EXAMINATION

What EXAMINATION does

EXAMINATION operates through its governing body, the Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors (EBPHI), a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit incorporated in Illinois with operational headquarters in Tallahassee, Florida. EBPHI administers the National Home Inspector Examination® (NHIE), described as the original and only independently accredited certification exam for the home inspection profession in the United States. The exam consists of 200 multiple-choice questions delivered via touchscreen computer-based testing at over 300 testing centers across the U.S. and Canada, covering three performance domains: Property and Building Inspection/Site Review, Analysis of Findings and Reporting, and Professional Responsibilities. Scores are scale-scored from 200–800 with a passing threshold of 500, and the exam undergoes a Role Delineation Study every five years (most recently in 2022) to maintain psychometric validity.

The business model is predominantly B2C and transactional: the primary revenue stream is a one-time $225 exam fee paid per attempt, supplemented by ancillary product sales including practice quizzes, two official study manuals (Mechanical Systems and Structural Systems, both published 2019), and the JD Grewell Education Scholarship program. Distribution is achieved through three major testing networks — PSI (primary, 300+ centers), PearsonVUE (Florida, Texas, Nevada), and AMP (Illinois, South Dakota, Washington, and Canada) — with examinees registering online or via toll-free phone. The organization also operates a public Home Inspector Database that serves as a consumer-facing discovery layer for NHIE-certified inspectors.

EBPHI serves three primary customer segments: aspiring home inspectors pursuing state licensure, practicing inspectors seeking association membership credentials (ASHI, AII, CAHPI, CREIA, HAHI, APHIS), and veterans eligible for GI Bill reimbursement via the VA's VBA-22-0803-ARE form. The NHIE is accepted in 35 U.S. states and several Canadian provinces for licensing or association membership, positioning EBPHI as a quasi-regulatory gatekeeper. Marketing is conducted organically via Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, email newsletter, and website content. The organization is governed by a volunteer board of directors including public members, with George Harper serving as President for the 2026 term.

Name

EXAMINATION

Legal name

Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors (EBPHI)

Website

https://nationalhomeinspectorexam.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

EBPHI administers the National Home Inspector Examination®, the original independently accredited certification exam for U.S. home inspectors, delivered via computer-based testing at 300+ centers for aspiring and practicing inspectors pursuing state licensure and professional association credentials.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification Examination Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

akta.pro primary industry

National/State Examination Boards & Testing Agencies (EDADAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Professional & Occupational Licensing Examination Authorities (EDADAFAD), Online Exam Delivery & Test Administration Platforms (EDAFADAA), Psychometric Standards, Test Development & Validation Authorities (EDADAFAG)

Keywords

• Home inspector certification
• Professional licensing exams
• Psychometric test administration
• Certification examination services
• Occupational competency testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Flushing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. National Home Inspector Examination Fee: The primary revenue stream is a one-time exam fee of $225 per test in most states and in Canada. Examinees pay to take the high-stakes certification exam which tests competence across three performance domains: Property and Building Inspection/Site Review, Analysis of Findings and Reporting, and Professional Responsibilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

EXAMINATION (operated by EBPHI) develops, owns, and administers the National Home Inspector Examination® (NHIE), the leading high-stakes certification exam for home inspectors in the United States and Canada. The 200-question computer-based exam is delivered at 300+ testing centers through PSI, PearsonVUE, and AMP, with a standard fee of $225 per attempt. The offering is supplemented by official study manuals, practice quizzes, and a public inspector database.

Product overview

EXAMINATION (through its governing body EBPHI - Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors) offers a single unified product: the National Home Inspector Examination® (NHIE), which is the original and only independently accredited certification exam for the home inspection profession in the United States. The organization supplements the core exam with preparation resources including two official study manuals (Mechanical Systems and Structural Systems), five practice quizzes, and a Content Outline. Additionally, EBPHI maintains a public Home Inspector Database where certified inspectors can register and be discovered by consumers. The organization also offers a scholarship program and newsletter to support the profession. The exam is administered at over 300 testing centers nationwide and in Canada through PSI and PearsonVUE partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National Home Inspector Examination® (NHIE) The primary high-stakes certification exam for home inspectors, consisting of 200 multiple-choice questions covering property and building inspection, analysis of findings, reporting, and professional responsibilities. The exam is scale-scored from 200-800 with 500 as the passing point, and is required or accepted for licensure in 35 US states and several Canadian provinces.
• NHIE Practice Quizzes Five online practice quizzes demonstrating types of questions that may appear on the NHIE, including a Whole House quiz with 50 questions and other quizzes with 25 questions each. Each quiz may only be taken once after purchase.
• Mechanical Systems and NHIE Content Manual Official 2019 study manual covering mechanical systems referenced in the NHIE exam, including heating and cooling systems, electrical systems, plumbing systems, and insulating and ventilating systems.
• Structural Systems and Business Manual Official 2019 study manual covering structural systems and business aspects for the NHIE, including exterior systems, structural systems, roofing systems, interior systems, and fireplace and chimney systems.
• Home Inspector Database A searchable public registry of qualified home inspectors who have passed the NHIE, organized by state, allowing consumers to find certified inspectors in their area.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, major and regional.

• PSIcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPSI is the primary test administrator for the National Home Inspector Examination in most states. They operate over 300 testing centers nationwide equipped with touchscreen computer technology, available six days a week. Examinees register through PSI's online portal or by phone.
• PearsonVUEcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPearsonVUE administers the NHIE in Florida, Texas, and Nevada. They are a major computer-based testing company with extensive global testing center infrastructure.
• Applied Measurement Professionals (AMP)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAMP administers the NHIE in Illinois, South Dakota, Washington, and Canada. They provide proctored examination administration services.
• American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe NHIE is a membership requirement for ASHI, one of the most prominent home inspector professional associations in the United States.
• American Institute of Inspectors (AII)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe NHIE is a membership requirement for the American Institute of Inspectors.
• Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors (CAHPI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe NHIE is accepted for membership in CAHPI for Canadian provinces.
• California Real Estate Inspection Association (CREIA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe NHIE is a membership requirement for CREIA.
• US Veterans' AdministrationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe NHIE is reimbursed by the US Veterans' Administration for eligible veterans using GI Bill education benefits. Veterans submit VBA-22-0803-ARE form for reimbursement.
• Hawaii Association of Home Inspectors (HAHI)regionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe NHIE is a membership requirement for HAHI.
• Alberta Professional Home Inspectors Society (APHIS)regionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe NHIE is accepted for membership in APHIS for Alberta, Canada.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• InterNACHI: International Association of Certified Home Inspectors offers its own home inspector certification and education program, directly competing with EBPHI/NHIE for state regulatory recognition and association membership requirements. Both organizations serve the same candidate pool of aspiring home inspectors.
• International Code Council (ICC): ICC develops building codes and administers accredited certification exams for code officials, building inspectors, and trade professionals across the U.S. It operates a comparable model of accredited testing, state regulator adoption, and candidate-fee revenue — directly analogous to EBPHI's NHIE business.
• NCEES: National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying develops and administers professional licensing exams (FE, PE, PS) used by U.S. state boards. Highly comparable in structure: independent nonprofit, accredited exams, state regulatory adoption, and psychometric test development.
• NICET: National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies offers accredited technical certifications across multiple specialties. Operates a similar model to EBPHI — independent credentialing body with role delineation studies and competency-based examinations.

Broad incumbents

• American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI): The largest U.S. home inspector professional association mandates NHIE passage for membership, making ASHI both a flagship customer and a broader incumbent that shapes the profession's credentialing standards. ASHI represents the ecosystem in which EBPHI's exam is a gating credential.
• NASCLA: National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies coordinates state contractor licensing and accredits examination programs across jurisdictions. Relevant peer given its role in shaping state-level professional licensure frameworks in adjacent building and construction trades.

Others

• Pearson VUE: Operates one of the largest global networks of computer-based testing centers and is EBPHI's channel partner for delivering the NHIE in Florida, Texas, and Nevada. Functioning as infrastructure partner rather than competitor.
• PSI Services: Primary test administration partner for the NHIE across most U.S. states, operating 300+ testing centers. PSI is an ecosystem enabler for EBPHI rather than a competitor.
• Prometric: Major computer-based testing operator with global center infrastructure serving professional certification and licensure programs. Adjacent infrastructure provider relevant to EBPHI's distribution model.

Emerging players

• CompTIA: Independent not-for-profit certification body issuing vendor-neutral IT credentials with similar structure (accredited exam development, recurring candidate fees, employer recognition). Useful comparable for non-profit certification economics, though in a different vertical.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC1gb2GCX6pb6P18MvSBgysQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/NationalHomeInspectorExam
• Instagraminstagram.com/nationalhomeinspectorexam
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/examination-board-of-professional-home-inspectors

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EXAMINATION