If you're buying, selling, or refinancing a home in Georgia, sooner or later someone — usually a lender or a closing attorney — will ask for “the termite letter.” If you've never heard of it before, the request tends to arrive at the worst possible moment: closing week, when every day matters. Here's what it actually is and how to handle it without the scramble.
What a “termite letter” actually is
The document's real name is the Official Georgia Wood Infestation Inspection Report. It's a standardized state form completed by a Georgia-licensed pest control company after physically inspecting the accessible areas of a home for evidence of wood-destroying organisms — subterranean termites, powderpost beetles and other wood-boring insects, and wood-decaying fungi.
The report states whether the inspector found visible evidence of active infestation, previous infestation, or previous treatment, and notes any visible damage. It is a snapshot of what was observable on inspection day — not a warranty, and not a guarantee that no termite has ever set foot in the house.
Who requires it, and when
Mortgage lenders are the usual driver. Government-backed loans (VA in particular, and often FHA) commonly require a wood infestation report before closing, and many conventional lenders and buyers ask for one as a matter of course — in a state with termite pressure as heavy as Georgia's, it's cheap insurance on a six-figure purchase.
Timing matters: lenders generally want a recent report, often dated within about 30 days of closing. Your closing attorney or loan officer sets the exact requirement, so ask them early — the worst version of this process is discovering the requirement three days before closing on a house with an inaccessible crawl space.
What happens during the inspection
- A licensed inspector examines the home's accessible interior and exterior: foundation walls, crawl space or basement, sill plates, garage framing, window sills, and any visible wood elements.
- They look for the classic evidence: mud tubes, damaged or hollowed wood, live insects, discarded swarmer wings, wood-boring beetle exit holes, and fungal decay.
- They also note conditions that matter to lenders, like areas that were inaccessible (finished basements, blocked crawl space sections) — inaccessible isn't the same as clear.
What if the report finds something?
It's not a deal-killer — it's a negotiation item. If active termites or untreated damage turn up, the typical path is treatment by a licensed company (and repair of significant damage), with the cost negotiated between buyer and seller like any other inspection finding. Evidence of a previous treatment with no current activity is extremely common in Georgia and generally just gets documented.
For sellers, there's a strategic angle: getting the inspection done before listing means you find out what a buyer's lender will find out — on your timeline, with time to fix it — instead of during the closing countdown.
How this connects to termite protection
Homes with an active termite protection plan sail through this process, because there's an inspection history and a treatment record to point to. If your home hasn't been looked at in years, closing prep is a good excuse to fix that — our termite inspections are free, and if you're heading toward a sale or purchase in Monroe, Loganville, or anywhere in our Metro Atlanta service area, ask us about the Official Georgia Wood Infestation Inspection Report and we'll walk you through exactly what your closing needs and when.
The short version
- “Termite letter” = the Official Georgia Wood Infestation Inspection Report.
- Only a Georgia-licensed pest control company can issue one.
- Lenders usually want it recent — often within ~30 days of closing. Ask your closing attorney early.
- Findings are negotiation items, not catastrophes — but sellers benefit from finding out first.
- A home under ongoing termite protection makes closing week boring, in the best way.