Real estate appraiser license or certification (trainee, licensed residential, certified residential, certified general)
Granted by state appraiser regulatory agencies, not by a national exam alone. Qualifying appraisal education for the credential; certified residential also needs college-level education, and certified general a bachelor's degree.
How to get licensed
Qualifying appraisal education for the credential; certified residential also needs college-level education, and certified general a bachelor's degree.
- Ask your state agency which credentials it offers (not every state has trainee or licensed residential)License
- Qualifying education, through a provider your state approves
- Experience under a supervisory appraiser, or a practicum, or PAREA
- College-level education for certified residential; a bachelor's degree for certified general
- AQB National Uniform exam for your credentialExam
- State license or certificationLicense
The exams
National bodies write the exams; the state board decides who is licensed. Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB) of The Appraisal Foundation — sets the minimum Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria and issues the National Uniform Licensing and Certification Examination.
- National Uniform Licensing and Certification ExaminationOne exam for each credential (licensed residential, certified residential, certified general). Under FIRREA (1989), everyone seeking a state real property appraiser license or certification must pass an AQB-issued or endorsed exam. You sit it after the state has verified your education and experience.
Appraisal Foundation
National Uniform Licensing and Certification ExaminationThe Appraisal Foundation (Appraiser Qualifications Board)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
State rules and other states
State requirements may not be less stringent than the AQB Criteria, and your state's rules define your actual path; not every state offers every classification (The Appraisal Foundation). Federal law requires a state license or certification for appraisals in federally related transactions (BLS).
What 2 state boards publish
| State | What the board asks for | Exam | Fee | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board (TALCB) | Trainee: 83 hours of qualifying education plus the 4-hour trainee/supervisor course and a supervisor. Licensed residential: 158 hours and 1,000 hours over at least 6 months (or Licensed Residential PAREA). Certified residential: 200 hours, college-level education (6 options) and 1,500 hours over at least 12 months. Certified general: 300 hours, a bachelor's degree and 3,000 hours over at least 18 months with 1,500 non-residential. Exams through Pearson VUE; a pass is valid 24 months. TALCBBecome an Appraiser TraineeTexas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board (TALCB)
talcb.texas.gov does not answer from India (connection timed out); read from the Internet Archive capture of 19 May 2026. View sourceTALCBBecome a Licensed Residential AppraiserTexas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board (TALCB)
talcb.texas.gov does not answer from India (connection timed out); read from the Internet Archive capture of 13 May 2026. View sourceTALCBBecome a Certified Residential AppraiserTexas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board (TALCB)
talcb.texas.gov does not answer from India (connection timed out); read from the Internet Archive capture of 10 Apr 2026. View sourceTALCBBecome a Certified General AppraiserTexas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board (TALCB)
talcb.texas.gov does not answer from India (connection timed out); read from the Internet Archive capture of 13 May 2026. View source | |||
| California Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers (BREA) | Trainee: 75 hours, no experience. Residential (AL): 150 hours and 1,000 hours over at least 6 months. Certified residential (AR): college-level education, 200 hours and 1,500 hours over 12 months. Certified general (AG): bachelor's degree, 300 hours and 3,000 hours over 18 months with 1,500 non-residential. Licensed residential applicants also take a 1-hour cultural competency and a 4-hour California laws course. BREAReal Estate Appraiser License LevelsCalifornia Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers (BREA)
BREABecome a Licensed Residential AppraiserCalifornia Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers (BREA)
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Each row is copied from that board's own page and cites it. A dash means the board page we read did not state it. Other states have their own rules: check the board where you will work, or open the state pages.
Good to know
Not always required
- Appraisers of personal and business property, and assessors, have no federal licensing requirement, although some states require certification (BLS).