⚠ Draft (engine test) — informational, sourced June 2026; not legal/financial advice. CTA is a placeholder.
Home-sale inspections

Do You Need a Termite (WDO) Inspection to Buy or Sell a Home?

A quick checker plus plain answers on cost, who pays, and the clearance letter — for 2026.

✓ Reviewed June 23, 2026 · sources: VA, NPMA, state pest programs

Usually yes — if a mortgage is involved. A termite/WDO inspection is required for most VA loans and for FHA or conventional loans when the appraiser flags pest evidence.

You don't legally need one just to own a home, but it's strongly recommended in high-termite regions (the South, Southwest, California).

Do I need a termite/WDO inspection?

Answer 3 quick questions. Informational only — confirm with your lender/agent.

⚠ Guidance only — not an official determination. Always confirm with your lender/insurer and the official source (.gov) before acting. See Disclaimer.

Quick facts

Termite / WDO inspection — US, 2026 (varies by state/lender — verify locally)
Required to buy/sell?Mortgage-driven: most VA loans (30+ states); FHA/conventional if flagged
DocumentWDI report Form NPMA-33; "clearance letter" = result after treatment
What's checkedLive activity, mud tubes, frass, damaged wood, conducive conditions
Inspection cost~$75–$175 (avg $100–165); often free if you book treatment
Treatment (if needed)~$230–$1,000; fumigation $1,500–$8,000
Who paysNegotiated — seller often pays inspection (conventional); buyer often on FHA
Validity~90 days for mortgage use

When is it required?

Most VA loans require a wood-destroying-insect report in 30+ states (VA Circular 26-22-11); FHA and conventional loans require it only when the appraiser or contract flags pest evidence. The report — Form NPMA-33 from the National Pest Management Association — is generally valid about 90 days for mortgage use.

WDO vs WDI vs "termite inspection"

These overlap: a WDO (wood-destroying organism) inspection is broadest — termites plus carpenter ants/bees, wood-boring beetles and wood-decay fungi (the EPA notes subterranean termites cause the most U.S. structural damage); a WDI (wood-destroying insect) inspection covers insects (the term used in Texas and the VA program, on Form NPMA-33); a plain "termite inspection" is the narrowest. A clearance letter isn't an inspection — it's the document confirming no active infestation after any treatment.

Find your city

San Antonio, TX Austin, TX

Common questions

Do I need a termite inspection to buy a house?
You need a termite (WDO/WDI) inspection for most VA loans, which require one in 30+ states, and for FHA or conventional loans whenever the appraiser or purchase contract flags pest evidence. Cash buyers are not required to get one but it is strongly recommended in high-termite regions.
How much does a termite inspection cost?
A termite or WDO inspection typically costs about $75 to $175, averaging around $100 to $165 for a home sale. Many pest companies offer a free inspection hoping to win the treatment job. Treatment, if needed, runs from about $230 to $1,000, and whole-house fumigation from $1,500 to $8,000.
Who pays for the termite inspection, buyer or seller?
Who pays is negotiated and varies by local custom. In conventional and state-required sales the seller usually pays the inspection; for FHA loans the buyer often pays. Treatment for an active infestation usually falls to the seller, or a credit is negotiated, because a clear report is needed to close.
What is a termite clearance letter?
A termite clearance letter is not a separate inspection. It is the document issued after any required treatment confirming the property is free of active infestation in the cited areas. In California this is a clear Section 1 report. The official VA/WDI document is Form NPMA-33.
How long is a termite inspection valid?
A WDI report (Form NPMA-33) used for a mortgage is generally valid about 90 days. If closing falls outside that window, lenders typically require a re-inspection.

Key terms

WDO / WDI
Wood-destroying organism / insect — the formal scope of the inspection.
NPMA-33
The standard national WDI inspection report form used for mortgages.
Clearance letter
Proof of no active infestation issued after treatment (CA: clear Section 1).
Section 1 vs Section 2 (California)
Section 1 = active infestation/damage (must usually be fixed); Section 2 = conditions likely to lead to it (disclosed, not required to fix).

Sources