Just licensed in Mississippi? Your first 90 days.

What your license covers.

• Home inspectors are licensed by the Mississippi Real Estate Appraisal Board, through the Mississippi Home Inspection Division. You need a license to do, offer or advertise home inspections. (§ 73-60-9, as amended by SB 2788 (2024))
• Licenses go to individuals only, not to companies. (§ 73-60-9(2))
• Inspecting new construction for pay requires the New Home (NH) designation, which needs a residential home builder license from the Mississippi Board of Contractors and certification from a national code organization. (§ 73-60-27(4))

What every report needs.

You must follow the Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics the state adopted, and issue your report as those standards specify. Mississippi uses the ASHI standards. Under the version in force now, the report must state:

• Systems and components that are not functioning properly, significantly deficient, unsafe, or near the end of their service lives. (ASHI SoP 2.2 B; § 73-60-17)
• Your recommendation to correct or monitor each one, or that it needs further evaluation, with your reasoning where a deficiency isn’t self-evident. (ASHI SoP 2.2 B)
• Systems and components that were present but not inspected, and why. (ASHI SoP 2.2 B)
• The Home Inspection Division has announced that the 2026 ASHI standards take effect January 1, 2027. They add new sections, such as decks and balconies and garages and carports. (ASHI SoP 2026)

Keep your insurance in force.

• Carry at least $250,000 of general liability insurance and $250,000 of errors-and-omissions insurance, per occurrence. (§ 73-60-13(3))
• A cancellation or nonrenewal only takes effect once the board has received at least 10 days’ written notice of it. (§ 73-60-13(2))

Plan for your first renewal.

• Your license expires two years after the date it was issued. Renewal needs the application, the fee and your continuing education, with no exam. (§ 73-60-21)
• Complete 20 hours of board-approved continuing education every two years. A license can’t be renewed without it unless the board grants a waiver. (§ 73-60-23)
• Tell the board about any change to your business or home address. (§ 73-60-37)

Avoid the conflicts the rules prohibit.

• Don’t perform repairs on a residential building as part of, or as a result of, your home inspection. (§ 73-60-27(3))
• Don’t pay real estate agents or anyone else with a financial interest in the closing for referrals or for a spot on a preferred-provider list. (ASHI Code of Ethics 1.C)
• Don’t take a job where your pay or future referrals depend on your findings or on the sale. (ASHI Code of Ethics 1.B)
• Keep inspection results and client information confidential unless your client approves. Immediate safety hazards may be disclosed to occupants. (ASHI Code of Ethics 2.C)