The Official Alabama Wood Infestation Inspection Report is the written record of visible active or previous infestation by wood-destroying organisms, set out in Alabama Administrative Code Rule 80-10-9-.18. Only a qualified inspector may inspect, and a permitted person must issue it. It covers visible, accessible areas, and lenders often ask for it when a home is sold or refinanced.
Key takeaways
- The official report is defined by Alabama Administrative Code Rule 80-10-9-.18, which sets out who may inspect and who may issue it.
- The inspection covers visible, accessible areas, so a clean report does not prove that concealed infestation is absent.
- The rule does not require inspecting inaccessible areas, and the report says nothing about what was never reached.
- Under the rule as written, an infestation found within ninety days of issuance, where apparent freedom was certified, must be treated free of charge.
- Lenders often ask for the report as a condition of a sale or refinancing, so a homeowner should check the lender's request early.
- The report is a separate inspection with its own scope, and a treatment or a termite bond is a different arrangement with its own contract.
What is the official Alabama wood infestation report?
It is the written instrument Alabama's rules use to record visible active or previous infestation by wood-destroying organisms. The form is official, and its scope and signatories are set by the rule rather than by any one company.
Rule 80-10-9-.18 of the Alabama Administrative Code makes the Official Alabama Wood Infestation Inspection Report the required written instrument for recording visible active or previous infestation by wood-destroying organisms. The report records what the inspector saw on the day. It is not a treatment plan, and it does not describe conditions the inspector could not reach. Reading it as a snapshot rather than a permanent statement is the first step to using it well.
The report covers the wood-destroying organisms named in the rule, which include subterranean termites, powder post beetles and wood-decaying fungi. The rule sets different treatment standards for those groups, so it does not treat every organism the same way. In this part of Alabama, subterranean termites are usually the main concern, which is why the official report is most often discussed in connection with them.
Who is allowed to inspect and issue the report?
Only a qualified inspector may inspect, and only a person certified and permitted in the structural pest control category for wood-destroying organisms may complete and issue the report. The rule separates those two roles, so a homeowner should ask who will sign.
The rule separates the inspection from the issuing. A qualified inspector walks the property and records what can be seen. The report itself must be completed and issued by a person who holds the wood-destroying organisms permit within the structural pest control category. That person may or may not be the one who walked the building, so the homeowner should ask who will sign before the inspection is booked.
The Alabama Cooperative Extension System publishes information on the wood-destroying organisms permit category, including what a commercial applicator needs to show for it. A homeowner who wants to check a company's position can ask for its Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries credential and its wood-destroying organisms permit category on the call. That is a reasonable question, and a company that answers it plainly makes the comparison easier. A homeowner who gets the answer in writing, with the inspector and issuer named, is in a far better position than one who relies on a verbal summary.
What does the inspection cover, and what does it leave out?
The inspection covers visible, accessible areas under accepted procedures. Concealed infestation in inaccessible areas may not be found, and the rule does not require inspecting those areas. A clean report describes what the inspector could see.
This limit is the most important thing to understand about the report. An inspector looks at the wood, the sill plate, the joists and any space that can be reached without damage. Walls, voids, areas behind finished surfaces and tight spaces under some floors may not be accessible, and the report does not claim to have looked inside them. A homeowner should read what the report says about its scope before relying on it.
Homeowners sometimes read a clean report as proof that a house is free of termites. That is a mistake, because the report is a record of visible areas on the day of inspection. An infestation can exist in a hidden part of the structure, and a careful buyer or owner asks what was not accessible before relying on the result. Asking that question early avoids a surprise later, and it costs nothing.
What does the ninety-day rule require?
Under the rule as written, the period runs ninety days from issuance. If an infestation from which apparent freedom was certified is found within that time, the licensee must treat the infested structure free of charge, with separate standards for subterranean termites, powder post beetles and wood-decaying fungi.
The rule sets a clear period for certified freedom. Within ninety days of issuance, if an infestation turns up that the report had described as apparent freedom, the licensee must treat the infested structure at no charge. The treatment standards differ for subterranean termites, powder post beetles and wood-decaying fungi, so the period means something different for each organism.
This provision is a rule requirement, not a promise from any particular company. A homeowner who wants to know how it applies to a specific report should read the rule text and ask the licensee who issued the report. Do not assume the ninety-day period carries over to any other document, and do not treat it as a general assurance about the whole house.
Why do lenders ask for this report?
Lenders often ask for the report as a condition of financing a sale or refinancing. The rule contemplates the report for that purpose, so the trigger is usually the lender's request rather than a general mandate on every sale.
The report gives a lender a written record of visible wood-destroying organism activity at a point in time. A lender uses that record to judge the condition of the property securing the loan, and the request often arrives during the closing process. The rule has this use in mind, but it does not make the report mandatory for every sale in Alabama, and whether a particular sale needs one depends on the lender and the contract.
A homeowner selling a house should ask the buyer's lender early whether the report is needed and what form it must take. A seller who learns of the requirement late may have to schedule the inspection in a hurry. Asking at the start leaves time to book the inspection and address any findings before the sale contract's deadlines arrive.
What is a waiver form, and when is one used?
A waiver form is used where a required treatment cannot be performed in some area. Under Rule 80-10-9-.16 the owner or their agent must sign it before treatment, so a homeowner should read what the form excludes.
Some areas of a building may not be treatable the way the rule requires, for example where access is blocked. In that case the company cannot simply skip the area, and the rule calls for a waiver form that records the gap. The owner or an agent signs it before any treatment begins, which puts the exclusion on paper before the work starts.
A waiver is a record, not a shortcut. A homeowner who signs one should read exactly which area is excluded and why, and ask what the excluded area means for the outcome. The paperwork exists so that both sides know what was and was not treated. Ask to see the waiver before work starts, not after, and keep a copy with the report. The Alabama wood infestation report service explains how that paperwork is arranged. Keep the final report with the closing papers so it can be found later if a question comes up.
What should a homeowner check before relying on the report?
Check who inspected, who issued the report, which areas were accessible, what the report says about its scope, and whether a waiver was signed. Those five points tell you more than the report's cover page.
Start with the names. The inspector and the person who issued the report should both be identified, and the issuer should hold the wood-destroying organisms permit category. Next check the scope: which areas were visible and accessible, and which were not. If a waiver was used, confirm which area it covers and read the reason it was needed. These steps take minutes, and they prevent misunderstandings later.
Treat the report as a record of one inspection on one day. If the house has a crawl space, a slab, outbuildings or a manufactured home structure, ask how those features were handled and whether any part was not reached. A homeowner who wants ongoing checks rather than a single report should understand that a termite bond or reinspection arrangement is a separate contract, and the report does not replace it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I always need this report to sell a house?
Not as a general rule. The rule contemplates the report as a condition of financing or refinancing, and lenders often ask for it. Whether a particular sale needs one depends on the lender and the contract. Ask the buyer's lender or the closing agent what is required before you book the inspection.
Who can sign the official report?
A person certified and permitted in the structural pest control category for wood-destroying organisms may complete and issue it. A qualified inspector may inspect the property. The rule separates the two roles, so ask who will sign the report and check that person's permit category. A homeowner can ask any company, at any time, for its credential and its wood-destroying organisms permit category.
Will the report find termites hidden inside the walls?
Not necessarily. The inspection covers visible, accessible areas under accepted procedures, and concealed infestation in inaccessible areas may not be found. The rule does not require inspecting those areas. If you need to know about hidden spaces, ask the inspector what was accessible and what was not, and whether any further inspection is possible. A written note of the limits is more useful than a clean summary.
What is the ninety-day rule?
Under Rule 80-10-9-.18 as written, when a structure was certified with apparent freedom and an infestation from that condition is found within ninety days of issuance, the licensee must treat the structure at no charge. The standards differ for subterranean termites, powder post beetles and wood-decaying fungi. This is a rule requirement, so read the rule text for the exact terms and ask the issuing licensee how it applies.
What is a waiver form for?
A waiver form is used when a required treatment cannot be performed in some area. The rule requires the owner or their agent to sign it before treatment begins. Read which area it excludes and the reason given, and ask what the gap means for the work. Do not sign a waiver you do not understand, and ask for a copy for your records.
Can I order the report before listing the house?
You can ask for an inspection at any time, and an early look can reveal problems that need time to address. Many homeowners prefer to know before a buyer's lender asks. A report is a snapshot of visible areas on the day, and it does not lock in a condition for later. Ask the technician what the findings cover and what would call for a new inspection.
Sources
This guide is general information for Bibb County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.