How Do I Verify a Home Inspector’s License in Texas?
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- How Do I Verify a Home Inspector's License in Texas?
To verify a home inspector’s license in Texas, go to the Texas Real Estate Commission website at trec.texas.gov, open the license holder search, and enter the inspector’s name or license number. The result shows the license type, whether it is active, and the expiration date. Ask any inspector for their license number before you book.
How to verify a home inspector license in Texas, step by step
Texas home inspectors are licensed by the Texas Real Estate Commission, and TREC makes license records public. To verify a home inspector license in Texas takes a few minutes and requires nothing more than the inspector’s name or license number.
- Get the license number. Ask the inspector or the company for it directly. A licensed inspector will give it to you immediately. The Smart Inspector publishes every inspector’s number on the team page and below on this page.
- Go to TREC’s website. Open https://www.trec.texas.gov/ and find the license holder search. It is the same lookup tool used to check real estate agents and brokers.
- Search by number or name. Searching by license number is the most reliable, because names can be shared or spelled differently. If you only have a name, search by name and confirm the result matches the person and the city you expect.
- Read the record. Confirm the license type is an inspector license, note the class (Apprentice, Real Estate Inspector or Professional Inspector), check that the status is active, and look at the expiration date.
- Check for disciplinary history. TREC publishes disciplinary actions against license holders. Look for any listed against the inspector you are considering.
- Match it to the person who shows up. The name on the license should be the name of the inspector who performs your inspection and signs the report.
If you cannot find the inspector at all, or the record does not match what you were told, stop and ask questions before you book. Everything else on this page is about interpreting what you find.
What to look for on the license record
The TREC record contains a handful of fields that matter. Here is what each one tells you and what you want to see.
| Field | What you want to see | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| License type | An inspector license, not a sales agent or broker license | TREC licenses several professions; a real estate agent license does not authorize home inspections |
| License class | Professional Inspector, or a Real Estate Inspector or Apprentice working under a named sponsor | Professional Inspector is the highest class and can inspect independently; the lower classes require supervision |
| Status | Active | An expired, inactive or revoked license means the person cannot legally inspect |
| Expiration date | A date after your inspection date | A license expiring before your appointment is a reason to ask whether renewal is in progress |
| Disciplinary history | None, or an explanation you are satisfied with | TREC publishes actions taken against license holders, and a pattern of complaints is a warning |
The license class deserves a second look. All three classes are legitimate, but an Apprentice Inspector or Real Estate Inspector works under the sponsorship of a Professional Inspector. If the person coming to your house holds one of those classes, it is fair to ask who their sponsoring inspector is and whether that person reviews the report. The page on whether home inspectors are licensed in Texas explains the three classes in more detail.
Red flags when you verify a home inspector's license
Most inspectors in Dallas-Fort Worth are properly licensed, and most license checks are uneventful. But a few situations should make you pause.
- The inspector or company is reluctant to give you a license number, or says it is not necessary.
- The license number you were given does not return a record, or returns a record for a different person.
- The license is expired, inactive or shows a status other than active.
- The license is a real estate agent or broker license rather than an inspector license.
- The person marketing the inspection is licensed, but the person who will actually perform it is not named or cannot be verified.
- The company describes its inspectors only as certified and never mentions a TREC license.
- The record shows disciplinary actions and the inspector cannot give you a straightforward explanation.
Certified is not licensed: In Texas, certified usually refers to a voluntary trade-association designation. It is not a state credential and does not authorize anyone to inspect homes. A certification may say something about training, but only the TREC license matters legally. See certified vs licensed home inspector for the full distinction.
None of these red flags means you have caught a fraud. Some have innocent explanations. But each is a reason to ask a direct question and get a direct answer before you hand over the option period you are relying on.
Ask for the license number up front
The simplest way to verify a home inspector license in Texas is to ask for the number in your first conversation with an inspection company, before you talk about scheduling or price. It is a normal question, and the response tells you a lot. A professional company has the numbers ready, often on its website, and does not mind that you are checking.
Asking early has a practical benefit. Once you have verified the license, you can spend the rest of your evaluation on what really separates inspectors: how thorough they are, what tools they use, how fast the report arrives, and whether they explain the findings. A license is the entry ticket, not the whole show. The page on questions to ask a home inspector picks up where the license check leaves off.
It also helps to confirm who will actually be at the house. Some companies book under one name and send someone else. Ask for the name of the inspector assigned to your appointment and verify that person specifically. With The Smart Inspector, you can request an inspector by name on the booking form, so you know in advance whose license you are checking.
The Smart Inspector's published license numbers
The Smart Inspector publishes every inspector’s TREC license number so you can verify it without asking. Each of our inspectors holds a Professional Inspector license, the highest class TREC issues.
| Inspector | TREC Professional Inspector license |
|---|---|
| Forest Ivey, Owner | 23646 |
| Brian Cain | 24824 |
| Chris Hudson | 24844 |
| Chris Sarris | 25954 |
| Antoine “Tony” Razzouk | 26582 |
To check any of them, enter the number in the license holder search at https://www.trec.texas.gov/. You can read more about each inspector’s background on the team page. Candice Dubois, our administrator, handles scheduling and coordination and is not an inspector, so you will not find her in the lookup; the person performing your inspection will always be one of the five licensed inspectors above.
The company itself is a BBB Accredited Business with an A+ rating and has more than 250 Google reviews. Those are not substitutes for a license check, but once the license is confirmed, they are the kind of evidence that tells you how the inspector actually performs.
What a license check does not tell you
When you verify a home inspector license in Texas, you confirm that the inspector is legally allowed to inspect and is accountable to TREC. It does not tell you whether they will do a thorough job on your house. The TREC Standards of Practice set a minimum scope; how far an inspector goes beyond it is up to them.
After the license, the most revealing thing you can look at is a finished report. The Smart Inspector publishes sample inspection reports for a home inspection, a new construction inspection, a 1-year warranty inspection, a pre-listing inspection, a pre-drywall inspection and a sewer scope. Read one and ask whether the level of detail, the photos and the plain-language comments are what you would want on the house you are buying.
Then ask what is included. Every inspection from The Smart Inspector includes complimentary thermal imaging, a same-day web-based report on the TREC form, and a walkthrough at the property or by phone. Those are the things a license cannot promise you and a good inspector does anyway. For help weighing all of it, see how to choose a home inspection company.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I look up a Texas home inspector's license?
On the Texas Real Estate Commission website at trec.texas.gov. Use the license holder search and enter the inspector's license number or name. The record shows the license type and class, whether the license is active, and the expiration date, and TREC publishes disciplinary actions against license holders. Searching by license number is the most reliable method.
What if the inspector's license shows as inactive or expired?
An inactive or expired license means the person cannot legally perform home inspections in Texas at that time. It may be a renewal in progress, but you should not assume that. Ask the inspector directly, and if the status is not active by the time of your appointment, choose a different inspector whose license you can confirm.
Can I verify the license of the specific inspector coming to my house?
Yes, and you should. Ask the company for the name and license number of the inspector assigned to your appointment, not just the owner or the company. With The Smart Inspector, you can request a specific inspector by name when you book, and all five inspectors' license numbers are published on the team page and on this page.
Does a Texas home inspection company need a license too?
The license belongs to the individual inspector. What matters is that the person performing your inspection and signing the TREC report holds an active inspector license. Verify that individual. A company that publishes the license numbers of every inspector on its team, as The Smart Inspector does, makes that easy.
Is a certified home inspector the same as a licensed one in Texas?
No. In Texas, licensed means the inspector holds a TREC license and is legally authorized to inspect homes. Certified usually means the inspector has a voluntary designation from a trade association, which is not a state credential. A certification cannot substitute for a license. Always verify the TREC license first, whatever other credentials are advertised.
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