Termite Letter Georgia: What It Is and Why Your Lender Requires It

First-time buyers sometimes assume that a standard home inspection covers termites. It does not — at least not in any way that satisfies your lender's requirements. In Georgia, if you're getting an FHA, VA, or conventional mortgage, your lender almost certainly requires an entirely separate document before they'll authorize funding: the Official Georgia Wood Infestation Inspection Report, universally referred to in the market as a "termite letter."

Understanding what this document covers, what it doesn't cover, who pays for it, and what the 90-day warranty actually means will help you navigate this part of the due diligence process without wasted time or unwelcome surprises.

What Is the Georgia WIIR?

The Official Georgia Wood Infestation Inspection Report (WIIR) is a formal document governed by the Georgia Structural Pest Control Commission (SPCC) under Rule 620-6. It evaluates a property for the presence of five specific wood-destroying organisms:

1. Subterranean termites
2. Powder post beetles
3. Wood-boring beetles
4. Dry wood termites
5. Wood-decaying fungus

This is not a generalist pest inspection. It's a targeted evaluation of organisms that can structurally compromise the wood framing of a home — floor joists, sill plates, crawl space supports, wall framing.

The SPCC regulates the format and execution of the report in detail. The WIIR must include the company's license number, the inspection date, and a documented accounting of all accessible and inaccessible areas. If an attic is obscured by deep insulation, or a section of the garage is blocked by built-in shelving, the inspector must note those areas as inaccessible rather than leaving them blank.

Why Lenders Require It in Georgia

Georgia's humid subtropical climate creates near-ideal conditions for subterranean termite colonies. The combination of red clay soil (which retains moisture), persistently high ambient humidity, and abundant wood-framed construction makes termite activity one of the most significant structural risks for residential properties in the state.

VA and FHA loan guidelines specifically require the WIIR before funding authorization in Georgia. Most conventional lenders have adopted the same practice. A standard home inspector is not qualified to issue the WIIR and is not held to the SPCC's professional standards for termite reporting. The two inspections serve different purposes and neither substitutes for the other.

What Happens When Active Infestation Is Found

If the inspector finds visible evidence of active infestation, they must attach a diagram to the WIIR identifying the exact location of the infestation within the property.

Under SPCC guidelines, if an active infestation is discovered, "retreatment" standards are legally mandated: the licensed contractor must apply chemical termiticides at specified concentrations at least 10 feet in either direction from the point of re-infestation.

For a financed transaction, an active infestation finding typically triggers a lender condition: the infestation must be treated and a new, clear WIIR must be issued before closing can proceed. This adds time and cost to the transaction, and whoever pays for the treatment — buyer, seller, or split — is negotiated in the repair addendum.

The Crawl Space Ventilation Requirement

One aspect of the WIIR that buyers rarely anticipate involves crawl space ventilation. SPCC guidelines require inspectors issuing a WIIR to note "insufficient ventilation" as a conducive condition if the property fails to meet the building code requirement of 1 square foot of ventilation opening per 150 square feet of under-floor space (or 1 square foot per 1,500 square feet if 90% of the ground surface is covered with a Class 1 vapor retarder).

This ventilation standard exists because inadequate crawl space airflow leads directly to moisture accumulation — which leads to wood decay and mold growth, both of which are covered by the WIIR. An inspector who issues a WIIR without noting a ventilation deficiency when one exists is not in compliance with SPCC standards.

If your WIIR comes back with a ventilation deficiency notation, your FHA or VA lender may require this to be corrected before they'll issue a clear-to-close. Budget accordingly, or negotiate with the seller to address it as a condition of the sale.

The 90-Day Warranty

A clear WIIR provides a 90-day warranty against infestation from the date of the inspection. This means the pest control company that issued the report is attesting that, as of the inspection date, no evidence of active wood-destroying organisms was found in the accessible areas of the property.

The warranty does not mean the home is guaranteed to be termite-free for 90 days following your purchase. It means the inspection findings were valid at the time of inspection. If termites are found on day 91, the warranty has expired. If they're found on day 60 in an area that was documented as inaccessible during the inspection, the warranty doesn't apply to that area.

Long-term termite protection typically comes from a separate annual termite bond — an ongoing service agreement with a licensed pest control company that provides preventive treatment and re-treatment guarantees. Many Georgia buyers transfer the existing termite bond from the seller at closing rather than starting a new one. Check whether the property has an active bond and confirm it's transferable as part of your due diligence.

Who Pays for the Termite Letter in Georgia?

Custom in Georgia generally assigns the cost of the WIIR to the seller, though this is negotiable and depends on what's written into your purchase contract. In practice, many buyers end up paying for it when the seller resists adding the cost to their obligations.

The typical cost of an Official Georgia WIIR from a licensed pest control company runs $65–$150 for a standard single-family home. Larger homes, homes with extensive crawl spaces, or homes requiring a return visit due to inaccessible areas may cost more.

This is a genuinely inexpensive inspection given what it protects against. A missed active termite infestation in floor joists can lead to repairs costing far more than the price of the report.

New Construction Is Not Exempt

Buyers of new construction in Georgia — particularly in coastal areas like Savannah — sometimes dismiss the WIIR requirement, assuming that freshly poured foundations and new lumber eliminate the termite risk. This is incorrect.

Subterranean termites enter structures through cracks in concrete slabs, gaps around utility penetrations, and soil contact with wood members. Disturbed soil from construction activity can actually bring subterranean colonies closer to the surface. Savannah's humidity and soil conditions make new construction sites consistently at risk. Most lenders require the WIIR on new construction in Georgia just as they do for existing homes.

Putting the WIIR in Context

The termite letter is one of two Georgia-specific inspection concerns that first-time buyers consistently underestimate. The other is crawl space moisture. Even if the WIIR comes back clean and fully clear, a property with poor exterior drainage, sloped grading toward the foundation, or an unsealed crawl space can develop serious moisture problems over time — wood rot, subfloor deterioration, mold — that a WIIR doesn't catch because the damage hasn't manifested yet.

Your general home inspector should evaluate the crawl space for visible moisture intrusion, examine the grading, and flag any conditions conducive to future problems. The WIIR inspector and the home inspector have overlapping but distinct mandates. Don't substitute one for the other.

The Georgia First-Time Home Buyer Guide includes a complete due diligence checklist — covering WIIR requirements, crawl space evaluation, what to request in your Amendment to Address Concerns, and how to keep earnest money protected while inspection negotiations are ongoing.

See more Georgia guides →