How do I become a certified residential appraiser?

You must complete 200 hours of qualifying education, meet a college-level education requirement (options include a bachelor's degree in any field, an associate degree in a focused field, 30 semester hours of specified courses, CLEP exams, or holding a Licensed Residential credential for at least five years), gain 1,500 hours of experience in no fewer than 12 months, and pass the National Certified Residential exam. An AQB-approved PAREA program can replace up to 100% of the experience hours where your state accepts it.

To become a Certified Residential Real Property Appraiser in Alabama, you must complete at least 200 classroom hours of Board-approved qualifying education and meet a college-level option: a Bachelor's degree, an Associate's degree in a related field, 30 semester hours of specified college courses, CLEP exams, or 5 years as a Licensed appraiser with no disciplinary complaint in that period. You also need 1,500 hours of experience (or its PAREA equivalent) over at least 12 months, and you must pass the 4-hour, 110-question exam with a scaled score of 75.

To become a certified residential real estate appraiser in Alaska, you must complete 200 classroom hours of qualifying education and hold one of four college-level education options, such as a bachelor's degree in any field or an associate degree in a business-related field. You must also verify 1,500 hours of appraisal experience obtained cumulatively over at least 12 months, pay $580 in application, certification, and federal registry fees, and pass the Uniform State Residential Certification Examination within 24 months of board approval. Pearson VUE administers the exam for the state.

Complete 200 class hours of qualifying education and meet the college-level education requirement, which a bachelor's degree or an approved alternative satisfies. You also need 1,500 hours of qualifying experience obtained in no fewer than 12 months. You must then pass the national Certified Residential exam, which requires a scaled score of 75 on the 0-to-110 scale.

To become a Certified Residential appraiser in Arkansas, you must complete 204 total qualifying-education hours and hold college-level education (a bachelor's degree, an associate degree in a focused field, 30 semester hours of specified topics, CLEP exams, or a combination) or use the no-college path available to State Licensed appraisers in good standing for at least 5 years. You must also document 1,500 hours of experience in no fewer than 12 months, be interviewed by the board, and pass the AQB-approved exam and fingerprint-based background checks.

You need 200 hours of qualifying education, 1,500 hours of appraisal experience over at least 12 months, and a passing score on the national Certified Residential exam. The college education requirement can be met with a bachelor's degree, an associate's degree in a related field, 30 semester hours of specified courses, CLEP exams, or a Licensed Residential credential held for at least five years with no disciplinary action. The application fee is $1,110, and the $85 exam fee is paid separately to PSI.

To become a Certified Residential Appraiser in Colorado, complete 200 hours of qualifying education (effective January 1, 2026), log 1,500 hours of appraisal experience over no fewer than 12 months, and meet one of six college options, such as a Bachelor's degree in any field or no college at all if you have held a Licensed Appraiser credential for 5 or more years with no adverse, final disciplinary action. You must then pass the national exam after receiving a Letter of Exam Eligibility from the Division.

In Connecticut, you must first hold the Provisional Appraiser credential, then meet the Appraisal Qualifications Board (AQB) 2026 criteria to upgrade. You submit all pre-licensing course certificates, all signed experience logs (hours listed at the bottom of each page and tallied), and proof of the required college education, and you must pass the National Uniform Licensing and Certification Exam. The combined fee to the state is $420: a $45 application fee plus a $375 initial fee.

To become a Certified Residential Real Property Appraiser in Delaware, you must complete the qualifying education hours, including the 15-Hour National USPAP Course, meet the college-level education requirement (an Associate degree, or at least 21 college semester hours in specified coursework), and log 1,500 hours of appraisal experience over no fewer than 12 months, or complete an approved PAREA program. You then file the $333 application in DELPROS, wait for Council approval to test, and pass the Certified Residential Examination through Pearson VUE.

To become a Certified Residential Appraiser in Florida, you must complete 200 hours of approved qualifying education, meet one of five college criteria (a bachelor's degree in any field, an associate's degree in a focused field, 30 semester hours in specified topics, 30 hours of CLEP exams, or a combination), and document 1,500 hours of supervised experience over at least 12 months on at least 150 appraisal reports. You must then pass the national Certified Residential exam ($42) and the Florida Supplemental Exam ($15.75), and pay a $351 application fee to the Florida DBPR.

To become a Certified Residential appraiser in Georgia, you need 200 hours of qualifying education and 1,500 hours of appraisal experience gained over at least 12 months, with at least 25% in complex one-to-four-unit residential work. You also need one of the college-level education options, such as a Bachelor's degree, a related Associate's degree, 30 semester hours of specified courses, CLEP exams, or no college if you have held a State Licensed classification for 5 or more years with no adverse disciplinary action. Finally, you must pass the examination administered by PSI.

To become a Certified Residential Appraiser in Hawaii, complete 200 hours of qualifying education, hold college-level education (a bachelor's degree or an approved alternative), and document 1,500 hours of experience in no fewer than 12 months under a supervising certified appraiser. Hawaii counts that experience from the date of trainee registration, not the date of hire. You must then pass the examination with a scaled score of 75 and pay license fees of $444 or $293, depending on the year of the biennium, plus a $25 application fee.

First register as an Appraiser Trainee. Certified Residential requires 200 classroom hours of qualifying education plus a bachelor's degree or an accepted alternative, such as an associate's degree in a business-related field or 30 semester hours of specified college courses. You need 1,500 hours of experience in no fewer than 12 months, with at least 1,200 hours of residential field work, or completion of a Certified Residential Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal (PAREA) program. You must also pass the Appraisal Qualifications Board (AQB)-approved Certified Residential exam.

To become a Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser in Illinois, you must be at least 18 and meet a college-level education option, such as a bachelor's degree, an associate degree in a listed field, or 30 semester hours of specified coursework. You must complete 200 hours of qualifying education and log 1,500 hours of acceptable appraisal experience over no fewer than 12 months. After the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) approves your application, you pass the national exam administered by PSI Services LLC; the $315 application fee is non-refundable.

To become a Certified Residential appraiser in Indiana, you complete 200 hours of qualifying education, log 2,500 hours of supervised experience over no fewer than 24 months, and hold a bachelor's degree or an approved Appraisal Qualification Board (AQB) alternative, submitting an original transcript. The Indiana Professional Licensing Agency reviews samples of appraisals from your experience log before approving exam eligibility. You then pass the Pearson VUE exam with a scaled score of 75 and pay the $100 application fee plus a $190 or $150 issuance fee.

To become a certified residential appraiser in Iowa, complete 200 hours of qualifying education, gain 1,500 hours of experience in no less than 12 months as a registered associate real estate appraiser under a certified supervisor, and pass the certified residential examination. You must also meet a college-level education option, such as a bachelor's degree or 30 semester hours of specified college coursework. Iowa adds a work product review: you submit an appraisal log, the board selects 3 reports for peer review, and you complete an interview before taking the exam.

To become a certified residential appraiser in Kansas, you complete 200 hours of qualifying education, log 1,500 hours of experience over at least 12 months, and pass the national Certified Residential exam. You must also satisfy a college-level requirement, such as a bachelor's degree in any field or an associate degree in a business-related field. A State Licensed appraiser of at least five years' standing with no adverse disciplinary action may qualify without college coursework. The experience application carries a $50 fee, and the board's experience review takes two to four months.

You first hold Kentucky's Associate Real Property Appraiser credential, then meet the upgrade requirements: 200 total hours of qualifying education, 1,500 hours of appraiser experience in no less than 12 months, and a bachelor's degree or a board-approved equivalency. You submit your experience log and certificates, the board inspects selected appraisal reports, and you pass the Certified Residential exam ($200 per attempt). The upgraded license fee is $240.

To become a Certified Residential appraiser in Maine, you must hold a valid appraiser license, complete 1,500 hours of Board-satisfactory experience in no fewer than 12 months, complete 200 hours of the Appraiser Qualifications Board core curriculum, and pass the National Uniform Licensing and Certification Examination administered by Pearson VUE. You must also hold a bachelor's degree or meet one of six equivalency options, which include holding a Licensed Residential credential for at least five years with a clean disciplinary record.

To become a Certified Residential appraiser in Maryland, complete 200 hours of Commission-approved qualifying education, gain at least 1,500 hours of appraisal experience over at least 12 months (or complete PAREA), meet a college education option (such as a bachelor's degree or 30 semester credit hours in specified topics), and pass the National Uniform Licensing and Certification Examination through PSI. A 5-year licensed appraisal record with no disciplinary action can substitute for the college education. The three-year license costs $250 plus a $120 National Registry fee.

To become a Certified Residential appraiser in Massachusetts, complete 200 hours of primary education, including the required 15 hours of USPAP, and 1,500 hours of appraisal experience in no fewer than 12 months. You must also hold a bachelor's or associate's degree in the concentrations listed in the regulations, or complete 30 hours of college-level courses in those areas. Submit the application online through eLIPSE with the $338 application fee, pass the licensing exam, then pay the $390 license fee to the vendor.

To become a Certified Residential Appraiser in Mississippi, you must complete 200 hours of Appraiser Qualification Board-approved qualifying education and log 1,500 hours of experience in no fewer than 12 months, with at least 50% in residential appraisal work. You must also meet the college-level education requirement, or qualify by having held a Licensed Residential credential for at least 5 years. Submit the application, experience log, course certificates, and $225 fee to the Mississippi Appraisal Board, then pass the national and state exams.

To become a Certified Residential appraiser in Missouri, you must complete the required qualifying education, pass the Certified Residential examination, and complete a minimum of 1,500 hours of real estate appraisal experience over no less than 12 continuous months while working with a certified real estate appraiser. PSI administers the national examination for Missouri; the exam fee is $140 and passing requires a scaled score of 75. You can apply through the commission's MOPRO online licensing portal.

To earn the Certified Residential Appraiser credential in Montana, you must complete 200 hours of qualifying education, gain 1,500 hours of appraisal experience in no fewer than 12 months, and meet a college requirement (a bachelor's degree, an associate degree in a focused field, 30 semester credit hours in specified topics, or an approved equivalent). You then apply to the Board of Real Estate Appraisers online, complete a fingerprint background check, and wait for written confirmation of eligibility before scheduling the exam. The examination fee is $99.

To become a Certified Residential appraiser in Nebraska, you must complete 200 class hours of qualifying education (at least 105 hours in appraisal subjects, including the 15-Hour National USPAP Course within two years of application), log 1,500 hours of appraisal experience over at least 12 months, and pass the national exam administered by PSI for a $130 fee. Applicants must be at least 19 with no felony conviction unless civil rights were restored. AQB criteria also require a college-level option, such as a Bachelor's degree in any field.

In Nevada, you must complete qualifying education, gain supervised experience, pass the national Certified Residential examination, and apply to the Nevada Real Estate Division with fingerprints and fees. The national minimums are 200 qualifying-education hours, college-level education, and 1,500 experience hours in no fewer than 12 months, and Nevada's requirements exceed these minimums. Nevada administers the exam through Pearson VUE for a $100 fee with a passing scaled score of 75, and the Division charges a $100 application fee plus $320 to issue a residential certificate or license.

You need qualifying education (200 hours under the AQB criteria New Hampshire follows, including the 8-hour Valuation Bias and Fair Housing course added January 1, 2026), 1,500 hours of appraisal experience accrued in no fewer than 12 months, a passing scaled score of 75 on the national licensing exam, and the AQB college-level education criteria. You must also submit a paper application with an Experience Log, course completion records, a criminal history check, and the $275 application fee to the board.

Certified Residential in New Jersey requires 200 classroom hours of qualifying education, 1,500 hours of appraisal experience in no fewer than 12 months, and a passing score on the AQB-approved Certified Residential exam administered by Pearson VUE. The application fee is $100, and the Board must approve your application before you receive the Green Card needed to schedule the exam. A bachelor's degree normally applies, but New Jersey accepts alternatives, including 5 years holding a Licensed Residential credential with no adverse, final disciplinary action.

To become a Certified Residential Appraiser in New Mexico, you must complete 200 hours of qualifying education and obtain 1,500 hours of appraising experience in no fewer than 12 months. You must also meet the college-level education requirement, such as a bachelor's degree or five years as a Licensed Residential appraiser with no disciplinary action. You then pass the open-book jurisprudence exam with a score of 70% or better, clear a background check, and pass the national exam after the board reviews three appraisal files.

To become a State Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser, you must complete 203 hours of qualifying education (effective January 1, 2026), meet a college-level requirement, gain 1,500 hours of experience over at least 24 months within the 5 years before applying, and pass the Certified Residential examination. The college requirement can be met with a bachelor's degree in any field, a qualifying associate's degree, 30 semester hours of specified courses or CLEP exams, or a Licensed Residential credential held at least 5 years without disqualifying discipline.

To become a certified residential appraiser in North Dakota, complete 200 hours of Board-approved qualifying education, gain 1,500 hours of experience over at least 12 months, and pass the Uniform State Certified Residential Appraiser Examination. The credential also requires college-level education, such as a bachelor's degree in any field, an associate degree in specified fields, or 30 semester hours of specified college courses. A licensed appraiser with at least five years of licensure and no adverse, final disciplinary action can qualify without the college requirement.

To become a State Certified Residential Appraiser in Oklahoma, you must complete 200 hours of qualifying education, hold a bachelor's degree or an accepted alternative (an associate's degree in business, finance, accounting, economics, or similar; 30 college semester credit hours in specified topics; or CLEP exams), and gain 1,500 hours of experience in no fewer than 12 months. You must then pass the national examination, which costs $150 and requires a scaled score of 75. A State Licensed Appraiser of at least five years in good standing may upgrade without the college education.

The Certified Residential credential requires 203 classroom hours of appraisal education plus a bachelor's degree or an approved alternative, such as an associate's degree in a related field or 30 semester hours of specified college courses. You must complete 1,500 hours of acceptable experience in no less than 12 months, or finish a Certified Residential Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal (PAREA) program approved by the Appraisal Qualifications Board (AQB) instead. You must also pass the Certified Residential exam, which Pearson VUE administers for $145.

To become a Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser in Rhode Island, you must complete 200 hours of qualifying education, satisfy a college-level education requirement (a bachelor's degree or an approved alternative, such as an associate degree in business, finance, accounting, or economics), and gain 1,500 hours of qualifying experience in no fewer than 12 months. You then pass the national Certified Residential exam and submit your application with the $200 application fee and a Criminal History Record from the Rhode Island Attorney General.

To become a Certified Residential appraiser in South Carolina, complete the qualifying education in the state's regulations, which incorporate the Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB) criteria: effective January 1, 2026, 200 hours of AQB Core Curriculum plus courses in statistics, modeling, and finance, advanced applications, and electives. You also need 1,500 hours of appraisal experience over at least 12 months (an approved PAREA or State Practicum program is accepted), one of the state's college-level education alternatives, and a passing score of 75 on the state exam, which costs $79.

To become a State-Certified Residential Appraiser in South Dakota, you must complete 200 hours of qualifying education, gain 1,500 hours of experience over at least 12 months (including at least 750 hours of residential work), pass the AQB-approved national examination, and pass a background check. You must also satisfy the college-level requirement: a bachelor's degree, an associate degree in a field such as business or finance, or 30 semester credit hours in specified topics. The application fee is $375 plus a $40 National Registry fee.

To become a State Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser in Tennessee, you must complete 200 hours of qualifying education, meet one of six college-level education options (such as a bachelor's degree in any field), and log 1,500 hours of qualifying experience in no fewer than 12 months, earned after trainee registration. You must then pass the national Certified Residential examination, which allows four attempts and must be passed within 12 months of the exam approval date. The upgrade application fee is $405.

To become a Certified Residential Appraiser, you must complete 200 hours of qualifying education plus one of six college-level options (for example, a Bachelor's degree in any field or an Associate's degree in a business-related field), gain 1,500 hours of appraisal experience over at least 12 months, pass the National Certified Residential exam, and pass a background check. You may substitute the AQB-approved Certified Residential PAREA module for the experience, or Licensed Residential PAREA plus 500 hours over 6 months.

In Utah, you apply to the Division of Real Estate for approval to sit for the Certified Residential exam. The requirements are 200 hours of qualifying education, a college-level option (a bachelor's degree, an associate's degree in a focused field, 30 semester hours in specified topics, or five years as a Licensed Residential appraiser), and 1,500 hours of experience in no fewer than 12 months. The exam has 110 scored questions and a passing scaled score of 75, and all Utah candidates must be fingerprinted.

To become a Certified Residential appraiser in Vermont, complete 200 hours of qualifying education, gain 1,500 hours of appraisal experience over at least 12 months, and meet a college-level education requirement. Then pass the Certified Residential exam, which Vermont administers through PSI, and apply to the Office of Professional Regulation with the $315 application fee. The application includes a fingerprint-supported criminal background check, which can take 6-12 weeks to process.

To become a certified residential appraiser in Washington, complete 200 hours of qualifying education, meet a college-level education requirement, log 1,500 hours of appraisal experience over at least 12 months, and pass the national Certified Residential exam. The college requirement can be met with a bachelor's degree, an associate's degree in a focused field, or 30 semester credit hours in specified topics; a state-licensed appraiser with 5 years and no disqualifying disciplinary action may qualify without a degree. The exam fee is $105, and the credential fee totals $1,160.

You need 200 hours of qualifying education, 1,500 hours of appraisal experience over at least 12 months, and a pass on both the national Certified Residential exam and a 3-hour West Virginia law course. The college prerequisite can be met with a bachelor's degree, a related associate's degree, 30 semester hours in specified topics, or CLEP exams; 5 years as a licensed residential appraiser with no disciplinary action plus added coursework also qualifies. Most applicants start as apprentices, though a Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal (PAREA) program can substitute.

To become a Certified Residential Appraiser in Wisconsin, you must complete 200 hours of qualifying education, including college-level education such as a Bachelor's degree or an approved alternative, and gain 1,500 hours of appraisal experience in no less than 12 months. You must then apply through the state's LicensE portal, complete an FBI background check, and pass both the national examination and the Wisconsin state statutes-and-rules examination.

To become a Certified Residential appraiser in Wyoming, you must file an application with two fingerprint cards, meet a college education requirement, complete the required coursework, log 1,500 hours of experience, and pass both the National and State Certified Residential exams. Acceptable college proof includes a bachelor's degree, an associate's degree in a focused field, 30 semester credit hours, or CLEP exam equivalents. After the Board verifies your work log, it emails you to submit two appraisals, then sends exam approval to schedule with Pearson.