The ASHI Standard of Practice, Explained

The ASHI Standard of Practice is the original US home inspection standard — the American Society of Home Inspectors published its first version decades before most states licensed the profession, and many state regulations still borrow its language. This is a plain-language guide to what the ASHI SOP requires, how it differs from InterNACHI's, and what it means for your reports.

The shape of the ASHI SOP

Like its InterNACHI counterpart, the ASHI SOP defines a home inspection as a visual, non-invasive examination of readily accessible systems, and it is organized by system: structural components, exterior, roofing, plumbing, electrical, heating, air conditioning, interiors, insulation and ventilation, and fireplaces and solid-fuel appliances.

For each system the SOP distinguishes what the inspector is required to inspect and what they are not required to inspect — the second list being the one that ends up mattering in disputes. Not required: latent defects, cosmetic items, systems that are shut down, areas that are not readily accessible, and predictions of future performance or remaining life.

Reporting obligations

The ASHI SOP requires written reports to describe the inspected systems and identify components that are significantly deficient, near the end of service life, or unsafe — plus the reasons why, and any systems that were not inspected with the reason for exclusion. That last requirement is the one weak reports skip: documenting what you could not inspect, and why, is an explicit obligation, not a courtesy.

ASHI vs InterNACHI: does the difference matter?

For day-to-day inspecting, rarely. The two standards cover substantially the same systems with substantially the same exclusions; an inspection performed to one will almost always satisfy the other. The practical differences are organizational — membership requirements, credentialing (ASHI's ACI designation), and continuing education — rather than what happens on-site. What actually overrides both is state law: licensed states publish their own standards, and some (like Texas with its TREC REI 7-6 form) mandate the report format itself.

Building an ASHI-shaped report

A defensible report mirrors the SOP: findings grouped by system, each paired with a photo and a severity the client can act on, limitations stated explicitly. Our free home inspection report template follows that structure if you are starting from scratch.

InspectPro Solo bakes the same discipline into the workflow: 30+ built-in areas with item checklists you can rename to match the system headings you report under, photos tagged to items with severity ratings (minor, moderate, major, critical), preset comments, and a branded PDF finished on your phone on-site. The professional judgment — what is deficient and why — stays with you; the app keeps the documentation consistent.