illinois licensed home inspector with a minimum of 5 years experience. You can do those ride-alongs with any licensed inspector who has held an IDFPR home inspectors license for five years or longer, so if you want to find someone on your own you can. However, most students will do those with us during our 3 day classroom field sessions. After that, you just need to take the Illinois home inspectors exam, for which we will have you prepared for.
How much money do home inspectors make in Illinois?
The average salary for a home inspector in Illinois is approximately $70,000 per year.
How much does an Illinois home inspection pay?
The average fee for a home inspection in the state of Illinois is $400. The amount you charge for a home inspection will vary based on age and square footage of the home. We’ll cover all of that during the online course.
Where do home inspectors get most of their work?
Home inspectors working in cities with a large population are able to find the most work. Chicago, Cook County, and the surrounding greater Chicago area are always in need of qualified home inspectors.
Is your Illinois home inspection training course recognized by InterNACHI?
Yes. We work very closely with InterNACHI. In fact all of our graduates receive a free one month membership to InterNACHI.
Is your Illinois home inspection training school affiliated with ASHI?
Yes. We work closely with the American Society of Home Inspectors. In fact, we train you specifically to the ASHI standards of practice and our home inspector school is a Gold level ASHI affiliate.
Is your Illinois home inspection training class recognized by NAHI?
In 2016 NAHI merged with ASHI, so NAHI no longer exists as a home inspection membership organization.
Does this course certify me in mold inspection and radon inspection?
We include our mold and radon introductory bonus courses free of charge to students who enroll in our online home inspection course. We also offer mold and radon certification courses. Through our partnership with ECAN, LLC, we offer a Mold Assessment Technician certification course, and a 16-Hour Radon Measurement Technician certification course. This course is also approved by the National Radon Proficiency Program (AARST-NRPP) or National Radon Safety Board (NRSB).
Will you mail me a certification?
Yes. We mail out your Illinois home inspection transcript to you upon completion of our online course and the five ride along inspections.
What should I use for my inspection report when I perform a home inspection?
We have an arrangement with www.homeinspectionform.com where our graduates receive a free copy of their Report Form Pro Nitro home inspection reporting software. That is the report that most of our graduates start with since it is so easy to use. Normally selling for $400, the Report Form Pro Nitro home inspection report can be printed and filled out by hand or filled out on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. You can even put in photos easily. They also have a mobile app version of their home inspection report that can be used on an Android or Apple mobile device. At the end of the day, all that matters is that you have a home inspection report form that you’re comfortable with, and these are both good home inspection report options.
Is there a time limit for the online home inspection course for Illinois?
No. There is no time limit on our course, so you can take as much time as you would like to complete it.
Do you provide a list of tools that I need for performing a home inspection?
Yes. We provide you with a list of tools needed. It comes out to a little under $200, including the non-invasive moisture meter.
What about marketing materials?
We provide resources that will help get your business up and running. Our Free membership portal, Edcetera Home Inspection, contains everything you need to start and grow your business, including live webinars, business templates, downloadable PDFs, and more.
Do you offer my Illinois state home inspection test?
Home inspector schools are not allowed to give the home inspection exam in Illinois. The IL Home Inspector test is given by a third-party testing company.
Where can I take the Illinois state home inspector exam?
The Illinois state home inspector exam can be taken in Buffalo Grove, Carbondale, Chicago (Michigan Ave.), Franklin Park, Glen Ellyn, Matteson, Naperville, Rockford, Springfield, or Urbana.
Do you send my certificate to the board?
Actually, the way it works is that once you complete our course and pass the Illinois exam, you will send the board a copy of your Illinois home inspection transcript from us along with your score sheet from the Illinois exam. Then you will be issued your home inspection license.
Can I start my own home inspection business in Illinois after taking your online course?
Here’s how it works. Register for the ICA Real Estate Inspection Certification Program. The course will give you all the knowledge you will need to perform a home inspection and own/operate your own successful home inspection business.
ICA will help you get an IL Home Inspector License
Taking the ICA Real Estate Inspection Course
Here’s how it works. Register for the ICA Real Estate Inspection Certification Program. The course will give you all the knowledge you will need to perform a home inspection and own/operate your own successful home inspection business.
In the course, you will also learn all about commercial inspections, mold inspections, radon inspections, and building code. You will learn what you need to know to pass the Illinois State Home Inspector Exam.
Our training goes well beyond the topics covered by our competitors, which makes ICA the best choice for the training you need to receive your Illinois home inspector’s license. Compare us to the competition and you’ll understand why.
We offer the most comprehensive Home Inspector Training and Certification Program available anywhere in Illinois. There’s no time limit, so ICA students can complete their online training at their own pace using Android or iOS tablets, smartphones, laptops or desktop computers. All training materials are available online 24/7, which means students can complete the program any time and anywhere there’s an Internet connection. Most students complete the online portion of the training in just a few weeks, although some finish in as few as 10 days.
All ICA online home inspection training videos are narrated by certified home inspectors with years of inspection industry experience. Collectively, they’ve performed thousands of property inspections and have encountered just about everything having to do with inspecting commercial and residential properties. Your training will cover it all, from the basics of performing home inspections to starting your new career as a licensed Illinois home inspector. The program even includes information on opening and promoting your own home inspection business.
What ICA’s Home Inspection Classroom Training Covers
House Interior – Interior rooms, attics, walls and insulation, windows and doors, bathrooms, kitchens and appliances, basements and crawl spaces
Plumbing – Supply lines, waste piping, connections, vents, drainage, fixtures and faucets, water heaters, fuel storage tanks and lines, sump and ejector pumps
Heating System – Combustion requirements, forced air heating, hydronic heating, space and wall heaters, fireplaces and chimneys, wood stoves and vents
Air Conditioning – Basics of refrigeration, split systems, ductless systems, geothermal and air source heat pumps
Electrical Systems – Theory of electricity, drops and distribution, wire gauges, main and subpanels, switches and outlets, electrical fixtures, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
Reporting – Preparing written reports for clients, including how to use Report Form Pro Nitro inspection report software with digital devices. ICA students may upgrade to Spectora home inspection software as part of our exclusive partnership – or use Report Form Pro Nitro software, which is included in our home inspection training at no charge.
Marketing Your Business – Strategies and techniques for building a successful home inspection business
Commercial Inspections – Inspecting commercial buildings and understanding ASTM international standards (formerly American Society for Testing Materials)
Using Drones During Inspections – Inspecting rooftops with drones
Once the Coursework Is Done
Upon completion of the course, you will be an ICA Certified Home Inspector and we will mail your transcript to you. After you pass the state test, the IDFPR will issue you a license number, which you can use on your business cards, website, and inspection reports.
ICA Certified home inspectors can join InterNACHI, with a free one-month membership that we provide for our graduates. Take and pass the Illinois Home Inspectors exam. Then, simply start your own home inspection business or go to work with an existing home inspection company! It’s that easy! See what some of our graduates have to say about ICA home inspection training.
You’ll also get a free one-year membership of Edcetera Home Inspection, designed to help you develop all the skills you need to succeed in your home inspection business. Join a community of home inspection professionals, master new skills, and find ongoing support to succeed in every stage of your career. Our industry-leading training is delivered through live webinars, on-demand course videos, Facebook community, downloadable PDFs, podcasts, quizzes, Q&As, business templates, and more.
It doesn’t matter whether you want to become a home inspector in Chicago, Springfield, Champaign Rockford, Peoria, Naperville, Aurora, Joliet, Schaumburg, or Elgin. Our online home inspection course can be completed from anywhere. What are you waiting for? Enroll now to begin an exciting new career as a home inspector in Illinois!
