How to Become a Real Estate Appraiser in Arizona

Determine the value of Arizona properties with an Appraisal License.

To get an Appraisal License in Arizona, you must apply to the Arizona Board of Appraisal, which is a state organization created to regulate appraisers by issuing licenses, providing education, and conducting exams. Once you have your Appraisal License, you'll be qualified to appraise property of a certain value, depending on the license type, anywhere in Arizona. You must be 18 and a United States citizen to receive your appraisal license and you will be fingerprinted during the process.

Instructions

1. Decide which license you'd like to get. Arizona offers three Appraisal Licenses: Licensed Residential Appraiser, Certified Residential Appraiser and Certified General Appraiser. A Licensed Residential Appraiser can appraise noncomplex one to four residential units with a value of less than one million dollars or complex one to four residential units with a value of less than $250,000. A Certified Residential Appraiser can appraise any one to four residential units, no matter how expensive or complex they may be. A Certified General Appraiser can appraise any type of property, residential or commercial. The education and experience requirements vary for each license type.

2. Get the proper education. A guide to finding real estate appraisal courses that will be approved in Arizona can be found in Resources at the bottom of the article. A Licensed Residential Appraiser must have 150 hours of classroom instruction. A Certified Residential Appraiser must have 200 hours of classroom instruction. A Certified General Appraiser must have 300 hours of classroom instruction. For all license levels, 25% of the total hours counting toward their license need to be local, not long-distance, courses.

   You also need to have an associate's degree or, at the very least, a certain number of specific general education courses passed at a university. The number varies depending on the type of license you wish to get.

3. Gain experience in your field. A Licensed Residential Appraiser requires 2,000 hours of experience in 18 months or less. A Certified Residential Appraiser requires 2,500 hours of experience in two years or less. A Certified General Appraiser requires 3,000 hours of experience in 30 months; 1,500 hours of that experience must reflect work with non-residential properties. For every license level, 75% of the experience hours must include work where a property was inspected. All experience has to be completed within 10 years of filing the application.

4. Download your application from the Arizona Board of Appraisal and fill it out entirely. Return it to them as indicated on your application, along with proof of your education and experience. Your work experience log can be downloaded on the same page. You'll have to include a $400 fee with your application and, once it's been approved, you'll be contacted with the form required to take the Appraisal Exam.

5. Take the National Uniform Real Property Appraiser Examination. There is a different test for each license level. After you've passed, the board will send you your official license.

References

• Arizona Board of Appraisal: Licensing
• Arizona Board of Appraisal: Certified General Appraiser

Resources

• Arizona Board of Appraisal: Licensing
• Arizona Board of Appraisal: Education
• The Appraisal Foundation: National Uniform Licensing and Certification Examinations