Guides
The short version of home inspection compliance checklist (2027 update)
A 2027 home inspection compliance checklist for radon testing, sewer scope, roof condition and permit records, with the evidence each one leaves behind.
What to take away
- Four items carry most of the risk in a 2027 inspection fileradon testing, sewer scope, roof condition and permit records.
- Each one needs a named performer, a written deliverable and a retention period before the job is scheduled.
- Radon is the only one of the four with a federal guide written for buyers and sellers, so it is the easiest to standardize.
- Permit records are the item inspectors most often promise and least often document.
- A checklist that names who signs off beats one that lists topics.
This article covers business operations only. It is not engineering, environmental, building-code, legal, tax or insurance advice. Requirements vary by state, county and municipality, so confirm scope and reporting duties with your state licensing board, the local building department and a licensed attorney before you change a template.
The four items, and what each leaves in the file
Radon testing. The EPA's Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide to Radon is written for the people on both sides of a transaction. It explains why closed-house conditions, device placement, start and stop times, and the lab report all matter to the result.
Your file should hold the device serial numbers, the placement diagram, the start and stop times, the lab report and the name of the person who retrieved the devices.
Sewer scope. A scope is a video, and a video without a locating note is hard to defend later. Record the access point used, the pipe material observed, the distance to each defect, and whether the line was flowing.
If the camera could not pass a root intrusion or an offset joint, that is the finding, not a failed inspection.
Roof condition. The report standard you work to, InterNACHI or ASHI, sets what you must describe and what you must not call. Photograph every slope you walked, note the access method, and state the roof covering, approximate age and visible defects.
Do not certify remaining life. If the client needs a service-life opinion, that is a licensed roofer or a professional engineer.
Permit records. Pull the permit history from the local building department for any addition, deck, finished basement or replaced system. Note the permit number, the date issued, whether it was finaled, and what the record does not show. An open permit is a fact the buyer's agent needs in writing, not a phone call.
Worked example: one job, four files
A 1,900 square foot ranch with a 2019 deck and a 2004 furnace. The inspector runs a radon test on day one, scopes the sewer on day two, walks the roof and pulls permits the same afternoon.
| Item | Performer | Deliverable | Retention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon | Certified tester | Lab report plus placement log | State period, often 2 to 5 years |
| Sewer scope | Scope tech | Video file plus locating note | Match your E&O carrier's guidance |
| Roof | Inspector on site | Photos plus written description | Match your E&O carrier's guidance |
| Permits | Office staff | Permit numbers and status | Life of the report plus your state period |
The deck permit was never finaled. That single line in the file is what protects the inspector when the buyer calls six months later.
Where the checklist breaks
The failure is almost never the test. It is the handoff. A tester who emails a lab report to the agent instead of the office leaves nothing in the client file. A scope tech who keeps video on a personal drive leaves nothing to produce in a dispute.
Assign each of the four items to a role, not a person, and confirm the file is complete before the report is released. Your licensing requirements determine which of these services you may offer in-house and which must be subcontracted to a certified firm.
If you run employees, the OSHA safety management guidance applies to the crawlspaces, ladders and confined spaces your team enters. Find and fix the hazard before an injury does it for you.
If you serve the public from an office, the Justice Department's ADA guide for small businesses covers barrier removal and service practices for existing facilities. It is written for owners, not lawyers, and it is short.
Common questions
Does the checklist change in 2027?
The four items do not change. What changes is the state licensing and certification list behind them, and that list moves most years. Re-check your state board's current scope and continuing-education requirements each January, not each job.
Who can legally perform a radon test in my state?
It depends on the state. Some require certification, some require lab affiliation, some have no requirement at all. Ask your state radon program and your state licensing board, and put the answer in writing before you advertise the service.
What if the seller refuses the sewer scope?
Document the refusal in the report and in the client file. The refusal is a material fact for the buyer, and your record of it is what separates a scope dispute from a scope gap.
How long do I keep the files?
Your state board, your E&O carrier and your state radon program may each set a different period. Use the longest one, and confirm it with your carrier and a licensed attorney rather than a template.
