Learn how to inspect commercial buildings and assess property conditions across a variety of building types.
Through our certification program, training, and professional development resources, you’ll gain the knowledge and support needed to become a CCPIA® Certified Commercial Property Inspector and build long-term success in the industry.
To become a CCPIA® Certified Commercial Property Inspector, you must complete the baseline certification requirements, which are included with an All-Access Account. Your Education Dashboard provides a step-by-step checklist to complete the certification process. Courses are self-paced, can be taken in any order, and are available as soon as you join.
Commercial property inspectors evaluate and document the condition of buildings and their systems in accordance with the scope defined by the International Standards of Practice for Inspecting Commercial Properties (ComSOP). They assess a wide range of systems, such as roofing, MEP, structure, building envelope, exterior features, and life safety elements. Note that the inspection is visual-only and does not include documenting AHJ code-compliance.
These reports are often used by building owners, buyers, lessees, lessors, property managers, insurers, lenders, and other commercial real estate professionals to understand the property’s condition. In many cases, the findings support capital planning, budgeting for immediate repairs, and long-term maintenance or improvement decisions.
The certification program helps inspectors gain expertise in inspecting various types of commercial buildings, including:
Our certified inspector base includes individuals with backgrounds in home inspection, the licensed trades, engineering, contracting, facility management, maintenance, government and field inspections, as well as commercial real estate and property management.
Many pursue certification to deepen their understanding of building systems and conditions, and begin offering inspection services to those acquiring, selling, leasing, or managing properties. Note that no prior experience is required, as CCPIA® provides a complete training path to learning how to confidently perform inspections.
However, we typically recommend that those without prior inspection or building system experience first attain InterNACHI’s Certified Professional Inspector (CPI®) designation, as understanding residential systems helps build a strong foundation for the commercial sector.
The certification process assesses your knowledge of the ComSOP, the CCPIA® Code of Ethics, and core inspection competencies, including building system operation, inspecting commercial buildings systems and components, and identifying common issues and physical deficiencies within the ComSOP scope.
Through the certification program, and any additional training you may choose to complete, you’ll learn how to evaluate property conditions and accurately inventory building systems and components. Inspectors are trained to identify and document issues related to deferred maintenance, physical damage, poor installation or workmanship, and systems approaching the end of their service life.
The time required and specific training path will vary based on your familiarity with commercial building systems and your preferred learning style. To help you meet the certification requirements and core inspection competencies, choose from:
All training needed to attain certification is available on-demand and can be completed at your own pace. Inspectors who prefer real-time or hands-on learning can also attend live online or in-person training sessions.
To explore available training, visit the On-Demand Courses Library (all included with membership) and the Training Calendar for upcoming live online and in-person classes (members receive a discount).
Once you complete the Online Commercial Property Inspector Exam, as part of the certification requirements, you’ll receive a breakdown of your score by building system and topic. You can use this feedback to guide any additional training offered through CCPIA® beyond the required courses, helping you prepare for and complete the certification program, and feel confident and qualified as an inspector.
For example, if you don’t pass the low-slope roofing section, you can take the on-demand course specifically focused on that topic.
Once certified, you’ll gain access to:
Continue building your knowledge and commercial property inspection expertise with:
Visit the Membership Benefits page for a complete overview of all training and resources included with an All-Access Account, or check out the New Member Guide to get started.
Learn about the certification requirements, explore All-Access Membership benefits,
and join today for unlimited access to certification, training, and support.
