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Profession Playbook

Home Inspector

Professional designation, not a licence

Home inspectors assess a property's condition for buyers and sellers. Home inspection is one of the most accessible built-environment businesses to start — it is currently unregulated in Ontario — but the recognized, legally protected credential is the RHI (Registered Home Inspector) from OAHI.

Home Inspector at a glance

Credential
RHI — a protected designation from OAHI (home inspection itself is currently unregulated)
Path in
Recognized education → practical training → 150 fee-paid inspections → peer review
Regulated by
Not licensed — OAHI grants the protected RHI designation
Insurance baseline
Professional liability (E&O) — expected by clients and referral sources
Professional body
Ontario Association of Home Inspectors (OAHI)

Where are you right now?

Qualify. Practise. Own it. Pick the door that matches where you are.

Getting inBecome a home inspectorThe real path: degree, supervised experience, and the licensing or designation exam.Open Going out on your ownStart a home inspection businessFrom qualified professional to your own authorized, insured practice.Open Just lookingCommon questionsCredentials, timelines, and how-to questions, answered straight.Open

The credential, explained

Home inspection is not a licensed profession in Ontario: the Home Inspection Act, 2017 was passed but has not been proclaimed into force, so there is currently no provincial licence to inspect homes. The recognized credential is the RHI (Registered Home Inspector) designation, which is protected by statute — only OAHI members can use "RHI" or "Registered Home Inspector", and misuse is a provincial offence. Earning it requires education, practical training, and a body of completed inspections.

Designations in this profession

  • CandidateOAHI Candidate / Associate member (pre-RHI)
  • RHIRegistered Home Inspector: Statutorily protected designation

Insurance to expect

Professional liability (E&O) plus commercial general liability are expected — a missed defect can lead to a claim from a buyer. Many referral sources (agents, lenders) will only work with inspectors who carry E&O.

Go to the source

The official bodies that govern this profession. Bookmark these, they are the final word on requirements, exams, and fees.

Keep reading

IncorporationCRA RegistrationInsuranceOperational Setup

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AEC Stack handles the business side (incorporation, registrations, insurance, and operations) so you can focus on the professional work.

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