Termite Inspection Cost (2026)
Checked 14 October 2026: This Old House puts a termite inspection at $75 to $325, depending on the company and the size of the home. Many companies inspect free; an official report for a sale or a loan is usually paid.
Inspection
$75-$325
This Old House
Most homes
$0-$250
HomeGuide
Real estate
$100-$325
HomeGuide
WDO report
$150-$300
HomeGuide
Before you book
Which inspection you need
- 01Routine check: a free or standard inspection
- 02Selling or buying: your state's official report
- 03VA or FHA loan: ask the lender which form
- 04Treatment recommended: get a second opinion
A cost guide. We are not a pest control company.
Section B / By type
Termite inspection cost by type
HomeGuide's table (page updated 22 November 2025, read 14 October 2026). In it, the official reports a sale or a loan needs cost more than a standard inspection.
| Inspection | HomeGuide |
|---|---|
| Standard preventativeRoutine check; many companies inspect free | $0-$250 |
| Real estateComes with the documentation a sale needs | $100-$325 |
| Loan-requiredLicensed inspector, official report for the lender | $50-$200 |
| WDO inspectionWood-destroying organism report, often for a sale | $150-$300 |
| Follow-upA return visit | $75-$150 |
| Home inspection bundleGeneral home inspection plus termite inspection | $300-$600 |
| Commercial propertyVaries with size, structures and access | $200-$500+ |
- Size: HomeGuide's example is $75 for a 1,000 sq ft home and $200 or more for 3,000 sq ft. High-tech methods such as thermal imaging can add $50 to $100.
- Other publishers: This Old House $75 to $325; LawnStarter $62 to $277 for real estate reports. Each compiles its own range; none is a company's price list.
Section C / State forms
Which report your state requires for a sale
Several states prescribe the form a termite inspection report must use in a real estate transaction. Ask for that form by name when you book, and price the inspection for it.
South Carolina's report is priced on the CL-100 inspection cost page. Buyers should read the termite inspection guide for home buyers.
Section D / Lenders and insurance
VA, FHA and homeowners insurance
VA. VA requires wood-destroying insect information before it issues a Notice of Value for the whole of many states, among them Texas, Florida, the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Arizona, and for listed counties in a few others; elsewhere only when the appraisal notes a problem (VA local requirements). Since June 2022 the veteran may pay the inspection fee.
FHA. For an existing home, HUD Handbook 4000.1 has the lender confirm the property is free of wood-destroying insects and order an inspection when the appraiser sees signs of infestation or a prior treatment. A new build needs the builder's termite guarantee (form HUD-NPMA-99-A) unless the county is on HUD's exception list.
Insurance. The standard ISO homeowners form (HO-3) does not cover inspection or treatment, and excludes ordinary termite damage apart from two narrow exceptions; see does insurance cover termite damage.
Section E / Method
How we priced this
- Prices: HomeGuide, This Old House and LawnStarter, national compiled estimates shown as each states them, not averaged.
- We do not show regional inspection prices: no regulator or national pest control company publishes them.
- State forms: each state's rule or regulator, the same records as our state pages. Lenders: VA and HUD.
- All checked 14 October 2026. Full methodology.
Section F / Frequently asked
Termite inspection questions
How much does a termite inspection cost?+
This Old House puts a termite inspection at $75 to $325, depending on the company and the size of the home. HomeGuide gives $0 to $250 for most homes, the low end because many companies inspect free, and $100 to $325 for a real estate inspection. Checked 14 October 2026.
Are free termite inspections worth it?+
A free inspection from a licensed company is a real inspection, and it is also how the company finds treatment work. For a routine check it is a reasonable start. If it ends in a treatment recommendation, a second opinion from another licensed company is cheap insurance before you sign. For a sale or a loan you will need the official report your state or lender specifies, which is usually paid.
How much is a WDO or WDI report for a home sale?+
HomeGuide gives $150 to $300 for a WDO inspection, $100 to $325 for a real estate inspection and $50 to $200 for a loan-required one; LawnStarter gives $62 to $277 for real estate reports. Several states set the form: Texas, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Arizona each set the official report used in a sale.
Does the size of the house change the inspection price?+
Yes. HomeGuide's example: a 1,000 sq ft home might cost $75 to inspect, a 3,000 sq ft home $200 or more. It adds that high-tech methods (such as thermal imaging) can raise the price by $50 to $100.
Does a VA or FHA loan need a termite inspection?+
VA requires wood-destroying insect information before its Notice of Value for the whole of many states, including Texas, Florida, the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Oklahoma, and for listed counties in a few others. Since June 2022 the veteran may pay the inspection fee. For FHA, HUD Handbook 4000.1 has the lender confirm an existing home is free of wood-destroying insects, with an inspection when the appraiser sees signs of infestation or a prior treatment.
Does homeowners insurance pay for a termite inspection?+
No. The standard ISO homeowners form (HO-3) does not cover termite inspection or treatment, and it excludes ordinary termite damage, apart from two narrow exceptions: an abrupt collapse caused by hidden insect damage you did not know about, and an ensuing covered loss such as a fire.
Section G / Where to next
Related cost pages
Open file
Termite inspection for home buyers
Who pays, and what VA and FHA lenders ask for.
Open file
CL-100 inspection cost
South Carolina's official wood infestation report.
Open file
Termite treatment cost
If the inspection finds termites: every method and the calculator.
Open file
Termite bond cost
Yearly contracts that include an inspection.
Open file
Signs of termites
Mud tubes, frass, swarmers and hollow wood.
Open file
Does insurance cover termite damage?
The HO-3 wording and its two exceptions.
A cost guide, not pest control advice. Check your lender's and your state's requirements before you book.