# Termite inspections for home sales: WDI reports

Ask for the report your transaction needs and understand what the inspection did and did not cover.

Updated 2026-11-10. Also on the [web page](https://exterminator.fyi/guides/termite-inspection-home-sales).

Before booking, ask your lender or closing professional for the exact report needed for your property and transaction. Give that request to the inspector. Do not assume a general home inspection includes a pest report.

## Know the form name

The National Pest Management Association publishes information on its NPMA-33 Wood Destroying Insect inspection report and related forms. Its forms page, accessed 2026-11-10, also points readers to HUD reporting information. That does not mean every home sale needs the same form.

Ask the inspector whether the requested form is accepted for your transaction. Ask your lender to confirm any timing requirement in writing. Do not use an internet rule about a report's age as a substitute for that answer.

## Prepare access before the visit

Tell the inspector about locked rooms, stored items, crawl spaces, additions and past treatment records. Ask what must be accessible. Share records for leaks and repairs. Do not disturb suspect wood just to prepare for the visit.

Ask for the inspection scope, inaccessible areas and any recommendation for another inspection to be recorded. If an area cannot be inspected, ask what that means for the transaction. Keep the report and any photographs together.

## Separate findings from treatment

EPA's termite guidance describes signs such as swarms, mud tubes and wood damage. It also describes soil treatments, baits and wood treatments. Ask the inspector to explain what was actually observed, where it was found and why a particular response is proposed.

A treatment quote should identify the target pest, method, treated area, preparation and follow-up. Ask whether the quote is for active infestation, prevention or monitoring. Do not treat a treatment proposal as a substitute for the requested inspection report.

## Questions before closing

- What evidence did the inspector see and in which area?
- What parts of the building were not accessible?
- Is a further pest inspection or building assessment proposed?
- Who is arranging any treatment and keeping the service record?
- Are past treatment terms transferable? Ask for the actual contract.

A pest inspection does not answer every question about building condition. If damage is suspected, ask your closing professional who should assess it. Check the company's licence with the relevant authority before commissioning work.

## Sources

All sources below were fetched and checked on 2026-11-10. Dates are access dates.

- [National Pest Management Association, NPMA Forms Information](https://www.npmapestworld.org/your-team-tools/npma-forms-npma3399a99b/npma-forms-information/). Accessed 2026-11-10.
- [US EPA, Termites: How to Identify and Control Them](https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/termites-how-identify-and-control-them). Accessed 2026-11-10.

## Questions

### Does this guide replace a local inspection?

No. Confirm the pest, current licence and treatment scope with the company and relevant authority.