Standards of Practice block: definitions, scope, exclusions, Code of Ethics 28
A "readily openable access panel" is limited to panels within reach from the floor or from what?11 NCAC 08 .1101(28)
A client asks that the roof be left out of a North Carolina home inspection. What makes that exclusion proper under Rule .1103?11 NCAC 08 .1103(c)(2)
A furnace's circuit breaker is in the off position at the inspection. Under Rule .1101 the North Carolina inspector:11 NCAC 08 .1101(33)
A North Carolina home inspector also holds an electrical contractor license. What must the inspector do before going beyond the standards on electrical work?11 NCAC 08 .1105(c)(2)
A North Carolina licensee finds a defective water heater during a home inspection. What does Rule .1116 forbid?11 NCAC 08 .1116(h)
A North Carolina licensee may accept pay from two interested parties for the same service only with:11 NCAC 08 .1116(d)
Before giving a client's e-mail address to a home warranty seller, a North Carolina licensee must have:11 NCAC 08 .1116(l)
Besides buildings with four or fewer dwelling units, what do the North Carolina standards apply to?11 NCAC 08 .1104(b)
Show all 115 questions (107 more)
Standards of Practice block: definitions, scope, exclusions, Code of Ethics, continued
During a North Carolina home inspection the buyer asks what the house is worth. Under the Code of Ethics the licensee:11 NCAC 08 .1116(f)
For a system that does not function as intended, what must a North Carolina report direct the client to?11 NCAC 08 .1103(b)(3)(D)
For multiple identical windows, what is a "representative number" under North Carolina Rule .1101?11 NCAC 08 .1101(30)
What does "inspect" mean in the North Carolina Standards of Practice?11 NCAC 08 .1101(20)
What does a "sump pump" remove, as North Carolina Rule .1101 defines it?11 NCAC 08 .1101(36)
What does the North Carolina Code of Ethics say about another home inspector's reports?11 NCAC 08 .1116(k)
What is "functional drainage" in the North Carolina Standards of Practice?11 NCAC 08 .1101(13)
What is a "pre-drywall inspection" under North Carolina Rule .1101?11 NCAC 08 .1101(26)
When may a North Carolina licensee disclose inspection results without the approval of the client or the client's representative?11 NCAC 08 .1116(c)
When must the client sign the written contract for a North Carolina home inspection?11 NCAC 08 .1103(b)(1)
Where in a North Carolina report must the inspector's name, license number and signature appear?11 NCAC 08 .1103(b)(3)(E)
Where is "functional flow" judged under North Carolina Rule .1101?11 NCAC 08 .1101(14)
Which arrangement does the North Carolina Code of Ethics forbid?11 NCAC 08 .1116(e)
Which determination does North Carolina Rule .1105 place outside the home inspection?11 NCAC 08 .1105(b)(9)
Which of these is a North Carolina home inspector NOT required to report on?11 NCAC 08 .1105(a)(1)
Which of these is part of "readily accessible" as North Carolina defines it?11 NCAC 08 .1101(27)
Which of these must the written contract for a North Carolina home inspection state?11 NCAC 08 .1103(b)(1)(B)
Which receptacles is a North Carolina home inspector NOT required to inspect under the general exclusions?11 NCAC 08 .1105(b)(17)
Which room is NOT "habitable space" as North Carolina Rule .1101 defines it?11 NCAC 08 .1101(18)
Which tool may be used and a thing still count as "readily visible" under Rule .1101?11 NCAC 08 .1101(29)
Building block: structure, exterior, roofing, interiors, kitchen appliances 18
A garage door operator is tested during closing. Which result must a North Carolina inspector report?11 NCAC 08 .1107(b)(4)
How far does a North Carolina inspection of vegetation, grading and drainage go?11 NCAC 08 .1107(a)(7)
How far must a North Carolina inspector run an installed dishwasher?11 NCAC 08 .1115(a)(1)
How many interior doors must a North Carolina inspector operate under Rule .1113?11 NCAC 08 .1113(b)(1)
How many of a home's entryway doors must a North Carolina inspector operate?11 NCAC 08 .1107(b)(2)
The oven is baking the seller's dinner when a North Carolina inspector arrives. Under Rule .1115 the inspector:11 NCAC 08 .1115(c)(1)
What does North Carolina Rule .1108 say about walking on the roofing?11 NCAC 08 .1108(c)(1)
What must a North Carolina report say about underfloor crawl spaces and attics?11 NCAC 08 .1106(c)(3)
When must a North Carolina inspector probe a structural component?11 NCAC 08 .1106(c)(1)
Which exterior item is outside the home inspection under North Carolina Rule .1107?11 NCAC 08 .1107(c)(9)
Which garage door operator must be reported under North Carolina Rule .1107?11 NCAC 08 .1107(b)(6)
Which is a stated reason for not entering an underfloor crawl space under North Carolina Rule .1106?11 NCAC 08 .1106(c)(2)
Which is outside the home inspection under North Carolina Rule .1113?11 NCAC 08 .1113(c)(4)
Which kitchen appliance is NOT required to be inspected under North Carolina Rule .1115?11 NCAC 08 .1115(b)(3)
Which of these is a North Carolina inspector NOT required to inspect under the exterior rule?11 NCAC 08 .1107(c)(3)
Which of these must a North Carolina inspector describe by type under Rule .1106?11 NCAC 08 .1106(b)
Which oven feature is a North Carolina inspector not required to inspect?11 NCAC 08 .1115(b)(1)
Which roof-mounted item is a North Carolina inspector not required to inspect?11 NCAC 08 .1108(c)(2)
Electrical block 10
A North Carolina inspector checks the operation of ground fault circuit interrupters located within what distance of the floor or ground?11 NCAC 08 .1110(a)(7)
How must a North Carolina report describe the electrical service type?11 NCAC 08 .1110(b)(3)
In which North Carolina homes must the presence or absence of installed carbon monoxide alarms be reported?11 NCAC 08 .1110(d)(2)
What may a North Carolina inspector decline to put inside an electrical panel?11 NCAC 08 .1110(e)(1)
When is a North Carolina inspector excused from operating a smoke alarm's test function?11 NCAC 08 .1110(d)(1)
When may a North Carolina inspector leave the interior of a panelboard enclosure uninspected?11 NCAC 08 .1110(a)(2)
Which electrical equipment is outside the home inspection under North Carolina Rule .1110?11 NCAC 08 .1110(e)(4)(G)
Which of these is a North Carolina inspector NOT required to do under the electrical rule?11 NCAC 08 .1110(e)(2)
Which receptacles must ALL be inspected in North Carolina, not just a representative number?11 NCAC 08 .1110(a)(6)
Which wiring must a North Carolina inspector report in writing whenever it is present and readily accessible?11 NCAC 08 .1110(c)
Mechanical block: insulation and ventilation 7
Apart from the listed floor locations, when must a North Carolina inspector move insulation?11 NCAC 08 .1114(d)(1)
Besides pipe penetrations and exterior doors, where else must a North Carolina inspector move floor insulation?11 NCAC 08 .1114(d)(2)
What must a North Carolina inspector describe about unfinished space at conditioned surfaces?11 NCAC 08 .1114(b)(2)
When does North Carolina Rule .1114 call for operating an attic fan's readily accessible thermostatic control?11 NCAC 08 .1114(a)(4)
Where must a North Carolina inspector move floor insulation?11 NCAC 08 .1114(d)(2)
Which insulation is a North Carolina inspector not required to report on?11 NCAC 08 .1114(c)(1)
Which venting systems does North Carolina Rule .1114 require the inspector to inspect?11 NCAC 08 .1114(a)(3)
Plumbing block: plumbing, heating, air conditioning 15
A wood stove is cold when a North Carolina inspector arrives. Under Rule .1111 the inspector:11 NCAC 08 .1111(e)(3)
How does a North Carolina inspector operate the cooling system?11 NCAC 08 .1112(c)
How far does the inspection of a whirlpool tub go under North Carolina Rule .1109?11 NCAC 08 .1109(d)(6)(F)
What does North Carolina Rule .1109 say about thermal expansion tanks?11 NCAC 08 .1109(d)(8)
What is a "cross connection" in the North Carolina Standards of Practice?11 NCAC 08 .1101(7)
What must a North Carolina inspector check for in each habitable space under the heating rule?11 NCAC 08 .1111(a)(7)
What must a North Carolina report say about the heating system's access panels?11 NCAC 08 .1111(d)
Which cooling equipment is NOT required to be inspected under North Carolina Rule .1112?11 NCAC 08 .1112(e)(2)
Which faucet is a North Carolina inspector NOT required to operate under Rule .1109?11 NCAC 08 .1109(c)
Which feature keeps a cooling unit from being "central air conditioning" as North Carolina Rule .1101 defines it?11 NCAC 08 .1101(4)
Which heating component is outside the home inspection under North Carolina Rule .1111?11 NCAC 08 .1111(e)(5)(C)
Which must a North Carolina report describe about the water heating equipment?11 NCAC 08 .1109(b)(3)
Which of these is a North Carolina inspector not required to determine under Rule .1109?11 NCAC 08 .1109(d)(3)
Which pump is a North Carolina inspector required to inspect under the plumbing rule?11 NCAC 08 .1109(a)(5)
Which valve must a North Carolina inspector operate?11 NCAC 08 .1109(d)(5)
Licensure Act and licensing rules 37
A Board-approved home inspection course that meets the equivalent experience requirement must have at least how many hours of instruction?11 NCAC 08 .1004(c)
A license holder is convicted of a misdemeanor. Within how many days of the final judgment must a written report be filed with the Board?G.S. 143-151.54(b)
A licensed general contractor, architect or professional engineer may qualify for a North Carolina home inspector license after holding that license for at least:G.S. 143-151.51(a)(5)
A licensee writes up a deficiency as a violation of the State Residential Building Code. Which Code must the inspection use?G.S. 143-151.58(a2)
A North Carolina license may not be renewed late once it has been expired for more than:G.S. 143-151.55(b)
A summary page is required in the report of a prepurchase home inspection that covers at least how many systems?G.S. 143-151.58(a1)
A violation of the Home Inspector Licensure Act is what grade of offense?G.S. 143-151.59
A written evaluation is a "home inspection" under the North Carolina Act when it covers at least how many of the listed components of a residential building?G.S. 143-151.45(4)
An applicant's approved education program must have been completed within how long of the date the license application is submitted?G.S. 143-151.51(a)(5)
An inspector licensed in a state with similar laws applies in North Carolina. What does the Board's reciprocity rule do?11 NCAC 08 .1005
Besides general liability insurance, a North Carolina licensee must keep one of three things. Which is one of them?G.S. 143-151.51(b)(2)
The Board refuses a license and serves written notice of the denial. Within how many days may the applicant demand a review in writing?G.S. 143-151.53
The Board's annual continuing education requirement must fall within what range of hours?G.S. 143-151.64(a)
The Board's education program for licensure may not consist of more than how many hours of instruction?G.S. 143-151.49(b)
The continuing education needed to return an inactive North Carolina license to active status may not exceed how many credit hours?G.S. 143-151.55(c)
For how long must a North Carolina licensee keep the signed contract and the written report of each inspection?G.S. 143-151.58(d)
How many of the Board's seven appointed members must be home inspectors?G.S. 143-151.46(a)(2)
How much general liability insurance must a North Carolina home inspector carry?G.S. 143-151.51(b)(1)
How often may a person take the North Carolina home inspector examination?G.S. 143-151.57(b)
If a licensee chooses the surety bond, the Board's rule sets its amount at no less than:11 NCAC 08 .1006(b)
In which month must each licensed home inspector send the Board a certificate of insurance?11 NCAC 08 .1006(c)
On what date does a North Carolina home inspector license expire each year?G.S. 143-151.55(a)
To whom may the Board issue a home inspector license?G.S. 143-151.50(b)
What counts as "compensation" under the Home Inspector Licensure Act?G.S. 143-151.45(3)
What happens to a North Carolina license when the licensee fails to keep the required insurance continuously in force?G.S. 143-151.55(d)
What is the fee for the home inspector examination in the Board's fee schedule?11 NCAC 08 .1011(a)
What is the short title of North Carolina's home inspector statute, Article 9F of Chapter 143?G.S. 143-151.43
What passing grade does Rule .1007 set for the North Carolina home inspector examination?11 NCAC 08 .1007
When a deficiency is described as a Code violation, what must the North Carolina report include?G.S. 143-151.58(a2)
When may a person with no license from the Board perform a home inspection in North Carolina?G.S. 143-151.50(a)
Where must a North Carolina home inspector who works out of his or her home keep the license?11 NCAC 08 .1009
Which act stays within "noninvasive testing" as the North Carolina Act defines it?G.S. 143-151.45(4)
Which of these must the summary page of a North Carolina report describe?G.S. 143-151.58(a1)
Which person is outside the Home Inspector Licensure Act when acting within the scope of that work?G.S. 143-151.62(1)
Who owns a home inspector license issued by the North Carolina Board?G.S. 143-151.54(a)
Who sits on the North Carolina Home Inspector Licensure Board besides its seven appointed members?G.S. 143-151.46(a)
With no delivery date agreed in writing, when is a North Carolina home inspection report due?G.S. 143-151.58(a)
How this list was compiled: North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 143, Article 9F, the Home Inspector Licensure Act (G.S. 143-151.43 to 143-151.64), and the Board's rules, 11 NCAC 08 .1000 and .1100, as printed in the North Carolina Home Inspector Licensure Board's booklet Home Inspector Licensure Act and Board Rules, effective June 1, 2026 (https://www.ncosfm.gov/administrative/home-inspector-licensure-act-statutes-and-rules-1052026-rev/open), read on October 12, 2026. Every statute question was also matched that day against the General Assembly's own page of Article 9F (https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/ByArticle/Chapter_143/Article_9F.html). The topic groups follow the five blocks of the examination in the Board's Candidate Information Bulletin, revision 7.0 of May 26, 2026 (https://www.ncosfm.gov/nc-home-inspector-licensure-board-osfm-quest-exam-candidate-information-bulletinrules-conduct/open): Standards of Practice (Rules .1100 to .1105 and .1116), Building (.1106 to .1108, .1113, .1115), Electrical (.1110), Mechanical (.1114) and Plumbing (.1109, .1111, .1112). Each question names its section and links to it. Licence: Own work. Every question, wrong choice and explanation was written for this site from the text of the statute and the rules. Nothing comes from the Board's examination, a course provider, a prep course or a question pool.
How it works
This unofficial home inspection license NC practice test asks the law side of the state exam: 115 of our own questions from G.S. Chapter 143, Article 9F and the Board's rules. Not affiliated with the North Carolina Home Inspector Licensure Board.
Read the full guide
NC home inspector practice test by exam block
The groups here follow the five blocks of the Board's Candidate Information Bulletin, each tied to rules in 11 NCAC 08 .1100, plus the Licensure Act.
North Carolina home inspection practice test: what is left out
How building systems work and fail. Rule .1007 puts it on the exam, and no statute or rule states it, so it is not asked here.
With no date agreed in writing, the report is due within three business days after the inspection (G.S. 143-151.58).
A prepurchase inspection of three or more systems needs a summary page carrying the statute's own statement (G.S. 143-151.58).
An installed dishwasher is run through a complete cycle (Rule .1115).
Questions and answers
How many questions are on the NC home inspector exam?
200 multiple choice questions in 4 hours, with no references allowed, by the Board's Candidate Information Bulletin of May 26, 2026. Exam mode here is a quarter of that at the same pace: 50 questions in 60 minutes.
What is the passing score for the NC home inspector exam?
70%. Rule 11 NCAC 08 .1007 says the applicant must answer 70% of the questions correctly. The bulletin says a passing candidate is told only that they passed, with no score.
What is on the North Carolina home inspector exam?
Five blocks: Standards of Practice (Rules .1100 to .1105 and .1116), Building (.1106 to .1108, .1113, .1115), Electrical (.1110), Mechanical (.1114) and Plumbing (.1109, .1111, .1112). Rule .1007 adds the Licensure Act and the Board's other rules.
How often can you retake the NC home inspector exam?
Once every 90 days. G.S. 143-151.57 also says a failed applicant pays no second application fee and pays the examination fee again, which the fee schedule sets at $80.
Is there a North Carolina home inspector license study guide?
The Board's bulletin points to a HILB Exam Study Guide on the Office of State Fire Marshal's site, and to the Standards of Practice themselves as the content areas.