You have a termite report. Someone in the transaction — the lender, the listing
agent, the buyer’s agent — has asked for a “clearance” or a “certification.” It
is not the same document as the report, and the difference causes a lot of
last-minute confusion.
The short answer
A Section 1 clearance is a document stating that the Section 1 items on a
termite report have been corrected. The report describes what is wrong. The
clearance certifies that the active findings were addressed. It is issued by a
licensed structural pest control company after the corrective work is completed
and verified.
Report and clearance are two different documents
The report is diagnostic. It lists findings, classifies each one as
Section 1 or Section 2,
and includes a diagram of the structure.
The clearance is confirmatory. It says the Section 1 work described in that
report has been performed. It refers back to the original report — which is why
you cannot get a clearance from a report that does not exist, and why a
clearance from one company on another company’s report is not a routine matter.
If someone asks you for “the termite clearance” and all you have is the report,
you are not being asked for a copy. You are being asked for work to be completed.
What it does and does not certify
A clearance covers the Section 1 findings listed in the referenced report. That
is the whole scope.
It does not certify:
- That the house has no termites anywhere
- That areas noted as inaccessible are clean
- That Section 2 conditions were corrected
- That the structure will not be re-infested
That last one matters. A clearance is a statement about work completed on a date,
not a warranty about the future. Treatment does not leave a permanent shield, and
a house with uncorrected conducive conditions can be re-infested.
When a lender asks for one
Whether a clearance is required depends on the loan program and the individual
lender, and it is not consistent across the board. In general terms:
- Government-backed programs tend to be stricter about active infestation and
visible structural damage. - Conventional loans vary; the requirement often depends on what the appraisal
flagged. - Cash purchases have no lender requirement at all, though buyers frequently ask
for one anyway.
What is consistent is the reason. A lender is protecting collateral. Active
termite damage to structural framing reduces the value of the asset securing the
loan. The clearance is how that concern gets closed out on paper.
Ask your loan officer early. Finding out during the final week that a
clearance is required, on a report that has not been acted on, is one of the more
common ways a closing date slips.
The sequencing problem
Here is where transactions get tight.
The clearance cannot be issued until the work is complete. The work cannot start
until someone authorizes and pays for it. That authorization is usually part of
the negotiation between buyer and seller,
which often is not settled until well into the escrow period.
So the sequence is: report, negotiation, authorization, scheduling, work,
verification, clearance. Each step takes time, and the last one cannot be rushed
because it depends on all the others.
If the corrective work involves structural repair rather than treatment alone,
add more time. Opening up framing sometimes reveals damage that was not visible
during the inspection, which changes the scope mid-job.
The practical advice: start the conversation the day the report arrives, not the
week before closing.
What to check on the document
When you receive a clearance, confirm:
- It references the correct report by number and date
- It identifies the property correctly, including unit or address details
- The company name and license appear on it
- It states what was done, not just that something was done
- Any remaining items are clearly noted
A clearance that is vague about scope is a document that will be questioned by
someone later. Better to catch it while the company that issued it is still on
the job.
If the report is not yours
Buyers sometimes arrive with a report ordered by the seller, from a company they
did not choose. That is normal in California transactions, and it is also
reasonable to want a second opinion — particularly if the report lists a large
number of inaccessible areas, or if the Section 1 list seems unusually short for
the age of the house.
Getting your own inspection does not invalidate the first one. It gives you a
second read before you commit.
J&M Termite Control issues reports and clearances under California Branch 3
registration #5223, and holds a CSLB general building license, which means
structural corrections are handled in-house rather than subcontracted.
Request an inspection or read more
about what happens during an inspection.
