What Does a Termite Inspection Cost? Free Inspections vs. a Real WDO Report

A termite inspection cost depends entirely on which of two different products you’re buying. A “free termite inspection” is a sales visit and costs nothing. A WDO report (wood-destroying organism report) is a paid, documented, signed inspection that typically runs $75 to $200, sometimes up to $325 for large or complex homes. They are not the same thing, and almost nobody explains the gap.

Quick Answer: Free Termite Inspection vs. WDO Report

A free termite inspection is a marketing visit offered by pest control companies hoping to sell a treatment or annual contract. It costs $0 and usually ends in a verbal finding plus a proposal. A WDO report is a formal, written, state-regulated document on a standardized form, signed by a licensed inspector, and it typically costs $75 to $200. Lenders and real-estate contracts require the WDO report, not the free one.

The Two Products, Side by Side

	Free termite inspection	WDO / termite report
Typical cost	$0	$75–$200 (up to $325 for large or multi-structure properties)
What you get	Verbal findings, a written treatment proposal	A signed report on a state-recognized form, often with a diagram
Who accepts it	Nobody, formally	Lenders, escrow, buyers, sellers, some relocation programs
Time on site	20–45 minutes	45 minutes to 2 hours
Purpose	Sell a treatment or a plan	Document condition as of a specific date
Liability attached	Essentially none	The inspector signs it and owns the findings

What a Free Termite Inspection Is Actually For

It’s a sales call. That’s not an insult, and it’s not a scam — it’s just the business model. A company sends a licensed inspector out at no charge because a meaningful share of those visits turn into a treatment sale or a yearly termite plan. The inspection itself can be genuinely competent. The inspector is usually licensed, usually knows what he’s looking at, and usually checks the same areas he’d check on a paid job.

What you’re not getting is the paperwork. There’s no signed form, no standardized disclosure, no diagram, no formal statement of what was and wasn’t accessible. If you show a lender a treatment proposal from a free inspection, they’ll ask for the actual report.

A free inspection is the right call when you’ve seen something you can’t identify — mud tubes on a foundation wall, a swarm of winged insects at a window in spring, a spot of drywall that dimples under thumb pressure — and you want a trained set of eyes on it before you spend money. Just walk in knowing the visit ends with a quote, and that the quote is the point.

If you’re not sure what you’re looking at yet, read up on early termite damage signs first so you can describe it accurately when you call.

What a WDO Report Actually Is

WDO stands for wood-destroying organism. The report covers more than termites — depending on the state and the form, it also covers wood-boring beetles, carpenter ants, carpenter bees, and wood-decay fungus. In some states it’s called a WDI report (wood-destroying insect), and the fungus portion may or may not be included.

A real WDO report is a structured document. It generally includes:

• The inspector’s license number and signature, and the company’s license number
• The property address and the date and time of inspection
• A checklist of findings: visible evidence of live activity, visible evidence of previous activity, visible damage, previous treatment evidence
• A diagram — often hand-drawn on graph paper or a grid section of the form — showing where the findings are on the structure
• An explicit list of obstructed or inaccessible areas
• Recommendations, if any, and whether treatment is proposed

That diagram is the part homeowners skip and shouldn’t. If the inspector marked mud tubes on the northeast pier of the crawlspace, that’s a specific, checkable claim you can go verify with a flashlight. A report with a blank or generic diagram and a lot of boilerplate is a weak report.

Forms and requirements vary by state. Some states use a single mandated form statewide. Others let the company use its own as long as required elements appear. Federal loan programs have their own accepted form. Confirm what your state and your lender want before you pay for anything — ask the operator directly which form they’ll be issuing.

Get Matched With a Local Termite Inspector

Exterminator Dispatch is a free nationwide matching service that routes your request to an independently owned, licensed local exterminator in your area. Tell us whether you need a free look or a formal WDO report for a closing, and the request goes to an operator who handles that. Call (888) 295-0220 for 24/7 dispatch, or check coverage on the service areas page. We route the request and set no pricing — the operator inspects, quotes, and treats.

When a Lender or Contract Requires a WDO Report

The requirement comes from one of three places, and it helps to know which one you’re dealing with:

1. The loan program. Government-backed loans commonly require a termite/WDO report in areas the lender considers termite-prone, which is most of the country outside the coldest northern tier and high-altitude interior West. Conventional loans usually don’t require one by default.
2. The purchase contract. In a lot of markets the standard contract includes a WDO clause regardless of loan type, often making the seller responsible for the report and for corrective treatment up to a dollar cap.
3. You asked for it. Buyers order one voluntarily all the time, and in an active termite region that’s cheap insurance for the price of a nice dinner.

Termite pressure isn’t uniform. Subterranean termites are found in nearly every state in the lower 48. Drywood termites are largely a coastal and southern-tier issue — Florida, the Gulf Coast, southern California, parts of Arizona. Formosan subterranean termites are concentrated along the Gulf Coast and in Hawaii. A report in a cold-winter Northeast market and a report in coastal Louisiana are looking for different things, which is one reason the forms differ by state.

What the Inspector Is and Isn’t Obligated to Look At

This is the single biggest source of homeowner frustration after a closing goes sideways. A WDO inspection is a visual inspection of readily accessible areas. That phrase is doing enormous work.

What normally gets inspected:

• The accessible exterior foundation perimeter, siding-to-grade, and any exposed wood in contact with soil
• The crawlspace, if there’s an accessible entry and adequate clearance
• The basement, including sill plates, joists, and the band board
• The attic, if there’s a usable access hatch
• The garage, including the bottom plate and any interior framing
• Accessible interior wood: door and window frames, baseboards, trim, exposed beams
• Plumbing penetrations, bath traps, and any area with a known moisture history

What normally does not get inspected, and should appear in the obstructions section:

• Anything behind finished walls, insulation, or paneling
• Crawlspaces with under 18 inches of clearance, standing water, or no access
• Areas blocked by stored boxes, furniture, or shelving
• Attics with no access or with blown-in insulation covering the framing
• Soil under slabs, and the interior of hollow block
• Sheds, fences, and detached structures, unless specifically included

Inspectors generally do not move your belongings, cut into walls, or dig. If the crawlspace is full of storage totes, move them before the appointment. An obstructed area is an unexamined area, and an unexamined area can hold a colony.

What “No Visible Evidence” Does and Doesn’t Mean

A clean report says there was no visible evidence of wood-destroying organisms in the accessible areas on the date of inspection. That’s it. It is not a warranty, not a guarantee the house is termite-free, and not a statement about next year.

Subterranean termites work from the soil up through concealed galleries and can be active inside a wall for years with nothing showing on the surface. Drywood termites live entirely inside the wood and may only announce themselves through tiny kick-out holes and small piles of hard, six-sided fecal pellets that look like coarse pepper or sawdust. A competent inspector finds evidence when evidence is visible. He cannot find what the drywall is hiding.

Also note: “evidence of previous treatment” on a report is not bad news by itself. In heavy-pressure regions a treated house is often the safer buy. What matters is whether the treatment was documented, what product was used, and whether a bond or warranty transferred with the house. Ask for the treatment records.

How Long Each Takes

A free inspection on an average single-family home runs 20 to 45 minutes, plus time to write the proposal. A WDO inspection on the same house typically runs 45 minutes to about 2 hours, because the inspector is documenting as he goes, drawing the diagram, and noting obstructions. A large home, a difficult crawlspace, or a multi-structure property can push past two hours. Written reports usually come back same day to 48 hours.

If someone is in and out of your house in 12 minutes and hands you a signed WDO report, that’s a walkthrough with paperwork attached, not an inspection. Push back.

Need a Termite Inspection Scheduled?

Whether you need a sales-free formal report for a closing or just want someone to look at a suspicious mud tube, one call gets it routed. Dial (888) 295-0220 and describe what you’re seeing — damage patterns, the season, where on the structure. Not sure it’s termites at all? Compare notes with our guide to early termite damage signs. Exterminator Dispatch is a free nationwide referral service and sets no pricing.

Questions That Separate a Thorough Inspection From a Walkthrough

Ask these before you book, and ask them again on site. The answers tell you a lot fast.

• “Which form will you be issuing, and will it satisfy my lender?” A good operator names the form. A vague answer is a flag.
• “Will you be entering the crawlspace and the attic, or inspecting from the access point?” Entering means crawling the full accessible area. “From the hatch” is not an inspection of the space.
• “How will inaccessible areas be documented?” You want them itemized on the form, not summarized as “some areas obstructed.”
• “Do you use a moisture meter, and will readings be noted?” Moisture is the leading indicator for both subterranean termites and decay fungus. Elevated readings at a bath trap or band board matter even with no insect evidence.
• “Will I get the diagram and photos with the report?” Photos aren’t universally required, but operators who take them tend to inspect more carefully.
• “If you find something, is the treatment quote separate from the report fee?” It should be. A report price that’s contingent on buying treatment is a conflict of interest.
• “Is the inspector the person who’ll sign the report?” The signer should be the person who was physically in your crawlspace.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a termite inspection cost?

A free termite inspection costs nothing because it’s a sales visit that ends with a treatment proposal. A formal WDO or termite report typically costs $75 to $200 from licensed operators, and can reach roughly $325 for large, multi-structure, or hard-access properties. Pricing is set by the independent operator, not by any referral service.

Is a free termite inspection worth it?

Yes, if you know what it is. A free inspection gets a licensed set of eyes on a suspicious finding at no cost, and the inspector is often just as qualified as on a paid job. What you don’t get is the signed, standardized report with a diagram and an obstruction list. For a closing, a loan, or a legal record, you need the paid WDO report.

Does a WDO report guarantee there are no termites?

No. A WDO report documents that there was no visible evidence of wood-destroying organisms in readily accessible areas on the date of the inspection. Termites can be active inside walls, under slabs, or in inaccessible crawlspace areas with nothing visible. The report is a snapshot, not a warranty.

Who pays for the termite inspection in a home sale?

It depends on the purchase contract and local custom, and it varies widely by market. In many areas the standard contract assigns the WDO report and any required corrective treatment to the seller, often capped at a dollar amount. In others the buyer orders and pays for it. Check your contract language and confirm with your agent.

How long is a termite inspection report good for?

Most lenders and contracts treat a WDO report as valid for 30 to 90 days from the inspection date, with 90 days being common. If a closing drags past that window, the lender may require a re-inspection. Confirm the accepted window with your lender before scheduling, since requirements vary by state and loan program.

What’s the difference between a WDO report and a home inspection?

A general home inspector evaluates overall structure and systems and will note obvious pest evidence, but usually isn’t licensed to issue a WDO report. A WDO inspection is performed by a pest-licensed inspector on a state-recognized form specific to wood-destroying organisms. Many buyers get both, because they answer different questions.

About Exterminator Dispatch

Exterminator Dispatch is a free nationwide referral service. We match homeowners with independently owned, licensed local exterminators. We are not a pest control company, we don’t perform treatments, and we don’t set pricing — the operator inspects, quotes, and treats.