Who sets the rules and who issues the license
Appraisal licensing runs on two levels. Under Title XI of FIRREA, the Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB) at The Appraisal Foundation publishes the Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria. That document sets the minimum education, experience and exam a person needs at each level. The AQB does not issue licenses. Your state appraiser regulatory agency does, and its rules can be stricter than the AQB minimums but never looser.
The current edition is the 2026 Criteria. The federal Appraisal Subcommittee keeps the national Appraiser Registry. It lists State Licensed, State Certified Residential and State Certified General appraisers who are eligible to appraise for federally related transactions. Trainees do not appear on it, because they do not work on their own.
The four levels and what each may appraise
A Trainee works only under a supervising appraiser and may help on any property that supervisor is qualified to appraise. A Licensed Residential appraiser handles simpler residential work. In California, that means non-complex one-to-four unit homes with a transaction value under $1 million, and complex one-to-four unit homes under $400,000. A Certified Residential appraiser may appraise one-to-four unit residential property regardless of value or complexity. A Certified General appraiser may appraise any type of real property, including commercial, industrial and agricultural assets, regardless of value or complexity.
Not every state offers every level. Certified Residential and Certified General exist in every state. Licensed Residential is common, though a few states have dropped it. Some states have no Trainee level. New York calls its entry level Appraiser Assistant.
Education, degree and experience by level
Qualifying education climbs at each level. The common baselines are 150 hours for Licensed Residential, 200 for Certified Residential and 300 for Certified General. In January 2026 the AQB added valuation bias and fair housing education, and some states now list higher totals. Virginia's July 2026 application asks Licensed Residential applicants for 158 hours.
Licensed Residential needs no college education. Certified Residential has college-level education rules, and the AQB now accepts alternatives to a bachelor's degree. Certified General requires a bachelor's degree or higher. In Texas, Certified General applicants need 3,000 hours of experience over at least 18 months, and at least 1,500 of those hours must be non-residential. Washington lists 1,000 hours of experience for a state-licensed appraiser.
How you get the experience
Experience has long been the bottleneck. There are three routes. The traditional route is working as a Trainee under a supervisor. That supervisor must have held a Certified Residential or Certified General credential for three years. Practicum courses are structured simulations approved by the AQB or your state. PAREA is a virtual training program based on demonstrated skills. It can cover all of the experience for Licensed Residential and Certified Residential, and half of it for Certified General.
Not every state accepts every route, so confirm the options with your board before you pay for training. You finish each level by passing the National Uniform Licensing and Certification Examination for that classification. New content outlines took effect on April 1, 2026.
Pay
USD a year, before tax. BLS OEWS May 2025, moved to 2026 with the Employment Cost Index. This is the BLS real estate appraiser series, not a figure for each license level. BLS counts employees only, so self-employed fee appraisers are left out. State figures are BLS published estimates. Credential level, commercial work and appraisal volume move pay most. Refer to the Appraisal & Valuation salary guide for figures from live adverts.
What you need
- State credentialYour state appraiser regulatory agency issues every level. Its rules must be at least as strict as the AQB Criteria.
- Qualifying educationCommon baselines are 150 hours for Licensed Residential, 200 for Certified Residential and 300 for Certified General. Some states added hours after the 2026 valuation bias and fair housing update.
- College educationLicensed Residential needs none. Certified Residential has college-level rules with alternatives to a bachelor's degree. Certified General needs a bachelor's degree or higher.
- ExperienceHours are logged as a Trainee, through practicum courses or through PAREA. In Texas, Certified General needs 3,000 hours over at least 18 months, with at least 1,500 non-residential.
- National examPass the National Uniform Licensing and Certification Examination for your classification. New content outlines took effect April 1, 2026.
- Background checkStates review your character. Texas, for example, requires fingerprints through the Department of Public Safety.
State by state
| Texas | The Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board requires Certified General applicants to have 300 qualifying hours, a bachelor's degree, 3,000 hours of experience over at least 18 months (at least 1,500 non-residential) and fingerprints. PAREA routes can shorten the experience. |
|---|---|
| California | The Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers issues all four levels. Its Residential License (AL) covers non-complex one-to-four unit properties with a transaction value under $1 million and complex ones under $400,000. Trainees need 150 hours of education and no prior experience. |
| New York | The Department of State calls the entry level Appraiser Assistant. Its application lists 150 qualifying hours for licensed residential and 200 hours plus extra education standards for certified levels. |
| Washington | The Department of Licensing requires 150 classroom hours before the state-licensed exam. Applicants for a trainee license must pass a state appraiser exam. |
| Virginia | The Real Estate Appraiser Board's July 2026 application requires 158 hours of qualifying education for an initial Licensed Residential license. |
How to get there
- Month 0Check your state's levelsConfirm which classifications your board offers and whether you must register as a Trainee before you log hours.
- Months 1-4Complete Trainee educationFinish the required core courses from a state-approved provider. In California, that is 150 hours.
- Year 1-2Log supervised experienceWork under a supervisor who has been certified for three years, or use practicum or PAREA where your state accepts them.
- Year 1-3Earn Licensed or Certified ResidentialMeet the education, college and experience rules, then pass the national exam for that level.
- Year 3+Upgrade to Certified GeneralAdd education to reach 300 hours, hold a bachelor's degree and log 3,000 hours, half of them non-residential.
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Questions people ask
Which appraiser license level should I aim for?
If you want residential work for lenders, Certified Residential lets you appraise one-to-four unit homes at any value or complexity. If you want commercial, industrial or agricultural work, you need Certified General. Licensed Residential limits you to simpler, lower-value homes.
Do I need a college degree to become an appraiser?
Not for Trainee or Licensed Residential. Certified Residential has college-level education rules, and the AQB now accepts alternatives to a bachelor's degree. Certified General requires a bachelor's degree or higher.
Can I skip being a Trainee?
Often, yes. PAREA, the AQB's virtual training program, can cover all of the experience for Licensed Residential and Certified Residential and half of it for Certified General. Your state must accept PAREA for this to work.
Who can supervise a Trainee appraiser?
The supervisor must be state certified as a Certified Residential or Certified General appraiser. They must have held that credential for three years before supervising. They may only supervise work they are qualified to do themselves.
Can a Trainee appraise for federally related loans?
Not on their own. The Appraisal Subcommittee's national registry lists only State Licensed, State Certified Residential and State Certified General appraisers. Trainee work goes out under the supervising appraiser.
Sources
- The Appraisal Foundation: Real Property Appraisal
- The Appraisal Foundation: Criteria
- The Appraisal Foundation: Practicing Appraisers Q&As
- The Appraisal Foundation: National Uniform Licensing and Certification Examination
- Appraisal Subcommittee: Frequently Asked Questions
- TALCB: Become a Certified General Appraiser
- California Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers: License levels
- California Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers: Qualification changes
- Washington DOL: State-licensed real estate appraisers
- Virginia DPOR: Licensed Residential appraiser application
