What Is a Termite Letter? (WDIR, NPMA-33, Clearance Letter)

Few documents cause more closing-table confusion than the termite letter, mostly because it travels under five different names. WDIR, NPMA-33, WDO report, clearance letter, termite certificate — all describe the same thing: a licensed inspector’s official record of whether wood-destroying insects were found.

This guide decodes every synonym, explains what the form does and does not guarantee, who needs it and when, what it costs, and how a clean letter differs from a termite bond — the two are routinely confused.

All the Names for the Same Document

“Termite letter” is the everyday name. What your lender, agent or inspector calls it depends on where the house sits:

Two practical takeaways. First, they all answer one question: was there visible evidence of wood-destroying insects on inspection day? Second, some states legally prescribe their own form — in South Carolina only the CL-100 counts, and in Florida the state WDO form — so the “letter” must be on whatever document your state or lender recognizes. See our state guides for the form used where the property sits.

When You Need a Termite Letter

Almost always, the trigger is a real-estate transaction:

• Purchase with a mortgage. Most conventional lenders ask for a wood-destroying insect report in termite-risk regions, and many purchase contracts include it as a standard contingency.
• VA loans. The VA requires an NPMA-33 in most states where termite risk is rated moderate to heavy. Since a 2022 rule change, the buyer may pay the fee — before that, only the seller could.
• FHA loans. Required when the appraisal flags evidence of termites, or where state or local rules mandate it.
• Refinancing. Some lenders require a fresh letter on a refinance, especially in high-pressure states.
• Cash sales and peace of mind. No lender means no requirement — but buyers still order one, because the alternative is discovering a $5,000 repair bill after closing.

What a termite letter is not: it is not required for a routine annual termite inspection on a home you already own. The formal document exists for transactions. Homeowners simply get a written inspection summary.

What the Inspection Behind the Letter Covers

The letter is only as good as the inspection behind it. For a closing-grade report, a licensed inspector typically spends 45–90 minutes on the property and checks:

• Foundation walls, piers and slab edges for mud tubes
• Crawl space or basement — the highest-yield area for subterranean termites
• Attic framing and accessible roof timbers (key for drywood termites)
• Window and door trim, baseboards, garage walls, porches, decks and fences
• Any wood-to-soil contact and moisture-prone areas

Findings are recorded in three buckets: live activity (insects or active tubes), evidence of a previous infestation (old tubes, frass, exit holes with no live insects) and visible damage. Every form also carries the same critical disclaimer: the report covers only visible and accessible areas. Termites inside sealed walls, under insulation or below a slab are outside its scope — which is why the letter is a snapshot, not a guarantee.

How to Read an NPMA-33

The NPMA-33 is the form most lenders picture when they say “termite letter.” It is one page plus the inspector’s findings, organized roughly as:

1. Property and parties — address, buyer/seller, inspecting company and license number.
2. Scope disclaimer — the accessible-areas limitation described above.
3. Findings checkboxes — evidence of live insects, evidence of prior infestation, evidence of prior treatment, and visible damage, each yes/no with space for location and description.
4. Obstructions and inaccessible areas — what the inspector could not check and why (stored items, finished walls, no crawl-space access).
5. Signature, license and date — the date matters, because validity windows run from it.

Read the obstructions section carefully. A letter that says “no evidence found” but lists half the crawl space as inaccessible is a weaker document than its clean checkbox suggests.

How Much Does a Termite Letter Cost?

The letter itself is paperwork — what you pay for is the inspection that generates it:

Two variables move the price: home size and region. Larger footprints and crawl-space-heavy construction take longer to inspect, and states with mandatory forms and licensing audits tend to sit at the upper end of the range.

Who Pays for the Termite Letter — and Who Orders It

There is no universal rule; responsibility is set by the purchase contract and local custom. In much of the Southeast the seller traditionally orders and pays for the letter, since it is their house being “cleared.” Elsewhere the buyer pays as part of due diligence. Either way:

• The report must come from a licensed pest control company — a home inspector without a pest-control license generally cannot issue a WDIR.
• Whoever pays, the buyer should read the actual report, not just the agent’s summary.
• If the contract is silent, negotiate it like any other closing cost.

Termite Letter vs. Termite Bond

The most common mix-up at closing. They are different products that sometimes arrive together:

A clean letter says nothing about next year. An active termite bond is what transfers protection to the new owner — and in heavy-pressure states, a transferable bond is a real selling point worth mentioning in the listing.

If the Letter Finds Termites

Activity on the report does not kill the deal — it changes the negotiation. The typical sequence:

1. Get a treatment quote. Depending on the species and method, expect $225–$2,500 for liquid or bait-based treatment; whole-structure tenting for drywood termites runs higher.
2. Decide who pays. Most contracts already assign this; if not, it becomes a repair negotiation — seller treats, or buyer takes a closing credit.
3. Treat and document. Lenders usually want proof of treatment by a licensed company plus an updated letter.
4. Address damage separately. The letter documents visible damage but treatment does not repair it. Structural repairs are their own line item and may need a contractor’s assessment.

A house with treated termites and documented repair closes every day. A house with undocumented termites is the one that stalls.

Rules Vary by State

Form requirements, licensing, validity windows and even the document’s name are state-specific — Florida’s WDO report, South Carolina’s CL-100, Texas’s official WDI form and VA-county lists all differ. For the form used in your state, who can issue it, and typical local pricing, see our state-by-state guides. When in doubt, ask your lender which form they accept before ordering the inspection — and consult a licensed local professional for anything the report leaves unclear.

FAQ

Is a termite letter the same as a WDIR or NPMA-33?

Yes — same document, different regional names. WDIR (Wood-Destroying Insect Report) and WDO report are common in the Southeast, clearance letter in parts of the Midwest, and NPMA-33 is the national standard form most lenders recognize.

Who pays for the termite letter, buyer or seller?

It is negotiable and varies by state custom — sellers commonly provide it in the Southeast, buyers more often pay elsewhere. Either way it runs $75–$325 and must come from a licensed company. Who issues them locally: see your state page.

How long is a termite letter valid?

Most lenders accept a termite letter that is 30 to 90 days old at closing — 30 days is the most common cutoff. If closing is delayed past the validity window, the inspection typically has to be redone and repaid for.

Is a termite letter a warranty or a guarantee?

No. It reports only the visible evidence found on the day of inspection and explicitly disclaims hidden or inaccessible areas. Ongoing protection against future infestations is what a termite bond is for.

Can I sell a house with termites?

Yes — there is no law against it, but the letter will document the activity and the lender will usually require treatment before funding. Sellers typically treat the infestation (often $225–$2,500 depending on method) or credit the buyer at closing.

Do I need a termite letter for a VA loan?

In most states, yes. The VA requires a wood-destroying insect inspection on the NPMA-33 form in moderate-to-heavy termite-risk areas, and since 2022 the buyer is allowed to pay for it. Your lender confirms whether your county is on the VA list.

What happens if termites are found during the inspection?

The inspector records live activity, evidence of a previous infestation, visible damage, or any combination. The sale can still proceed — but expect the lender to require treatment by a licensed company and a follow-up letter before closing.