By Alex Rodino, REALTOR® | Georgia real estate license #443565 | U.S. Army veteran
Last updated: October 2026
VA lists Georgia among the states where wood destroying insect information is required before the Notice of Value, and since June 2022 VA has allowed Veterans to pay for that inspection and any required repairs when the Notice of Value calls for it, while encouraging them to negotiate those costs with the seller.
High-rise condominium units have an inspection exception; side-by-side condominium units have a separate rule involving treatment evidence from the homeowners association. The property type and the Notice of Value, or NOV, matter. Ask your lender which requirements apply to the home you want to buy.
In a Georgia VA purchase, I raise the termite report with the seller when we negotiate, not after the appraisal.
When VA requires a termite inspection
In brief: VA requires an inspection when infestation or damage is apparent, and it requires an inspection report on the NOV for origination appraisals in specified termite probability zones. The handbook also gives property-specific exceptions. Start with the property, the appraisal findings, and the lender’s requirements.
Under VA Lenders Handbook Chapter 12, Topic 33.a, appraisers must report apparent evidence of wood destroying insect infestation, fungus growth, or dry rot. When infestation or damage is apparent, the appraisal must be subject to a wood destroying insect inspection, and all damage must be repaired.
Topic 33.b separately addresses location. On origination appraisals, an inspection report must be required on the NOV in areas classified as “very heavy” or “moderate to heavy” on the Termite Infestation Probability Map. That requirement does not depend on an appraiser first spotting an insect.
Why Georgia buyers should expect one
In brief: Georgia appears on VA’s statewide list for wood destroying insect information considered before the Notice of Value. For a Georgia home purchase, put that information on your lender’s checklist early. Keep the condominium rules and possible detached-shed exclusion in view instead of assuming every property has identical requirements.
The VA Local Requirements page names Georgia in the list covering an entire state. It also points readers to Chapter 12, Section 33. Use that statewide listing as your starting point, then ask the lender how the handbook applies to the particular property.
Before choosing a home, add this to your questions to ask a VA lender: what insect information will you need for this property, and when should we arrange it?
VA termite rules at a glance
In brief: VA lists Georgia among the states where wood destroying insect information is required before the Notice of Value, and since June 2022 VA has allowed Veterans to pay for that inspection and any required repairs when the Notice of Value calls for it, while encouraging them to negotiate those costs with the seller.
| Situation | VA rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Any Georgia property | Georgia is on the statewide insect-information list; check the property-specific rules below. | Local Requirements |
| Damage or infestation apparent | The appraisal must be subject to an inspection, and all damage must be repaired. | Chapter 12, 33.a |
| High-rise condominium unit | No termite inspection required for vertically stacked units. | Chapter 12, 33.e |
| Villa or townhome-style condominium | Side-by-side units in “very heavy” or “moderate to heavy” zones require an inspection on the NOV unless the association provides treatment evidence. | Chapter 12, 33.e |
| Detached shed with no appraised value | Small sheds or other detached, non-residential improvements may be excluded from the inspection report. | Chapter 12, 33.d |
| Who may pay when the NOV requires it | The Veteran may pay the inspection charge and is encouraged to negotiate with the seller. | Circular 26-22-11, 3 |
| Required repairs | The Veteran may pay for repairs needed to meet Minimum Property Requirements. | Circular 26-22-11, 3 |
| Paperwork | An itemized invoice identifying the Veteran and property is required to verify the cost on the Closing Disclosure. | Circular 26-22-11, 3.a |
Sources: VA Local Requirements, statewide list; M26-7 Chapter 12, Topic 33.a, d, and e; Circular 26-22-11, sections 3 and 3.a.
Who pays for the termite report on a VA loan
In brief: The Veteran may be charged for a wood destroying pest inspection required by the NOV and may pay for repairs needed to meet VA’s Minimum Property Requirements. VA encourages negotiation with the seller. That permission does not assign the bill to either party in your contract.
Circular 26-22-11, section 3, made the inspection-payment permission effective June 15, 2022. The State Fees and Charges Deviations List, non-state specific item 1, dated February 17, 2026, still includes it. A blanket claim that Veterans cannot pay for a required termite report is outdated.
Section 3.a requires an itemized invoice identifying the Veteran and the property to verify the cost on the Closing Disclosure. Under Circular 26-24-19 Change 1, section 3, service-provider invoices must remain in the loan file and be supplied to VA upon request, including for VA Monitoring Unit oversight.
If the inspection is not required by the Notice of Value, ask your lender how the fee is handled. Related reading: closing costs in Georgia.
Negotiating it with the seller
In brief: VA’s circular explicitly encourages negotiating the inspection and required repair costs with the seller. Raise the proposed arrangement when preparing the offer. Ask the lender what the property needs, and leave room in your planning to address damage and the documentation that follows an inspection.
In a home search, I keep the report on our offer checklist. If you are considering a condominium, I ask about its layout and available association treatment evidence. I bring the lender’s property requirements into the contract discussion so we can address inspection access and repair responsibilities with the seller.
Ask who will arrange the inspection, how its findings will be shared, and how you will discuss any required work. Use the PCS home buying timeline to organize that conversation. For another part of the offer discussion, read about VA seller concessions.
This article explains general VA and FHA program rules for education only. It is not lending, legal, tax or financial advice and is not an offer or commitment to lend. Lenders may apply stricter requirements of their own. Talk to a licensed mortgage professional about your situation. Alex Rodino is a REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty Coastal Area Partners, Georgia real estate license #443565. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Frequently asked questions
In brief: Keep the inspection requirement, payment permission, and repair requirement separate when asking your lender about a property. Georgia’s statewide listing is the starting point. The condominium rules, NOV language, and invoice requirements explain the details that matter for the report and your offer discussions.
Does a VA loan require a termite inspection in Georgia?
VA lists Georgia as a state where wood destroying insect information is required before the Notice of Value. For a Georgia purchase, raise the report with your lender early, while checking the property-specific exceptions in Chapter 12, Topic 33. High-rise condominium units have a different rule from side-by-side condominium units. A small detached shed with no appraised value may also be excluded from the inspection report; that does not exclude the home.
Who pays for the termite inspection on a VA loan?
A Veteran may pay for a wood destroying pest inspection when the Notice of Value requires it. VA Circular 26-22-11 encourages Veterans to negotiate that cost with the seller, so the permission does not settle who will pay in your purchase. Discuss the proposed arrangement during offer negotiations and confirm the documentation with your lender. If the inspection is optional rather than NOV-required, ask the lender how the fee is handled.
Can the Veteran pay for termite repairs on a VA loan?
VA allows Veterans to pay for repairs required to meet its Minimum Property Requirements. Circular 26-22-11 states that permission separately from the inspection-charge rule and encourages negotiation with the seller. Permission to pay does not remove the repair requirement or tell you what work your property needs. Ask your lender to identify the required repairs and documentation, then discuss the proposed responsibility and timing with your real estate agent.
Do condos need a VA termite inspection?
VA distinguishes vertically stacked high-rise condominium units from side-by-side villa and townhome-style condominium units. Chapter 12, Topic 33.e says a termite inspection is not required for the high-rise units. For side-by-side units in a very heavy or moderate to heavy termite probability zone, the NOV must require an inspection unless the homeowners association provides evidence of treatment. Ask your lender which provision applies and what association evidence is needed for the property.
What happens if the termite report finds damage?
VA requires the damage covered by its wood destroying insect rule to be repaired. Chapter 12, Topic 33.a also requires the appraisal to be subject to an inspection when infestation or damage is apparent. Bring the findings to your lender and discuss the required work, documentation, and timing before making a commitment about repairs. Your real estate agent can help address the seller discussion and contract arrangements; the lender handles the loan requirements.
Is it true that Veterans cannot pay for a termite inspection?
A blanket statement that Veterans cannot pay for a required termite inspection is outdated. Effective June 15, 2022, Circular 26-22-11 authorized Veterans to pay wood destroying pest inspection charges where the NOV requires the inspection. VA still lists that permission in its State Fees and Charges Deviations List dated February 17, 2026. Keep the NOV condition attached to the answer, and ask your lender separately about an inspection you choose to obtain voluntarily.
Buying with a VA loan in Coastal Georgia?
In brief: I can help you connect the home search with the offer and inspection timeline. Bring your lender’s property requirements to our conversation so we can discuss the listing, ask the seller useful questions, and plan the contract steps around the home you want to buy.
For military relocation help in Coastal Georgia, contact Alex, call 912-351-8935, or text 912-210-8967. I help with the home and contract; talk to a licensed mortgage professional about your loan situation.
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