How do I become a commercial real estate appraiser?

Commercial real estate appraisers hold the Certified General credential. To earn it, you must complete 300 hours of qualifying education plus a bachelor's degree, gain 3,000 hours of appraisal experience in no fewer than 18 months (at least 1,500 hours in non-residential work), and pass the national Certified General exam. Certified General is the only classification that may appraise all types of real property, including commercial properties, without value or complexity limits.

In Alabama, commercial appraising requires the Certified General Real Property Appraiser credential. You must complete 300 classroom hours of qualifying education, hold a Bachelor's degree or higher, pass the Certified General exam, and log at least 3,000 hours of appraisal experience over at least 18 months, including at least 1,500 hours on non-residential property. Experience credit covers appraisals completed within the last five years.

Commercial appraisal work in Alaska requires the Certified General credential. You must hold a bachelor's degree, complete 300 classroom hours of qualifying education, and document 3,000 hours of appraisal experience, including at least 1,500 hours of nonresidential work, obtained over not less than 18 months. After board approval, you must pass the Uniform State General Certification Examination, administered by Pearson VUE, within 24 months. Total application fees are $580.

To appraise commercial property in Arizona, pursue the Certified General credential. It requires a bachelor's degree or higher, 300 hours of qualifying education in the Required Core Curriculum, and 3,000 hours of qualifying experience gained in no fewer than 18 months. You then pass the Certified General exam, a 6-hour test with 110 scored questions, and you need a scaled score of 75 on the 0 to 110 scale.

To become a commercial real estate appraiser in Arkansas, you must earn the Certified General credential, the only classification with no transaction value or complexity limits. The path requires 304 total qualifying education hours, a bachelor's degree or higher, and 3,000 hours of experience in no fewer than 18 months, including 1,500 hours of nonresidential work. You start as a Registered Apprentice under a state-certified supervisor, then pass a board interview and the national Certified General exam administered by Pearson VUE.

In California, commercial appraiser work requires the Certified General license, whose scope covers all types of real estate regardless of transaction value or complexity. You must be 18 or older, hold a bachelor's degree, complete 300 hours of qualifying education, and log 3,000 hours of experience over at least 18 months, including 1,500 hours of non-residential work. The application fee is $1,110, and after the California Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers (BREA) approves your application, you must pass the national exam scheduled through PSI.

In Colorado, commercial appraisals require the Certified General Appraiser credential, which covers all types of real property. You must hold a bachelor's degree or higher, complete 300 hours of qualifying education effective January 1, 2026, and log 3,000 hours of experience over at least 18 months, including 1,500 hours of non-residential work. A PAREA program can count up to 1,500 hours toward that experience, but the 1,500 non-residential hours must be obtained through traditional experience.

To appraise commercial property in Connecticut you need the Certified General credential. Start as a Provisional Appraiser working under a sponsor, then apply to upgrade: you must meet the Appraisal Qualifications Board (AQB) 2026 criteria and submit all pre-licensing course certificates, all signed experience logs with hours listed and tallied, and proof of the required college completion to the Department of Consumer Protection.

In Delaware, commercial appraisal requires the Certified General Real Property Appraiser credential, which covers all types of real property. You need 300 qualifying education hours, a Bachelor's degree or higher (or 30 college semester hours in specified coursework), and 3,000 hours of appraisal experience spanning at least 18 months, including 1,500 hours of non-residential work. You must also pass the Certified General examination, which Delaware administers through Pearson VUE, and complete State of Delaware and FBI background checks.

To appraise commercial property, you need the Certified General credential, which covers all real property. Effective January 1, 2026, the requirements are 300 hours of qualifying education, a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, 3,000 hours of experience in no fewer than 18 months with at least 1,500 hours of non-residential work, and a passing score on the national examination. A Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal (PAREA) program can substitute for 50% of the required experience at this level.

In Florida, commercial appraisals require the Certified General Appraiser credential, which covers any type of real property. Applicants must complete 300 classroom hours of qualifying education, hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and log 3,000 hours of USPAP-compliant experience over at least 18 months, including at least 1,500 hours of non-residential work. Applicants must also pass the national Certified General exam and the Florida Supplemental exam, and pay the $351 application fee.

In Georgia, commercial appraisal work requires the State Certified General classification, which permits appraising any type of property for any purpose. You must pass the Certified General examination, which PSI Services administers for a $175 fee in 6 hours with 110 scored questions, and submit official transcripts confirming a Bachelor's degree or higher. You must also document 3,000 hours of appraisal experience earned over at least 18 months and apply for the classification within 12 months of passing.

To appraise commercial property in Hawaii, you must earn the Certified General credential. It requires a bachelor's degree or higher, 300 hours of qualifying education in the Required Core Curriculum, and 3,000 hours of qualifying experience gained in no fewer than 18 months. You must then pass the Certified General exam with a scaled score of 75 on the 0 to 110 scale.

Commercial appraising requires the Certified General credential, the only classification whose scope covers all types of real property. In Idaho you need a bachelor's degree or higher plus at least 225 classroom hours of qualifying education beyond trainee registration (300 hours total) and 3,000 hours of experience in no fewer than 18 months, including at least 1,500 non-residential hours. You must also pass the AQB-approved Certified General exam, which Pearson VUE administers.

In Illinois, commercial appraisal requires the Certified General Real Estate Appraiser credential: 300 hours of qualifying education, a bachelor's degree, 3,000 hours of qualifying experience in no fewer than 18 months (1,500 hours in non-residential work), and the AQB Approved National Exam. You must also clear a fingerprint-based background check. The application fee is $315 (non-refundable), and PSI administers the 6-hour exam for $62.

To appraise commercial property in Indiana, you must earn the Certified General appraiser credential from the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA). The requirements are 300 hours of qualifying education, 3,000 hours of logged experience earned in no fewer than 30 months with most of it in general, non-residential work, and a bachelor's degree or higher with an original transcript. After the PLA approves your application, you pass the Certified General exam through Pearson VUE for a $65 exam fee.

In Iowa, commercial work requires the certified general real estate appraiser credential, which covers all real estate, including commercial and agricultural property. You must complete 300 hours of qualifying education, hold a bachelor's degree, accumulate 3,000 hours of experience in no less than 18 months (including a minimum of 1,500 general hours), pass the certified general examination, and complete Iowa's work product review.

To become a commercial real estate appraiser in Kansas, you must earn the Certified General credential from the Kansas Real Estate Appraisal Board. It requires 300 hours of qualifying education plus a bachelor's degree or higher, 3,000 hours of experience gained in no fewer than 18 months and no more than 5 years (including at least 1,500 nonresidential hours), and a passing score on the national Certified General examination. The application fee is $50, and the board takes roughly two to four months to review experience reports and work files.

In Kentucky, commercial appraisals require the Certified General credential. First obtain the Associate Real Property Appraiser credential, which takes 105 class hours of qualifying education. Then log 3,000 experience hours in no fewer than 18 months, including at least 1,500 non-residential hours, complete 300 total class hours, and hold a bachelor's degree, for which no equivalency is allowed. After the board inspects sample reports, you pass the exam and pay the $240 upgrade fee.

In Louisiana, commercial appraising requires the Certified General credential, which covers all types of real property without regard to value. You must complete 300 creditable class hours of qualifying education, log 3,000 hours of qualifying experience over no fewer than 18 months (including at least 1,500 hours of non-residential appraisal work), hold a Bachelor's degree, and pass the AQB-approved Certified General examination.

To appraise commercial property in Maine, you must hold the certified general real property appraiser credential, which covers real property of all types. It requires a bachelor's degree (Maine offers no equivalency options), 300 hours of qualifying education, and 3,000 hours of experience over at least 18 months, including 1,500 hours of non-residential work. You must also pass the National Uniform Licensing and Certification Examination. Fees are a $30.00 application and a $380.00 license, with the exam fee set by the exam vendor.

In Maryland, commercial appraisal requires the Certified General credential, which covers all residential and commercial property regardless of value or complexity. You must complete 300 hours of Commission-approved qualifying education, hold a bachelor's degree or higher, pass the Certified General exam, and log at least 3,000 hours of appraisal experience over at least 18 months, including at least 1,500 hours of non-residential work. PAREA awards no non-residential credit, so candidates still need supervised commercial experience.

Massachusetts does not issue a separate commercial license; you appraise commercial and other non-residential property as a Certified General appraiser. This requires 300 hours of qualifying education (including a 15-hour USPAP course), a Bachelor's degree or higher, and 3,000 hours of experience over at least 18 months, of which 1,500 hours must be non-residential. The application fee is $338, and the $390 license fee is paid to the vendor after passing the exam, with all filings submitted online through the eLIPSE portal.

Commercial work requires the Certified General credential, the only level that covers real property of any type or value, including federally related transactions. You must complete 300 hours of qualifying education, hold a bachelor's degree or higher, gain 3,000 hours of experience in no fewer than 18 months (at least 1,500 in non-residential work), and pass the Certified General exam administered by PSI Services. The application plus 2-year license fee is $385.

To become a commercial real estate appraiser in Minnesota, pursue the Certified General credential, the only license level whose scope covers all types of real property. It requires 300 hours of qualifying education plus a bachelor's degree or higher, 3,000 hours of experience obtained in no fewer than 18 months (at least 1,500 hours in nonresidential work), and a passing score on the national Certified General examination.

In Mississippi, commercial appraising requires the Certified General credential, whose scope of practice covers all real property. You must hold a bachelor's degree, complete 300 hours of qualifying education, and log 3,000 hours of experience in no fewer than 18 months, including 1,500 hours in non-residential work, with a report using all three approaches to value available for review. You submit the application, experience log, course certificates, and a $225 fee, then pass the national exam through PSI and the state exam administered by the Mississippi Appraisal Board.

Commercial appraising requires the Certified General credential from the Missouri Real Estate Appraisers Commission. You must complete the required education, pass the Certified General examination, and log a minimum of 3,000 hours of real estate appraisal experience over no less than 18 continuous months while working with a certified appraiser. At least 1,500 of those hours must be appraisal of non-residential properties.

Commercial appraising in Montana requires the Certified General Appraiser credential. Under the 2026 AQB criteria, you need 300 hours of qualifying education, a bachelor's degree or higher, and 3,000 hours of experience over at least 18 months, including a minimum of 1,500 non-residential hours. Once the board approves your education and experience and confirms eligibility, you take the national Certified General exam through PSI, which costs $99 and requires a scaled score of 75 to pass.

Commercial appraisers hold the Certified General credential, which covers all real property. Nebraska applicants need 300 hours of qualifying education, a bachelor's degree, 3,000 hours of experience over at least 18 months (including 1,500 non-residential hours), and a passing score on the national exam. Nebraska administers the exam through PSI Services LLC for a $130 fee; applicants must be at least 19 years old with no felony conviction unless civil rights were restored.

Commercial work requires the Certified General credential, which has no limit on the type or value of property appraised. Nationally, the Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB) sets minimums of 300 hours of qualifying education, a bachelor's degree, and 3,000 hours of experience in no fewer than 18 months, including 1,500 hours of non-residential work; Nevada's requirements exceed these minimums, with more education and experience hours over a longer period. You must pass the national Certified General exam, which Pearson VUE administers in Nevada, and submit fingerprints for a background check.

In New Hampshire, commercial appraising requires the Certified General Appraiser credential. You must complete 300 hours of qualifying education plus a bachelor's degree or higher, accrue 3,000 hours of appraisal experience in no fewer than 18 months (at least 1,500 hours in non-residential work), and pass the national certification exam. The application fee is $275, plus a $40 annual federal registry fee.

In New Jersey, commercial appraising is performed by Certified General appraisers. This credential requires a bachelor's degree in any field, 300 hours of qualifying education, and 3,000 hours of appraisal experience earned over no fewer than 18 months, including at least 1,500 hours of non-residential work. You must also pass the AQB-approved Certified General exam, a 6-hour test with 110 scored questions.

In New Mexico, you become a commercial appraiser by earning the Certified General Appraiser credential from the Real Estate Appraisers Board. You need 300 hours of qualifying education, a bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. college, and 3,000 hours of experience in no fewer than 18 months, including 1,500 non-residential hours in no fewer than 12 months. After you apply through the board's online portal and pass the background check and jurisprudence exam, the board reviews three appraisal files and mails the approval card you need to schedule the national exam through Pearson VUE.

To appraise commercial property in New York, you need the State Certified General Real Estate Appraiser credential. Effective January 1, 2026, you must complete 308 hours of qualifying education plus hold a bachelor's degree, gain 3,000 hours of experience over at least 24 months (including a minimum of 1,500 hours of non-residential work), pass the National Uniform Licensing and Certification Examination, and submit the application with the $355 fee for a 2-year term.

Commercial appraisal work requires the Certified General credential from the North Carolina Appraisal Board. To earn it, you complete the qualifying education, college-level requirements, and experience required by the AQB criteria, then submit to work product review, which typically consists of five reports with two full workfiles. After the Board accepts the work product, you receive an exam ticket, and the license is issued once you pass the exam. The application fee is $200.

To become a commercial real estate appraiser in North Dakota, you need the Certified General credential, which permits you to appraise all types of properties. As of January 1, 2026, it requires a bachelor's degree, 300 hours of Board-approved qualifying education, 3,000 hours of experience over at least 18 months with at least 1,500 hours non-residential, and a passing score on the Uniform State Certified General Appraiser Examination. PSI administers the exam for $130, and a passing score is valid for 24 months.

Commercial appraisal work in Ohio requires the Certified General credential. You first register as a Registered Appraiser Assistant and complete the additional Certified General qualifying education, which includes 30 hours of General Market Analysis & Highest and Best Use, 60 hours of General Income Approach, and 30 hours of General Report Writing & Case Studies. Certified General also requires 3,000 experience hours over at least 18 months, with at least 1,500 hours on property other than 1-4 unit residential, plus a bachelor's degree and a passing score on the state exam.

Commercial appraisal requires Oklahoma's State Certified General credential. You must complete 300 hours of qualifying education plus a bachelor's degree, log 3,000 hours of experience in no fewer than 18 months (including at least 1,500 non-residential hours), and pass the national Certified General exam with a scaled score of at least 75. The application fee is $225, plus $55 for the required fingerprint background check.

In Pennsylvania, commercial appraising means the Certified General Real Estate Appraiser credential from the State Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers. It requires a bachelor's degree or higher, 300 classroom hours of qualifying education (including the 15-hour National USPAP course), and 3,000 hours of experience within 18 months, with at least 1,500 hours in nonresidential work. You must also pass the AQB Certified General exam, which costs $145 through Pearson VUE, and pay the $235 application fee.

Commercial appraisal work in Rhode Island requires the Certified General Real Estate Appraiser credential, the only level that covers all types of real property. The requirements are 300 hours of qualifying education, a bachelor's degree or higher, and 3,000 hours of qualifying experience in no fewer than 18 months, including at least 1,500 hours of non-residential work. You must then pass the Certified General exam and submit a $200 application fee plus a criminal history record to the Department.

To become a commercial real estate appraiser in South Carolina, earn the Certified General credential, the only level authorized to appraise all types of real property. Effective January 1, 2026, it requires 300 hours of Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB) Core Curriculum, a bachelor's degree or higher, at least 3,000 hours of experience with at least 50% from nonresidential properties, and at least 18 months of experience. You must then pass the state exam, which PSI administers for a $79 fee with a passing scaled score of 75.

Commercial real estate appraisal requires the State-Certified General credential, the only level that permits appraising any property type without value or complexity limits. You must complete 300 hours of qualifying education, hold a bachelor's degree, gain 3,000 hours of experience over at least 18 months (including at least 1,500 non-residential hours), and pass the Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB) approved national examination.

In Tennessee, commercial appraising requires the State Certified General credential, which covers all types of real property with no transaction-value limits. You must complete 300 hours of approved qualifying education, hold a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university, and log 3,000 hours of experience in no fewer than 18 months, including at least 1,500 hours of non-residential appraisal work. The application fee is $405, and you must pass the national Certified General examination.

To appraise commercial property in Texas, you need the Certified General Appraiser credential from the Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board (TALCB). The requirements are 300 hours of qualifying education, a Bachelor's degree or higher, and 3,000 hours of verifiable appraisal experience gained over at least 18 months, including a minimum of 1,500 non-residential hours, followed by the national Certified General exam administered by Pearson VUE. The original application fee totals $650 under the TALCB fee schedule effective September 1, 2026.

In Utah, you become a commercial appraiser by earning the Certified General credential, which covers all types of real property at any transaction value. The Appraiser Qualifications Board criteria effective January 1, 2026 require 300 hours of qualifying education, a bachelor's degree or higher, and 3,000 hours of experience in no fewer than 18 months, including at least 1,500 hours of non-residential work, plus a passing exam score of 75.

Commercial real estate appraisal requires the Certified General credential. You must complete 300 qualifying-education hours, hold a bachelor's degree in any field, and log 3,000 experience hours over at least 18 months, including 1,500 non-residential hours. In Vermont you then apply through the Office of Professional Regulation, pay the $315 application fee, and pass the National Uniform Licensing and Certification Examination, which Vermont administers through PSI.

Commercial real estate appraisal in Washington requires the state-certified general credential, the top credential tier. Under the Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB) 2026 criteria, you need 300 hours of qualifying education plus a bachelor's degree or higher, and 3,000 hours of qualifying experience obtained within a minimum of 18 months (maximum of 7 years), including at least 1,500 hours of non-residential appraisal work. You must then pass the 6-hour Certified General examination (110 scored questions, passing scaled score of 75) and pay the $1,160 credential fee.

To appraise commercial property in West Virginia, you need the certified general credential, the only classification authorized to appraise all types of real estate (W. Va. Code 30-38-4(d)). It requires 300 hours of qualifying education, a bachelor's degree or higher, and 3,000 hours of experience over at least 18 months, with at least 1,500 of those hours in nonresidential assignments. You must then pass the national Certified General exam plus a 3-hour West Virginia law course.

To appraise commercial property in Wisconsin you need the Certified General Appraiser credential, which covers all property types with no transaction-value limit. Wisconsin requires 300 hours of core curriculum courses, a bachelor's degree or higher, and 3,000 hours of experience in no less than 18 months, including at least 1,500 hours of non-residential appraisal work. You must pass both the national examination and Wisconsin's state statutes-and-rules examination, complete an FBI background check, and file the application through the LicensE portal.

In Wyoming, commercial appraisal work requires the Certified General credential. First-time applicants must hold a bachelor's, master's, or doctorate from an accredited college or university, complete the Board's Certified General coursework, and log 3,000 hours of experience with at least 50% in non-residential work. Applicants must also submit two fingerprint cards and pass both the national and state exams for Certified General Appraisers.