Brief Summary
Passing the home inspector exam certifies you. It does not license your business. Before the business can sell a paid inspection in Oregon, the Construction Contractors Board needs this $15,000 bond filed with the Home Inspector Services Contractor application, and a surety bond costs you a premium rather than $15,000 in cash.
ORS 701.081(6) requires an Oregon Home Inspector Services Contractor to file a $15,000 surety bond with the Construction Contractors Board, carry at least $100,000 in general liability insurance, and have a responsible managing individual certified as a home inspector under ORS 701.445. The endorsement covers home inspection services only.
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Detailed Information About the Oregon Home Inspector Services Contractor ($15,000) Bond:
Two credentials, not one
Oregon splits home inspection into a personal certificate and a business license. ORS 701.445(1) says an individual may not do or bid work as a home inspector unless certified by the CCB and an owner or employee of a CCB licensed business. ORS 701.445(2) says the business itself may not do or bid that work unless it is licensed by the board and has a certified owner or employee. A newly certified inspector who starts booking jobs before the business is licensed is out of compliance.
What the endorsement covers
ORS 701.005 defines a home inspector as a person who, for a fee, inspects and provides written reports on the overall physical condition of a residential structure. OAR 812-003-0131(6) lets the endorsement holder operate a business providing those services and bars any other contractor activities. An inspection firm with only this endorsement cannot quote the repairs its reports call out. The statute also lets the board decide by rule when an inspection limited to one or more systems is enough to count as a home inspection.
Who is outside the requirement
ORS 701.445(7) says the section does not apply to a person acting within the scope of a license, certificate or registration issued by the Appraiser Certification and Licensure Board under ORS chapter 674.
How the bond works
The amount is a flat $15,000 with no tiers. It must come from a corporate surety authorized in Oregon under ORS 701.068 and pays amounts the board determines on complaints under ORS 701.145. It stays in effect at least one year or until depleted, and the surety's total liability is capped at $15,000 for the life of the bond. The board can require up to five times the normal amount for reinstatement after a suspension or under conditions set by rule.
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