LOCAL RULES

West Virginia home inspection report requirements

Your West Virginia home inspection report has 6 rules to meet. ReportDraft puts every one on your checklist and checks your draft before you sign.

  • A written report on the conditions on inspection day, in the agreed time
  • Smoke and CO detectors present or absent, with the installation recommendation
  • Possible electrical hazards referred to a WV certified electrical inspector
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West Virginia certifies home inspectors through the State Fire Marshal, and the legislative rule 103 CSR 7 (effective May 1, 2024) sets the standards for every inspection and report. It calls for the title Certified Home Inspector with your certification number on each report, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors reported present or absent, and a referral to a state certified electrical inspector when you see a possible electrical hazard. Here is each rule with a link to the official text.

Last reviewed October 14, 2026 against the official sources listed below.

Home inspectionWEST VIRGINIA / SAMPLE

Sample notes, 149 words

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

6 West Virginia rules on your checklist, including a written report on the conditions on inspection day, in the agreed time.

Still to add

  • West Virginia lawWest Virginia home inspector certification number
  • RecommendedNotes for cooling
  • RecommendedNotes for fireplaces and chimneys

Filled in for you

Client nameDana Whitfield
Property address1408 Larkspur Lane, Charleston, WV
Inspection dateOct 3, 2026
Certified Home InspectorSam Ortega
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What West Virginia requires

  • Every inspection report, letter and advertisement identifies the certificate holder with the term "Certified Home Inspector" and the certification number issued by the State Fire Marshal103 CSR 7, s. 25.3
  • The home inspector gives the client a written report on the condition of the property on the day of the inspection, within a mutually agreed time frame, and signs only reports on inspections they reviewed103 CSR 7, ss. 24.1, 8.2.j, 11.1
  • The inspector reports the presence or absence of smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, where accessible and not part of a central system, and recommends proper installation under current NFPA standards and W. Va. Code 15A-10-12103 CSR 7, s. 18.5
  • The inspector visually inspects the electrical system and, where a possible electrical hazard is perceived, recommends a full electrical system inspection by a West Virginia certified electrical inspector; any observed aluminum branch circuit wiring is reported103 CSR 7, ss. 18.4, 18.7
  • The report describes the foundation, floor, wall, column or pier, ceiling and roof structure types, the wall cladding and roof covering, the piping materials, the water heating equipment and the main water supply shut-off location, the service amperage, voltage, entry conductors, service type and panel locations, the heating and cooling energy sources and equipment, and the insulation in unfinished spaces103 CSR 7, ss. 14.2, 15.2, 16.2, 17.2, 18.3, 19.2, 20.2, 22.2
  • The report states the methods used to observe the roofing and to inspect under-floor crawl spaces and attics, and reports signs of abnormal or harmful water penetration or condensation103 CSR 7, ss. 14.3, 16.2, 21.2
  • The inspector operates garage doors and reports whether the operator automatically reverses or stops, operates all plumbing fixtures including exterior faucets, runs the heating and cooling on normal controls, runs built-in dishwashers through a normal cycle, and checks for an installed heat source and cooling source in each room103 CSR 7, ss. 15.2, 17.3, 19.1, 20.1, 23.1
  • It is an unfair business practice for an inspector or their company to offer repairs on a structure they reported on in the past twelve months, inspect property they have an interest in, pay for referrals, or take work whose fee depends on the findings or the close of escrow103 CSR 7, s. 8.3
  • Inspectors keep records of every inspection for 3 years from the date the report was provided, file an annual summary of the number, type and county of their inspections with the State Fire Marshal by January 31, and carry their certification card while working103 CSR 7, ss. 24.2, 24.4, 25.1
  • No one may perform home inspections for pay in West Virginia without a State Fire Marshal certificate, and a business may use the title home inspector only if every inspector it employs is certified; the State Fire Marshal sets the standards under W. Va. Code 15A-10-5W. Va. Code s. 15A-10-5 (a), (b) ยท 103 CSR 7, ss. 2.1 to 2.3
  • A home inspection is not technically exhaustive and will not identify concealed or latent defects; inspectors need not report life expectancy, repair causes, methods or costs, code compliance, market value, whether to buy, pests, mold or hazardous materials, and may suggest repairs and recommend that the client consult a professional tradesperson103 CSR 7, ss. 11.1, 12.1, 13.1

Your title and number on every report

Reports, letters and advertising must identify you as a Certified Home Inspector along with the certification number the State Fire Marshal issued. Deliver the written report on the property's condition on the day of the inspection within the time frame you agreed with the client, and never sign a report on an inspection you did not review.

Detectors and electrical hazards

Report whether smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are present or absent, unless they are part of a central system, and recommend proper installation under current NFPA standards and West Virginia Code 15A-10-12.

The standards do not ask you to check electrical code compliance. When you see a possible electrical hazard, recommend a full electrical system inspection by a West Virginia certified electrical inspector, and report any aluminum branch circuit wiring you observe.

Descriptions, methods and tests

Describe the structure type by component, the cladding and roof covering, piping materials, the water heater, where the main water shut-off is, the service size and panel locations, and the heating and cooling equipment. Say how you observed the roof, crawl space and attic, and report signs of abnormal water penetration or condensation.

Operate the garage door and report whether it reverses or stops, run every plumbing fixture including exterior faucets, cycle the dishwasher, and note any room without an installed heat or cooling source.

Business rules and records

You may not offer repairs on a home your company reported on within twelve months, inspect property you have an interest in, pay for referrals, or accept a fee tied to the findings. Keep inspection records for 3 years, file an annual summary with the State Fire Marshal by January 31, and carry your certification card on the job. Only certified inspectors may perform home inspections for pay.

From field notes to a finished West Virginia report

Note the detectors you found or did not find, anything electrical that looked wrong, the garage door test, and how you got into the attic and crawl space. ReportDraft prints your Certified Home Inspector line with your number, writes the detector recommendation, and sends possible electrical hazards to a certified electrical inspector.

Common mistakes

  • Leaving off the words Certified Home Inspector or the certification number.
  • Not saying whether carbon monoxide detectors are present.
  • Sending an electrical hazard to a handyman instead of a certified electrical inspector.
  • No garage door reverse test result.
  • Forgetting the January 31 annual summary to the State Fire Marshal.

Sources

Last reviewed October 14, 2026. Next review due January 14, 2027. This page explains published rules to help you write your report. It is not legal advice; the official text linked above governs.