Home Inspections in Massachusetts: What Buyers Need to Know

A home inspection is your chance to learn about a home’s condition before you are locked in. Massachusetts adds its own rules on top of a standard inspection: lead paint, septic systems, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and more. Here is what to expect and how to use what you learn.

Your right to an inspection

For contracts on or after October 15, 2025, Massachusetts sellers and their agents cannot make an accepted offer depend on you waiving your inspection. They also cannot pressure you to skip it. Sellers must give you a written disclosure explaining this. You may still choose not to inspect on your own. See our guide to making an offer for how the inspection contingency fits into your contract.

Hire a licensed home inspector

Massachusetts has required home inspectors to be licensed since May 2001. The state warns that trade group certificates are not a substitute for a state license. You can check a license through the Board of Registration of Home Inspectors.

Under state rules, a seller’s agent may not recommend a specific inspector. Only an agent who represents you as a buyer’s agent can do that. Friends, lawyers and lenders can also suggest names.

What a standard inspection covers

A standard inspection is a visual check of the parts of a 1 to 4 unit home that are easy to reach. According to the state, it includes:

• Roof, attic, walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors
• Foundation and basement
• Heating and air conditioning
• Interior plumbing and electrical systems

It is not an appraisal, a building code inspection, or a guarantee. It will not find every hidden problem. The state also notes that lead paint, water quality, termites and other insects, radon, and mold are not part of the basic inspection. You hire separate licensed professionals for those.

Massachusetts-specific items to check

Lead paint (homes built before 1978)

Lead paint is a big deal in older Greater Boston homes. Before you sign a Purchase and Sale Agreement on a pre-1978 home, the seller and agents must give you the Property Transfer Lead Paint Notification. They must also share any lead reports they have and anything they know about lead in the home.

• You have 10 days to get a lead inspection, unless your contract sets a different period. You can also waive it.
• If a child under 6 will live in the home, the new owner must have it deleaded or brought under interim control within 90 days of taking title.
• Sellers cannot refuse to sell to you because you have young children.

Help with costs: The state offers an income tax credit of up to $3,000 per unit for full deleading, or up to $1,000 per unit for interim control, with conditions. MassHousing’s Get the Lead Out program offers low- or no-interest loans to eligible owners, with maximums between $30,000 and $45,000 depending on property type.

Septic systems (Title 5)

If the home is not on town sewer, it likely has a septic system. Under the state’s Title 5 rules, the system must generally be inspected within 2 years before the sale. That window is 3 years if the system has been pumped every year and the records are included. If winter weather prevents it, the inspection can happen up to 6 months after the sale, with written notice to the buyer.

A failed system must usually be upgraded within 2 years. Septic replacement can be expensive, so read the Title 5 report carefully and talk to your attorney about who will pay.

Radon

Radon is a natural gas you cannot see or smell. The state says no part of Massachusetts is free from radon risk, and about 1 in 4 homes has high levels. The EPA action level is 4 pCi/L. If a test shows 4 or higher, plan on a mitigation system installed by a certified specialist. If the home already has one, ask for test results.

Oil tanks

Many older homes heat with oil. State law requires 1 to 4 unit homes with oil heat to have an oil safety valve or a protected supply line, installed by a licensed technician, unless an exemption applies. Ask for proof of compliance. Insurers must offer oil leak coverage to homes that comply. Also ask about the tank’s age and any signs of leaks, and whether there is an old buried tank.

Pests

Termites, carpenter ants and other wood-destroying insects are not part of a standard inspection. Many buyers order a separate pest inspection, and some lenders require one.

Smoke and carbon monoxide certificate

This one is the seller’s job. Before closing, the seller must get a Certificate of Compliance from the local fire department showing the home has the required smoke and CO alarms. You will usually need it at closing. Fees are set by each town. If you are buying a multi-family, the requirements are stricter.

What to do with the report

1. Read it fully. Ask your inspector to explain anything unclear.
2. Sort the issues. Separate safety items and big-ticket repairs (roof, heating, foundation, electrical, septic) from small cosmetic fixes.
3. Get estimates for major items from licensed contractors.
4. Decide your next step before your contingency deadline: move ahead, ask for repairs, ask for a price reduction or credit, or cancel.
5. Put any agreement in writing in the Purchase and Sale Agreement or an amendment. Your attorney can help with the wording.

Typical inspection checklist

How Luis can help

Luis and our team can help you plan your inspections, read the results, and decide what to ask for, in English or Spanish. If you are just starting out, see our first-time buyer page or book a free 15-minute call through our contact page.