The coursework wasn’t the hard part. Finding a licensed inspector was.
Virginia won’t license you on classroom hours alone. You need experience points, and those only come from real inspections under a licensed inspector’s supervision. We run the field days that get you there — whether you trained with us or anywhere else.
Why This Exists
- ✓Education Caps Out at 10 PointsYou need 15 to apply
- ✓5 Experience Points MinimumNo pathway around it
- ✓5 Inspections = 1 Point25 inspections closes the gap
- ✓Online Schools Can’t Offer ThisIt only happens in person
Why 25 Inspections
It isn’t a round number we picked. It’s exactly what closes the gap between a completed course and a license application.
Took the 35-hour in-person path instead? That’s 5 education points, so you’ll need 10 on the experience side — 50 inspections. We run a track for that too.
Who the Track Is For
We opened this to everyone because the bottleneck is the same no matter where you studied.
Online school graduates
You finished 70 hours with a national provider and discovered the certificate doesn’t get you licensed. Your education points are fine. You’re here for the other half.
Stalled applicants
You did the coursework a year or two ago, couldn’t find anyone willing to supervise you, and the whole thing stopped. This restarts it on a fixed schedule.
Career changers
Coming from the trades, construction, or something else entirely. You want real reps and someone explaining what they’re seeing, not another video.
Our own students
Already enrolled in the Academy? The field inspections in your package count toward your track total, so you pay only for the difference.
Scheduled Field Days, Not Favors
The reason supervised inspections are so hard to find is that most inspectors treat them as an occasional favor. We run them as a program with published dates.
Published calendar
Field days are posted in advance. You claim the slots that fit your schedule rather than waiting on a call back. Most people book two or three a week and finish 25 in a few months.
Small groups
No more than three trainees on any inspection. Enough to keep the schedule moving, few enough that everyone gets into the crawlspace and the attic rather than watching from the driveway.
Documented as you go
Every inspection is logged with the date, address, and supervising licensee, and signed off at the end of the day — so your record is ready when you apply rather than reconstructed from memory.
Real homes, real defects
These are live client inspections, not staged walkthroughs. You see what the market actually sends us: aging systems, bad DIY work, and the occasional genuine surprise.
Debrief every day
Before anyone leaves, we walk through what was found, what was called out and why, and what it means for the report. The reasoning is the part you can’t get from a textbook.
Report writing included
You write up a share of the inspections yourself and get them reviewed. Writing a defensible report is its own skill, and it’s the one new inspectors are weakest at.
Claim Your Slots
Dates open about three weeks ahead, as client inspections are confirmed. Three trainee seats per inspection — when they’re gone, the next date is the next opening.
Calendar not loading? Open it in a new tab or call (240) 852-2652 and we’ll book you in.
Track holders book first
If you’ve purchased a track, you get the booking link with priority access before dates open more widely. Blocks and single days book from whatever remains.
Addresses come the night before
You’ll see the date, the general area, and the start time when you book. The exact address goes out by text the evening before, once the client has confirmed.
Cancellations happen
These are live client inspections. If one falls through we’ll tell you as soon as we know and move you to the next available date at no cost to your balance.
Experience Track Options
Priced by the points you need. Every five inspections earns one experience point toward your Virginia application.
Field Block
$99 per inspection
5 inspections · 1 experience point
- 5 supervised inspections
- Daily debrief with the inspector
- Signed DPOR documentation
- Book additional blocks any time
- Testing the fit before committing
- Topping up a point or two you’re short
Experience Track 25
$80 per inspection · save $480
25 inspections · 5 experience points
- 25 supervised inspections
- Priority booking on the field calendar
- Report writing & review on a share of them
- Signed DPOR documentation throughout
- Progress tracked against your point total
- Anyone holding 10 education points — this completes the 15
Experience Track 50
$70 per inspection · save $1,455
50 inspections · 10 experience points
- 50 supervised inspections total
- Report review on every write-up you submit
- One business-planning session as you near licensure
- The 35-hour in-person education path, which leaves you needing 10 experience points
- Anyone who wants a margin above the minimum
Enrolled in our pre-licensing course? The field inspections in your package count toward your track — you pay only the difference. Call for your rate.
Write your field reports in the software you’ll work in.
As a Spectora Training School Partner, we get our trainees 15 free inspection reports, on-demand video training, and pay-per-report pricing for a full year after that — no monthly subscription while you’re getting established. You write up your field inspections in the same platform you’ll use on your first paying job, and the reports you submit for review are real reports, not exercises.
Your free credits run twelve months from the day you activate. We’ll tell you when to start the clock — usually once you’re a few field days in, so the year lands on your working period rather than your training.
See the Student Benefits →Questions Worth Asking
Do I have to have taken your course?
No. The track is open to graduates of any pre-licensing provider, and to people who finished their coursework years ago and stalled. We only need to see that your education points are in order so we can tell you how many inspections you actually need.
How long does 25 inspections take?
It depends on how many field days you can claim. People booking two or three a week typically finish in two to three months. The calendar is published in advance so you can plan around work.
What do I actually do on a field day?
You inspect alongside us rather than watching. Roof, exterior, structure, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, interior — you go where we go, including attics and crawlspaces. Come dressed for it.
Will the documentation satisfy DPOR?
We log every inspection with the date, property, and supervising licensee, and sign off as we go. You should still confirm the current documentation requirements with DPOR directly before you apply — your application is yours, and the Board is the only authority on what it accepts.
Can I buy more inspections later?
Yes. Blocks of five can be added at any time, and if you start with a block and move up to a full track, what you’ve already paid is credited.
Does this cover the NHIE or my education points?
No. This is the experience half only. If you still need education points or exam prep, our pre-licensing course and NHIE prep cover those — and your track inspections count alongside them.
What if I can’t make a day I booked?
Tell us as early as you can and we’ll move you to another date. Slots are limited, so repeated no-shows mean we may not be able to hold your place in the cohort.
Point values and licensing rules are set by Virginia DPOR and can change. We’ll tell you what we see, but check your specific situation at dpor.virginia.gov before you buy a track — particularly if your education was completed some time ago.
Tell us where your points stand, and we’ll tell you what you need.
A short call sorts it out: what you’ve completed, how many inspections that leaves, and which field days are open. No obligation, and we’ll tell you if you need fewer than you thought.
DS Home Inspection Academy · A division of DS Home Inspection Services, LLC · Fort Washington, MD
Supervised field experience is one component of Virginia licensure. This page is a general guide, not legal or licensing advice. Confirm all requirements with Virginia DPOR.