LOCAL RULES

Tennessee home inspection report requirements

Your Tennessee home inspection report has 7 rules to meet. ReportDraft puts every one on your checklist and checks your draft before you sign.

  • Smoke alarms by room, with replacement advice for covered or over-ten-year alarms
  • The descriptions the standards list for each system
  • How the crawl space, attic and roofing were inspected
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Tennessee licenses home inspectors through the Department of Commerce and Insurance, and the Commissioner's rules, chapter 0780-05-12 (compiled January 2026), set what every report contains: what was and was not inspected, what does not function as intended or affects habitability, whether each condition needs repair, observation or a specialist, the inspector's name, license number and signature, three required statements, and detailed smoke alarm reporting. Here is each rule with a link to the official text, and how field notes become a Tennessee report.

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

Home inspectionTENNESSEE / SAMPLE

Sample notes, 149 words

Client: Dana Whitfield
Inspector: Sam Ortega
Date: October 3, 2026
1408 Larkspur Lane, Nashville, TN
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.

7 Tennessee rules on your checklist, including smoke alarms by room, with replacement advice for covered or over-ten-year alarms.

Still to add

  • Tennessee lawTennessee home inspector license number
  • RecommendedNotes for cooling
  • RecommendedNotes for fireplaces and chimneys

Filled in for you

Client nameDana Whitfield
Property address1408 Larkspur Lane, Nashville, TN
Inspection dateOct 3, 2026
Name of the person conducting the inspectionSam Ortega
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What Tennessee requires

  • The report states which designated systems and components were inspected, and lists any that were not inspected, including underfloor crawl spaces, basements and attic spaces, with the reasonTenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-05-12-.10 (3) (b) 3. (ii); (5) (a) 2., 3.
  • The report states any inspected systems or components that do not function as intended, allowing for normal wear and tear, or adversely affect the habitability of the dwelling, and any that are significantly deficientTenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-05-12-.10 (3) (b) 3. (iii); (5) (a) 1.
  • For each reported condition, the report states whether it requires repair or subsequent observation, or warrants further investigation by a specialistTenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-05-12-.10 (3) (b) 3. (iv)
  • The report states the name, license number and signature of the person conducting the inspectionTenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-05-12-.10 (3) (b) 3. (v)
  • The report includes a statement that it does not address environmental hazards (lead-based paint, radon, asbestos, cockroaches, rodents, pesticides, treated lumber, fungus, mercury, carbon monoxide or similar), a statement that it does not address subterranean systems such as sewage disposal, water supply or fuel storage or delivery, and a statement that a home inspection is a visual analysis as defined in T.C.A. 62-6-302 (3) (A) and does not include the measures in (3) (B)Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-05-12-.10 (5) (a) 4. to 6.
  • The report states the presence or absence of smoke alarms by area or room, notes alarms that appear painted, covered or obstructed by stickers or more than ten years from their manufacture date, and recommends replacing them with a device of the same typeTenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-05-12-.10 (9) (d)
  • The report describes the heating and cooling energy sources and equipment, the electrical service (amperage, voltage, entry conductor materials, overhead or underground, panel locations), the plumbing piping materials, water heater and main water shutoff location, the structural component types, roof covering, wall cladding and insulationTenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-05-12-.10 (7) to (15)
  • The report states the methods used to inspect underfloor crawl spaces, attics and the roofing, and signs of water penetration or condensationTenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-05-12-.10 (11) (c), (12) (b)
  • The report notes any readily accessible single strand aluminum branch circuit wiring and whether the garage door operator automatically reverses or stops when meeting reasonable resistanceTenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-05-12-.10 (9) (c), (13) (b)
  • The written contract, signed by the client, says the inspection follows the Commissioner's Standards of Practice, describes the services and cost, says the report will not address the environmental hazards and subterranean systems listed in the rule, and states any limit to particular systemsTenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-05-12-.10 (3) (b) 1.
  • Licensees keep results confidential without the client's approval, take pay from only one party unless all consent, give or take no commissions, give no market value opinion, and disclose business interests before contracting; contracts and reports are kept at least three years from the inspection dateTenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-05-12-.11, -.14
  • Tennessee licenses home inspectors through the Department of Commerce and Insurance's Home Inspector Licensing Program, created in 2005, under Tennessee Code Annotated Title 62, Chapter 6, Part 3Tennessee Home Inspector Licensing Program (Department of Commerce and Insurance)

What every Tennessee report states

The report says which designated systems and components were inspected and lists those that were not, including any underfloor crawl space, basement or attic, with the reason. It states anything that does not function as intended, allowing for normal wear and tear, or that adversely affects the habitability of the dwelling, and whether each condition requires repair, subsequent observation, or further investigation by a specialist.

It carries the name, license number and signature of the person who conducted the inspection.

The three required statements

Every report includes a statement that it does not address environmental hazards such as lead-based paint, radon, asbestos, cockroaches, rodents, pesticides, treated lumber, fungus, mercury and carbon monoxide; a statement that it does not address subterranean systems such as sewage disposal, water supply, or fuel storage or delivery; and a statement that a home inspection is a visual analysis for a professional opinion as defined in T.C.A. 62-6-302 (3) (A) and does not include the measures in (3) (B). ReportDraft prints all three at the end of every Tennessee report.

Smoke alarms

Report whether smoke alarms are present or absent, by area or room. Where an alarm appears painted, covered or obstructed by stickers, or appears more than ten years from its date of manufacture, recommend replacing it with a device of the same type.

Descriptions and methods

Describe the heating and cooling energy sources and equipment, the electrical service's amperage and voltage, entry conductor materials, overhead or underground service and panel locations, the piping materials, the water heating equipment and where the main water shutoff is, the structural component types, the roof covering, wall cladding and insulation. Report how you inspected the crawl space, the attic and the roofing, any single strand aluminum branch wiring, and whether the garage door operator reverses on resistance.

Contracts, ethics and records

The written contract, signed by the client, says the inspection follows the Standards of Practice, describes the services and cost, and says the report will not address the listed environmental hazards and subterranean systems. Keep results confidential without the client's approval, take no commissions, give no market value opinion, and keep contracts and reports for at least three years.

From field notes to a finished Tennessee report

Note what you could not get into and why, the smoke alarms room by room with any that look painted over or old, and the service and plumbing details. ReportDraft states what was not inspected, gives each condition its repair, observe or specialist call, recommends replacing covered or old alarms, and prints the three required statements at the end.

Common mistakes

  • Leaving out any of the three required statements.
  • Not listing an attic or crawl space that was not entered, with the reason.
  • Reporting smoke alarms without saying which rooms have them.
  • Missing the replacement recommendation for a painted-over or old smoke alarm.
  • Leaving off the license number or signature.

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.