A wood destroying insect inspection form is where an inspector writes down what a visual WDI inspection actually covered: which structures and areas were looked at, what could not be reached and why, every sign of termites, carpenter ants, wood-boring beetles or carpenter bees, the conditions around the house that invite them, and any sign the property has been treated before. This one is your field record — it is not the NPMA-33 and not a state form — and you can fill it in here and download a PDF without an account.
This is your record, not the official report
Lenders and several states require a specific document when a WDI inspection is part of a sale. FHA and VA loans in many areas ask for the NPMA-33, and some states, such as California and Texas, prescribe their own official reports. Where one of those is required, it has to be completed and signed by whoever your state allows to issue it — often a licensed pest control operator, or an inspector working under that license.
This template does not replace those documents and is not laid out to look like them. Use it for what happens before the official form: the notes, the photos and the sketch of where you found things, so that the official report and any later dispute rest on a clear record. If you are not licensed to issue WDI reports in your state, it is also a way to document what you saw for your client and refer them on.
Visual and accessible means exactly that
A WDI inspection looks at what can be seen without moving belongings, lifting floor coverings or opening finished walls. Termites work inside wood and behind drywall, so a clean report says only that no evidence was visible in the areas inspected on that day.
That is why the areas you could not reach matter as much as the ones you could. Boxes stacked against basement walls, a finished lower level, insulation covering the sill plate, a crawlspace with eleven inches of clearance — record each one, with the reason and a photo, and say whether it should be looked at once it is opened up.
Reading the evidence
Each insect leaves its own signature. Record what you saw and where, and let the insect type follow from it:
- Subterranean termites build mud tubes up foundations and piers, and leave damaged wood packed with soil along the grain. Discarded wings near windows and doors in spring point to a swarm.
- Drywood termites push out small, hard pellets with six flattened sides, often piled under a kick-out hole.
- Carpenter ants leave coarse, shredded wood that often holds insect parts, with smooth, clean galleries and no mud.
- Powderpost and other wood-boring beetles leave small round exit holes and fine, flour-like frass.
- Carpenter bees drill neat holes about half an inch across in exposed, unpainted wood such as fascia and deck rails.
Conducive conditions are half the report
A house with no visible evidence can still be set up for trouble. Wood touching soil, form boards left in a crawlspace, firewood stacked against siding, mulch piled above the foundation, downspouts emptying at the wall and a damp crawlspace all make it easy for insects to arrive and stay.
These are things the owner can usually fix without a treatment, so list each one with a location and a photo. They also explain later activity: a clean report followed by termites two years on often traces back to a condition that was noted and never corrected.
Common questions
Is this the same as an NPMA-33 form?
No. The NPMA-33 is a specific standardized report used in many real estate transactions, and some states have their own official WDI forms. This template is the inspector's field record. When a lender or a state requires the official form, complete that form as well — this one does not stand in for it.
Do I need a license to perform a WDI inspection?
In many states, yes — issuing a WDI report for a fee is regulated pest control work, and a home inspector needs a pest control license or must work under a licensed company. The rules differ by state, so check with your state's pest control regulator before you offer WDI inspections.
What does "no visible evidence" mean?
It means nothing was seen in the areas that were accessible on the day. It is not a guarantee that the structure is free of insects or damage, because activity can be hidden inside walls, under floors and behind stored items. The not-inspected list in this form is what gives that statement its meaning.
Should the report say how much damage there is?
Record the damage you can see and where it is, with photos. Judging how far it runs inside a member, or whether the structure is still sound, needs probing or opening up and often a contractor or structural engineer. Say that further evaluation is recommended rather than estimating hidden damage.
What counts as evidence of a previous treatment?
Patterns of drilled and patched holes in slabs, patios or foundation walls, bait stations set in the soil around the house, plugged holes in wood, and treatment notices left in a garage or under a sink. Ask the seller for paperwork and any service contract, because only the records can tell you what was used and whether a warranty transfers.