VA Loan Inspection vs. Appraisal: What’s Actually Required
The VA does not require a home inspection. Nowhere in the VA loan process is a buyer’s home inspection a condition of the guaranty. What the VA does require is an appraisal, and that appraisal carries a second job most conventional appraisals skip: the appraiser must confirm the home meets the VA’s Minimum Property Requirements (MPRs). Those two facts are the whole answer to “VA requirements for home inspection” — but they leave a real gap that costs uninformed buyers money. Here is exactly what the appraiser verifies, the termite-fee rule that catches VA buyers off guard, and where a separate inspection earns its fee.
Is a home inspection required for a VA loan?
No. The VA guaranty depends on the appraisal, not on an inspection. The appraisal is ordered through the VA’s WebLGY portal and assigned to a VA-approved appraiser off a rotating panel — neither you nor your lender picks the appraiser, and the fee is set by a published VA fee schedule for each state. That appraiser establishes market value and, at the same visit, screens the property against the MPRs laid out in Chapter 12 of the VA Lenders Handbook (VA Pamphlet 26-7).
An MPR screen is not an inspection. The appraiser spends 30 to 60 minutes on site, works from the ground and accessible vantage points, and is looking for a livability floor — not remaining service life. The distinction between the two services is the same one that trips up conventional buyers, and we cover it in depth in home inspection vs. appraisal.
What the VA appraiser checks: the MPR list
MPRs exist so the government does not guarantee a loan on a home that is unsafe or unlivable. They are a minimum-condition standard, not a condition report. The core items an appraiser flags:
| MPR category | What triggers a flag |
|---|---|
| Safe, potable water | No continuous supply; private wells may require a bacterial/nitrate water test |
| Sanitary sewage | Failed public connection or septic system; septic may need a separate inspection |
| Sound roof | Active leaks, missing shingles, or no reasonable remaining life |
| Sound foundation & structure | Major settlement, large cracks, evidence of ongoing movement |
| Weather-tight envelope | Openings that admit water or pests; active water staining |
| Working mechanicals | Non-functioning heat, plumbing that won’t deliver or drain, dead outlets |
| Adequate heat | No permanent heat source reaching all habitable rooms (space heaters don’t count) |
| Safe access & egress | Missing stair handrails, deck guardrails, or inoperable basement egress windows |
| No wood-destroying insects | Active termite or other WDI activity |
| Lead-paint disclosure (pre-1978) | Missing federally required disclosure |
| Functional habitability | Missing kitchen/bath fixtures; rooms without reasonable access |
Two categories deserve specifics because they generate the most confusion.
Wood-destroying insects — and the fee rule that surprises buyers
Most VA purchases in areas with termite pressure require a wood-destroying insect (WDI) report, the “termite inspection,” on the standard NPMA-33 form from a licensed pest operator. The quirk: on a VA purchase, the veteran buyer is generally barred from paying for that WDI inspection — the cost falls to the seller or another party. A short list of states are exceptions where the buyer may pay, so confirm who covers it with your lender before closing. Colorado carries lower termite pressure than the Southeast, but a WDI report is still commonly ordered here.
Lead-based paint on pre-1978 homes
For any home built before 1978, federal law requires the seller to hand over a lead-paint disclosure and the EPA pamphlet; the appraiser confirms the disclosure exists and flags defective (peeling, chipping, scaling) paint for correction. Disclosure is not remediation — the EPA notes most pre-1978 homes contain some lead paint, and testing is a separate decision worth making if children under six will live there. See FHA property requirements for how a parallel program handles the same pre-1978 rule.
Where MPRs stop and a real inspection begins
The gap between “passes MPR” and “good to buy” is where inspection money goes. MPRs say nothing about:
- Remaining service life — a furnace, water heater, or roof with two years left passes MPR and still becomes your bill.
- Electrical condition — aluminum branch wiring, an undersized panel, missing GFCIs, or knob-and-tube can all be “functional” and flag nothing.
- Plumbing materials — galvanized supply lines and polybutylene deliver water fine right up until they fail.
- Energy performance — insulation and air-sealing gaps drive real cost. A DOE home energy audit catches what the appraiser never looks for.
- Minor structural and moisture issues — small foundation cracks and early water intrusion that a home inspector walking the roof and crawl space would document.
A home inspection following the ASHI Standards of Practice takes three to four hours and produces a system-by-system report. That is the deliverable MPRs were never meant to be. For the item-by-item picture, see what a VA home inspector looks for.
What happens when a property fails an MPR
Failed MPR items appear on the appraisal’s Notice of Value (NOV) as required repairs. The loan is conditioned on those repairs being completed and re-verified before closing — the deal does not proceed until they are. Common triggers and how they usually resolve:
- Roof at end of life — replacement or repair extending useful life; typically negotiated as seller repair or buyer credit.
- Non-functioning heat — in Colorado’s climate a permanent heat source must work; repair or replacement required.
- Active plumbing leak — repaired before closing; a home inspection often reveals whether it signals larger pipe issues.
- Major foundation movement — usually requires a licensed structural engineer’s report before the VA proceeds.
- Missing stair handrails or deck guardrails — straightforward safety corrections required pre-closing.
You can head most of these off. Before the appraisal, ask the seller whether heat reaches every room, the roof’s age and leak history, and whether there’s any active plumbing leak or termite-treatment history — resolving issues early keeps them off the NOV and off your closing timeline.
Front Range specifics
Colorado’s private-well and septic inventory in the foothills and plains means water testing and septic evaluation come up more often on rural VA files than on Denver-metro connected homes; the EPA recommends bacterial and nitrate testing at any property transfer. Radon is worth naming precisely because buyers assume it’s covered: the VA does not require radon testing as an MPR, yet the Front Range sits in the EPA’s highest radon zone. That is a health decision you make independently of the loan, not a box the appraiser checks.
For choosing the inspector who fills the gap the appraisal leaves, start with how to hire a home inspector, or reach out to line up a local inspection alongside the VA appraisal.
Frequently asked questions
This guide summarizes VA Lenders Handbook (Pamphlet 26-7) Chapter 12 and current EPA and HUD guidance; confirm state-specific fee and pest-inspection rules with your VA lender.