Section 8 Inspection Checklist (NSPIRE): Room-by-Room Guide

Most Section 8 units that fail inspection don’t fail for big problems. They fail for small things: a smoke alarm in the wrong place, an outlet next to the sink without GFCI protection, a dryer vent made of the wrong material. Each one is cheap to fix, but a fail still means a reinspection and a delayed rent start.

The good news is that you can catch almost all of these yourself. This guide walks through a unit room by room, the way an inspector would, using HUD’s NSPIRE standards, which are replacing the older HQS standards for voucher inspections.

Download the free printable checklist (PDF)

Before you start

Confirm which standard your PHA uses. Every housing authority must move voucher inspections to NSPIRE by February 1, 2027, and many already have. NSPIRE is more specific than HQS, so if you’re unsure, prepare for NSPIRE. A unit that meets NSPIRE will generally meet HQS too.

Bring a few simple tools:

• A plug-in outlet tester with a GFCI test button (about $10–15 at a hardware store)
• A step stool for testing alarms
• A flashlight
• Your phone, for photos of anything you need to fix

Walk it at the same time of day as the inspection, if you can. Lighting problems and dark stairways are easier to spot.

Whole-unit items (check these in every room)

These apply everywhere and cause the most fails.

Smoke alarms. This is the single most common fail item, and under NSPIRE a missing or non-working alarm is treated as life-threatening. You need:

• One inside each bedroom
• One outside each sleeping area, within 21 feet of any bedroom door (measured along the path you’d walk), and another on the living-area side of a door if a door separates the hallway alarm from the living area
• One on every level, including basements
• Alarms that are hardwired or have sealed 10-year batteries. HUD’s current guidance (Notice PIH 2026-18) requires this since December 29, 2024, so regular replaceable-battery alarms no longer meet it.
• Every alarm should sound when you press the test button, and nothing should block it.

Carbon monoxide alarms. Required when the unit has a fuel-burning appliance or fireplace, is served by a forced-air furnace, or sits next to certain attached garages. For the common cases, you need one in or right next to each bedroom. Test each one.

Electrical:

• No exposed wiring, open junction boxes, or missing outlet and switch covers
• Outlets work, and three-prong outlets are properly grounded (your tester will show this)
• Every outlet within 6 feet of a water source (sink, tub, shower, indoors or outside) is GFCI protected, and the GFCI test and reset buttons work
• The electrical panel is easy to reach, not blocked by furniture or storage, with no open breaker slots

Heating. There must be a working, permanently installed heating source. Unvented space heaters that burn gas, oil, or kerosene aren’t allowed.

Walls, ceilings, and floors. Look for holes that go all the way through, water stains, signs of leaks, and anything that looks like mold. Check for trip hazards like torn carpet, loose tiles, or raised flooring edges.

Paint. If the home was built before 1978, peeling, chipping, or cracking paint is a lead-based paint concern. Fix it using lead-safe work practices.

Pests. No signs of roaches, rodents, bedbugs, or other infestations.

Windows. Glass not cracked or broken, windows that are designed to open actually open and stay open, and locks work.

Living room

• At least one window, in good condition
• Working light or outlets as required by your PHA
• Smoke alarm nearby if the living room is outside the sleeping area (see the 21-foot rule above)
• No trip hazards, holes, or water damage

HUD’s regulation (24 CFR 5.703(d)) requires a voucher unit to have a living room and a kitchen area. If you’re counting a room as a bedroom, make sure another space can clearly serve as the living area.

Kitchen

• A sink with hot and cold running water
• A working cooking appliance (stove or range) with all burners and the oven working, and knobs in place
• A working refrigerator that keeps food cold, with intact door seals
• Space to prepare and store food: counters and cabinets in usable condition
• A permanently mounted light fixture
• GFCI protection for outlets within 6 feet of the sink
• Range hood or exhaust, if present, working and not blocked by grease
• HUD’s smoke alarm standard recommends keeping alarms at least 10 feet from a cooking appliance to avoid nuisance alarms

Bathrooms

• A sink, toilet, and tub or shower, all working
• Toilet secure (not rocking), flushes and refills properly
• Hot and cold running water at the sink and tub or shower
• Ventilation: either a working exhaust fan or a window that opens
• A permanently mounted light fixture
• GFCI protection on outlets near water
• A door that closes for privacy
• Grab bars, if present, secure
• No leaks under the sink, and no soft or damaged floors around the toilet or tub

Bedrooms

• A smoke alarm inside the room
• At least one window, in good condition, that opens if designed to open, and isn’t blocked
• A door that works
• Working outlets and lighting
• No holes, water damage, or pest signs

For voucher units, HUD’s regulation (24 CFR 5.703(d)) also requires at least one bedroom or living/sleeping room for every two people in the household.

Hallways and stairs

• Smoke alarms placed to cover the sleeping area
• Handrails on any stairs with 4 or more risers, on at least one side, secure, continuous for the full flight, and easy to grip
• Guardrails wherever there’s a drop of 30 inches or more (lofts, landings, balconies)
• Stairs not loose, broken, or missing treads
• Working lighting in stairways

Laundry and utility areas

• Water heater: has a temperature and pressure relief (TPR) valve with a discharge pipe that runs downward and ends 2 to 6 inches from the flood level of the floor drain or other waste receptor. A capped, upward-sloping or leaking discharge line is a severe deficiency; a missing one, or one ending too high or too low, is moderate. Both are 30-day items.
• Gas appliances: properly vented, with no gas smell
• Dryer vent: connected, not blocked by lint, and made of suitable material. A transition duct made of unsuitable material, such as thin plastic or vinyl, can fail; metal ducting is the safe choice.
• Furnace: vented properly, with no damage to the exhaust pipe

Outside and entry

• Entry doors close, latch, and lock
• Steps and porches solid, with handrails at 4 or more risers and guardrails at drops of 30 inches or more
• Any outlet within 6 feet of a water source, such as an outside faucet, GFCI protected
• No damaged or missing siding, roofing, or gutters that let water in
• Trash and debris removed from the yard
• Address numbers visible (helps the inspector find you, and some PHAs check it)

Fix these first

Under NSPIRE, life-threatening deficiencies must be corrected within 24 hours of the PHA’s notice. Severe and moderate deficiencies must be corrected within 30 days, or a longer period your PHA approves. The PHA’s notice states the deadline for each item.

These common items are life-threatening under NSPIRE (24 hours):

1. Missing, obstructed, or non-working smoke alarms
2. Missing, obstructed, or non-working carbon monoxide alarms
3. Exposed wiring, or a damaged outlet or switch
4. Dryer vents that are blocked, disconnected, or made of unsuitable material
5. Gas leaks, or a blocked or disconnected vent on a fuel-burning heater or water heater
6. Missing guardrails where they’re required

These common fail items have a 30-day deadline:

1. An outlet within 6 feet of water without GFCI protection (severe)
2. A missing or improperly ending water heater discharge pipe (moderate)
3. Handrails that have gone missing or come loose (moderate)

On inspection day

• Make sure all utilities are on: water, electricity, and gas. Inspectors can’t test appliances without them.
• Make sure the inspector can access every room, the panel, the water heater, and the furnace.
• If the unit is occupied, give your tenant notice and ask them to secure pets.
• Keep your repair receipts and before-and-after photos handy in case questions come up.

Keep a record of your walkthrough

Taking photos and notes as you go makes repairs easier to track and gives you proof of what you fixed and when. That’s useful if your PHA sends a deficiency notice or you need to show work was completed before a reinspection.

PassFirst is an iPhone app built for this walkthrough. It guides you room by room using HUD’s NSPIRE reference data, turns anything that needs repair into a tracked task with before-and-after photos, and keeps official notice details and reinspection dates in one place. Your records stay on your iPhone, and no account is needed.

Download PassFirst on the App Store

FAQ

What is the most common reason a Section 8 inspection fails?

Smoke alarms. Under NSPIRE, they must be inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level, and they must be hardwired or have sealed 10-year batteries. Many units that passed under HQS with older battery alarms now fail.

Does every outlet need to be GFCI?

No. Under NSPIRE, outlets within 6 feet of a water source like a sink, tub, or shower must have GFCI protection. The protection can come from a GFCI outlet or a GFCI breaker. The same rule applies outside, for example near an outdoor faucet.

Do I need a carbon monoxide alarm for Section 8?

In most cases, yes: when the unit has a fuel-burning appliance or fireplace, a forced-air furnace, or certain attached garages. The standard sets exact locations, usually in or next to each bedroom.

Is the NSPIRE checklist the same everywhere?

The federal NSPIRE standards are the same nationwide, but each housing authority runs its own inspections and may have local requirements. Always ask your PHA for its checklist.

What happens if my unit fails?

You’ll get a notice listing each deficiency and its deadline: 24 hours for life-threatening items, and 30 days (or a PHA-approved extension) for severe and moderate ones. The PHA then confirms the repairs, either by reinspecting or, if its policy allows, from photos or other evidence. For a new tenancy, the HAP contract usually starts only after the unit passes. Some PHAs allow it to start when only non-life-threatening items remain, as long as you fix them within 30 days, so ask yours which policy it uses. For the full walkthrough, see what landlords should do after a failed inspection.

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This checklist is general guidance, not legal advice, and it doesn’t cover every possible NSPIRE deficiency. Requirements and procedures vary by housing authority, so always follow your PHA’s written guidance. PassFirst is a self-check and organization tool. It isn’t an official inspection and is not affiliated with HUD or any housing authority.

Sources: 24 CFR 5.703, National standards for the condition of HUD housing (eCFR); HUD NSPIRE Standards; HUD NSPIRE HCV/PBV Inspection Checklist; HUD Notice PIH 2026-18; 24 CFR 982.405 (eCFR); NSPIRE standards for Smoke Alarm, Carbon Monoxide Alarm, Handrail and Guardrail. Living-room and occupancy rules are from 24 CFR 5.703(d). Checked October 2026.