LOCAL RULES: LAC 46:XL

Louisiana home inspection report requirements

Your Louisiana home inspection report has 8 rules to meet. ReportDraft puts every one on your checklist and checks your draft before you sign.

  • The written report within five calendar days
  • The descriptions and methods the standards list
  • Any suspected mold growth seen inside
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Louisiana licenses home inspectors through the Louisiana State Board of Home Inspectors, and the Home Inspector Licensing Law (R.S. 37:1471 onward) and the Board's rules, LAC Title 46 Part XL, set what the written report must do: arrive within five calendar days, state what was and was not inspected and why, name what is significantly deficient, unsafe or not functioning, report suspected mold, and carry every inspector's name, license number and signature. Here is each rule with a link to the official text, and how field notes become a Louisiana report.

Last reviewed October 10, 2026 against the official sources listed below.

Home inspectionLOUISIANA / SAMPLE

Sample notes, 150 words

Client: Dana Whitfield
Inspector: Sam Ortega
Date: October 3, 2026
1408 Larkspur Lane, Baton Rouge, LA
Weather: clear, 74F. Occupied. Built 1987.
...
FREE PREVIEW OF THESE NOTES
71%of your draft is ready from these notes

We sorted 14 items into 8 sections and flagged 4 to fix first.

  • Fix firstElectrical

    Main panel has a double tapped breaker and an open splice in the attic junction box.

  • Fix firstElectrical

    No GFCI protection at the kitchen counter outlets.

  • Fix firstGarage

    Garage door opener did not reverse when it hit the test board.

8 Louisiana rules on your checklist, including the written report within five calendar days.

Still to add

  • Louisiana lawLouisiana home inspector license number
  • RecommendedNotes for cooling
  • RecommendedNotes for fireplaces and chimneys

Filled in for you

Client nameDana Whitfield
Property address1408 Larkspur Lane, Baton Rouge, LA
Inspection dateOct 3, 2026
Inspector nameSam Ortega
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What Louisiana requires

  • The written home inspection report goes to each person for whom the inspection is performed within five calendar days from the date of the inspectionLa. R.S. 37:1478 (A) (1) · LAC 46:XL.305 (B) (3)
  • The report states the name and license number, and carries the signature, of every licensed home inspector who conducted the inspection, and identifies the lead inspector or qualifying licenseeLAC 46:XL.305 (B) (3) (d)
  • The report specifies the municipal address of the home, the client or clients, and the date of the inspection; reports may not be resoldLAC 46:XL.123 (A)
  • The report states which designated systems were inspected and any designated systems or components that were not inspected, with the reasonLAC 46:XL.305 (B) (3) (b)
  • The report states any inspected systems or components that, in the inspector's professional opinion, are significantly deficient, unsafe or non-functioningLAC 46:XL.305 (B) (3) (c)
  • The report describes the systems the standards specify, including the methods used to inspect or access crawl spaces, attics and the roof, wall cladding and roof covering materials, solid conductor aluminum branch wiring on 120 volt circuits, the presence or absence of smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms, and the garage door operator's safety reverseLAC 46:XL.305 (B) (3) (a); 46:XL.311 to 329
  • If the inspector discovers visually observable evidence of suspected mold growth inside the structure while inspecting, the written report includes itLa. R.S. 37:1478 (A) (2) · LAC 46:XL.325 (B) (3)
  • Home inspectors may not report on the presence or absence of pests such as wood damaging organisms, rodents or insects, but may advise the client of damage to the building and recommend further inspection by a licensed wood destroying insect inspectorLAC 46:XL.309 (C) (5)
  • A copy of the Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics goes to every client or their agent before services are rendered, or, when that is not practical, is attached to the completed reportLAC 46:XL.123 (B)
  • For one year after the inspection, the inspector and their company may not solicit or do, for compensation, repair, replacement or upgrade work on anything the report noted as deficient, in need of repair or replacement, or unsafeLa. R.S. 37:1478 (B)
  • Home inspectors may not report on market value or marketability, or on the advisability of purchasing the propertyLAC 46:XL.309 (C) (2), (3)
  • A written pre-inspection contract, whenever possible, states that the inspection follows the Board's Standards of Practice, describes the services and cost, limits the inspection to the agreed systems, and carries the inspector's name, license number and signature; records are kept three years from the report date, or five years if the report is questionedLAC 46:XL.305 (B) (1); 46:XL.125 (C)

Due in five calendar days

The written report goes to the client within five calendar days from the date of the inspection. It specifies the municipal address, the client or clients and the inspection date, and it states the name and license number, with the signature, of every licensed home inspector who conducted the inspection, identifying the lead inspector or qualifying licensee. Reports may not be resold.

What the report must say

The report describes the systems the standards specify, states which were inspected and, for anything designated but not inspected, the reason. It states which inspected systems or components are significantly deficient, unsafe or not functioning.

The standards ask you to report the methods used to inspect or access the crawl space, attic and roof, wall cladding and roof covering materials, solid conductor aluminum wiring on 120 volt circuits, whether smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms are present, and whether the garage door operator has a working safety reverse.

Mold, yes. Pests, no.

If you see visually observable evidence of suspected mold growth inside the structure, the report must include it. You may not report on the presence or absence of wood destroying insects, rodents or other pests, but you may describe damage to the building and recommend further inspection by a licensed wood destroying insect inspector. ReportDraft drafts Louisiana reports that way.

Standards, contracts and records

Give every client a copy of the Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics before the inspection, or attach them to the report when that is not practical. Use a written pre-inspection contract whenever possible. Keep records three years from the report date, or five years if the report is questioned.

For a year after the inspection you and your company may not solicit or do paid repairs on anything the report called deficient or unsafe, and you may not report on market value or whether to buy.

From field notes to a finished Louisiana report

Note how you got into the crawl space and attic, how you looked at the roof, the alarms you found and anything you could not reach. ReportDraft fills your license number, lists any other inspectors and the lead, states what was not inspected and why, reports suspected mold, and keeps pest identifications out while recommending a licensed wood destroying insect inspector for damage.

Common mistakes

  • Delivering the report after five calendar days.
  • Naming termites or other pests instead of describing the damage and recommending a licensed wood destroying insect inspector.
  • Leaving out suspected mold growth you saw inside.
  • Not listing every licensed inspector who took part, with license numbers, and the lead inspector.
  • Skipping the Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics copy.

Sources

Last reviewed October 10, 2026. Next review due January 10, 2027. This page explains published rules to help you write your report. It is not legal advice; the official text linked above governs.