How do I become a registered appraiser?

"Registered appraiser" is one of several state titles for the entry-level Trainee Appraiser credential. You must complete 83 hours of qualifying education (Basic Appraisal Principles 30 hours, Basic Appraisal Procedures 30, the 15-Hour National USPAP Course 15, and Valuation Bias and Fair Housing 8) plus a separate Supervisory Appraiser/Trainee Appraiser course, then apply to your state agency with the required fee, fingerprints, and background check. You must work under a state-certified supervisory appraiser; there is no exam or experience requirement at this level.

In Alaska, you register as a certified trainee appraiser with the state board after completing 83 classroom hours of qualifying education within the five years before applying, covering basic appraisal principles, basic appraisal procedures, the 15-hour national USPAP course, and Valuation Bias and Fair Housing. A required supervisor/trainee course does not count toward the 83 hours. You must also name a supervisory appraiser certified in Alaska for at least three years and pay $300 in fees ($150 application plus $150 certification).

Submit an application to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation after completing 100 hours of approved qualifying education. You must be at least 18, hold a high school diploma or equivalent, and have a valid Social Security number. After submitting the application, you must be fingerprinted through a Livescan provider registered with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and you register your supervisory appraiser with the state.

North Dakota's entry-level credential is the apprentice appraiser, the state's term for a trainee. You must be at least 18, hold a high school education or equivalent, complete 83 hours of Board-approved qualifying education within the 5 years before applying, and pass an open-book examination on the state's appraiser law and rules. You must also register a supervisory appraiser with the board and pass a criminal background check. The application fee is $300.

In Vermont, you register as an appraiser trainee with the Office of Professional Regulation after completing 83 hours of qualifying education and the Supervisory Appraiser/Trainee Appraiser Course. The trainee application fee is $115, and the registration renews annually on October 31 at $115. Registration also requires a fingerprint-supported criminal background check, which can take 6-12 weeks to process. You must work under a Certified Residential or Certified General supervisor who reviews and signs all of your appraisals.

Wyoming does not issue a registered appraiser credential. Its entry-level credential is the Certified Appraiser Trainee permit. A trainee submits a Trainee Permit Application, a trainee log, fingerprint cards for a background check, and a notarized Supervisor Declaration from a Wyoming certified appraiser who has taken a supervisor/trainee course, is in good standing, and has a clean recent disciplinary record. The supervisor must personally sign and review every appraisal for the work to count toward the trainee's experience hours.