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South Dakota Real Estate Commission

Home Inspection Study Guide

The home inspection exam consists of 190 multiple-choice questions. Approximately 90 percent of the exam is based on the components of a home inspection covered in the pre-licensing education. The remaining 10 percent is based on South Dakota Home Inspection License Law Manual, which is the codified laws and administrative rules pertaining to home inspection regulation in South Dakota. View or print an electronic version of the License Law Manual (in Adobe PDF format) or email us to request a hard copy by mail.

You do not need to study Chapter 20:74:03 of the Administrative Rules of South Dakota (ARS), because the content of this chapter pertains to sponsors and instructors of home inspection prelicensing courses. The major content of ARSD Chapter 20:74:04 pertains to providers and instructors of home inspection continuing education courses so it is not required study either; however, you will need to study ARSD 20:74:04:07 and ARSD 20:74:04:08 of this chapter. These two administrative rules pertain to license renewal, and it is very important you are aware of renewal procedures.

• When reading the statutes and administrative rules (excluding ARSD chapter 20:74:03), you may want to highlight the following areas:
  
• Definitions
• Who needs a home inspector license
• Requirements to become licensed
• Requirements to maintain the license (i.e. renewal procedures, ARSD 20:74:04:07 and ARSD 20:74:04:08)
• Grounds for disciplinary action
• The standards of practice

Once you have completed your highlighting, you need only study these particular areas for the exam.
Be sure to review your course materials from your principles of home inspection course for the remaining 90 percent of the exam.

When you feel you are prepared to take the exam, visit PSI’s website, select “Begin Scheduling”, and find the South Dakota Real Estate Home Inspector exam. You will then be able to view a Candidate Handbook which gives you the options for registering for your exam directly with PSI online, by calling 855.557.0623, or by mailing in a registration form. Registrations will require credit card payment of $133 at time of registration. The exam is computerized and can be taken at sites in Madison, Rapid City, and Sioux Falls. The Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors (EBPHI) requires candidates who do not pass their exam to wait 30 days between each exam attempt.

Please contact PSI, using the information above, with any questions or to re-register after this time period.