What is the same exam and what is not
NHIE vs InterNACHI, ASHI and the rest
A lot of money gets spent in this trade on the wrong exam, because four different things all get called “getting certified”. Here is the boundary, in one line: ASHI requires the NHIE. InterNACHI does not.
| Credential or exam | How it is taken | Cost | What it gets you |
|---|---|---|---|
| NHIE (EBPHI) | Proctored, at a test centre | $225, per attempt | Named in state licensing rules; required by ASHI for its certified credential |
| InterNACHI Online Inspector Exam | Free, online, unproctored, retakeable | Free | Entrance requirement to join InterNACHI. Passing it, in their own words, “in no way certifies you as an inspector” |
| ASHI Certified Inspector | Uses the NHIE | NHIE fee + ASHI costs | NHIE plus 250 fee-paid inspections and report verification |
| FABI | Its own exam | Its own fees | Florida association credential — a different instrument |
| ICC building inspector | Its own exams | Its own fees | A different profession. Code enforcement, not home inspection |
The other names you will see
Some of these are the NHIE wearing a state badge. Some are unrelated exams that share vocabulary. Getting them mixed up is how people end up studying for the wrong thing.
| Name | Verdict |
|---|---|
| TX Professional Inspector National · Vermont Property Inspector · IL Home Inspector Examination · FL – EBPHI | Same exam. State catalogue names for the NHIE, sometimes with a state section added |
| InterNACHI Online Inspector Examination · “NACHI exam” | Different. Free, unproctored membership gate |
| FABI home inspection exam | Different. Florida association credential |
| NAHI | Gone. Merged into ASHI in 2016 — legacy brand noise |
| Building inspector / code inspector certification (ICC) | Different profession. Municipal code enforcement |
| WDO / termite, radon, mould, foundation | Different. Separate regulators, separate exams. Foundation work is a Professional Engineer licence |
The prep options, straight
EBPHI's own practice quizzes
Whole House (50 questions) plus HVAC, plumbing, electrical and structural (25 each). Written by the body that writes the exam, which is the strongest thing you can say about any prep. Paid, and each purchase is one attempt — retaking means buying again.
Mometrix
The strongest incumbent on this search, and it publishes the correct 70/20/10. Article plus a free quiz that funnels toward a paid course. Covers the exam well; covers state licensing not at all.
CompuCram
Advertises a free practice exam, then asks for your email before you see it. No price and no sample questions on the page.
Quizlet decks
Mostly user transcriptions, including of EBPHI's own Whole House quiz. No explanations and no context. Fine for rote recall of terms, useless for the reasoning questions that decide the exam.
AHIT and the training schools
Their career guides are the source of the ~55% pass-rate figure everybody quotes. Worth reading. Note that several still publish the retired 63/25/12 blueprint.
What to hold on to
- ASHI requires the NHIE. InterNACHI does not — its exam is a free unproctored membership gate.
- State catalogue names (TX Professional Inspector National, FL – EBPHI, Vermont Property Inspector) are the same exam.
- ICC building inspector is a different profession, not a harder version of this one.
- Termite, radon, mould and foundation are separate regulators and separate exams.
Free on the web · no sign-up to start
Crawlspace Prep is an independent study site. We are not EBPHI, ASHI, InterNACHI or a state board, we do not administer the NHIE, and nothing here licenses anybody. Always check the current rule with your state and with EBPHI.