Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria Changes Adopted

by AppraisersBlogs · Published February 3, 2012 · Updated February 8, 2018

Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria Changes Adopted by AQB

Effective January 1, 2015

The Appraisal Foundation is pleased to announce that Proposed Revisions to the Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria (Criteria) have been adopted by the Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB). The AQB is an independent Board of The Appraisal Foundation. The AQB is responsible for developing minimum qualifications for education, experience, examination and continuing education for real property appraisers in the United States.

The Criteria, which were adopted at the December 2011 meeting of the AQB, will be effective on January 1, 2015. The changes to the Criteria are the result of five public exposure drafts, covering a period of 15 months. Feedback was received from interested parties in the form of comment letters as well as comments made to the Board at public meetings. The changes to the Criteria will affect individuals seeking a real property appraiser credential as of January 1, 2015. It is important to note that individual State Appraiser Regulatory Agencies may opt to implement the Criteria earlier than the 2015 deadline.

A summary of the changes to the Criteria include:

Education and experience will have to be completed prior to taking the National Uniform Licensing and Certification Examinations;
Applicants for the Certified Residential and Certified General classifications will have to possess a Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university;
Applicants for the Licensed Residential classification will have to have successfully completed 30 semester hours of college-level education from an accredited college, junior college, community college, or university, or have an Associate’s degree or higher from an accredited college, junior college, community college, or university;
All candidates will be required to undergo a background check;
Recognition of approved university degree programs as counting toward the education requirements in the Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria;
Removal of the “Segmented” Approach to the Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria implementation;
Prohibition of repetitive continuing education in the same continuing education cycle;
Clarification of the term “written examination”;
Revisions to the Trainee Appraiser classification that will include a requirement to take a course oriented to the requirements and responsibilities of Trainee Appraisers and Supervisory Appraisers;
New Supervisory Appraiser requirements;
Revisions to Guide Note 1; and
Additions to the illustrative list of educational topics acceptable for continuing education.

A more detailed summary of the changes to the Criteria is available at the following link.

Any questions on the Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria and the work of the Appraiser Qualifications Board can be directed to Magdalene Vasquez, Qualifications Administrator at 202.624.3074.

~ Source The Appraisal Foundation: The Appraisal Foundation, a Congressionally authorized non-profit organization established in 1987, is dedicated to the advancement of professional valuation. The Foundation accomplishes its mission through the work of its three independent Boards: the Appraisal Practices Board (APB), the Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB) and the Appraisal Standards Board (ASB). More information on The Appraisal Foundation is available at www.appraisalfoundation.org.