How to Obtain a Real Estate Appraiser's License in MA

An appraiser can tell you what this home is really worth.

A real estate appraiser helps to determine the market value of a piece of property. You must complete appraiser coursework and gain experience in the field before being eligible to apply for an appraiser's license in Massachusetts. Once you obtain your license, your job is to become the neutral third party in a real estate transaction. You must have no connection to, or be able to profit from, a transaction in which you set the market value of the property. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for real estate appraisers will grow slower than average due to the cyclical nature of the real estate market.

Instructions

1. Complete the required 150 hours of coursework. Required courses are appraisal principles, appraisal procedures, uniform standards of professional appraisal practices, residential and market analysis, site valuation, sales comparison and income approaches, and report writing and case studies. For Massachusetts-approved courses and course providers, see Resources.

2. Fill out the "Primary Appraisal Education Reporting" form located in the Real Estate Appraiser Licensing and Certification Candidate Handbook (see Resources). List all of your real estate appraisal courses that qualify you to apply for a license.

3. Complete 2,000 hours of appraisal fieldwork within two years. You must do at least 75 percent of the work on a particular assignment for it to qualify as field experience.

4. Fill out the "List of Assignments" form located in candidate handbook. Write down all of your appraisal fieldwork assignments starting with the most recent and working backwards. Do separate "Assignments" forms for each field supervisor and for residential and nonresidential properties.

5. Bring the "Experience Affidavit" form located in the candidate handbook to each of your appraisal field supervisors so that they can certify your 2,000 hours of appraisal fieldwork.

6. Complete the "Application for Real Estate Appraiser License." An application is available in the candidate handbook. Type or use blue or black ink when filling out the application and be sure to write legibly.

7. Get the "Character Endorsement" page of the application signed by someone who can attest to your good character.

8. Sign your application in front of a notary public.

9. Write a personal check, certified check or money order for the application fee payable to the "Commonwealth of Massachusetts" for $338.

10. Print your name on all of your documents and at the bottom of each page of the application.

11. Organize your documents for mailing. Place your documents in this order from top to bottom: application; education reporting form; official, sealed college transcripts for appraisal courses; experience affidavits; and list of assignments forms. Do not staple any of the forms. Paper clip the documents together and place them in a file folder and paper clip the check to the front of the folder. Mail to:

    MA RA Board
    1000 Washington Street
    Suite 710
    Boston, MA 02118-6100.

12. Schedule a Massachusetts real estate appraiser's examination. The board will approve your application and send you an approval card for the exam. Call Pearson VUE at 1-800-274-7488 to schedule your exam. Pay the $100 exam fee with your credit or debit card.

13. Take the exam on a computer. Arrive to test site at least 30 minutes before your exam and bring your photo ID, approval card, test confirmation number and a calculator. You will be given four hours to complete the exam. "Pass" or "fail" will appear on the computer screen when you are done with the exam.

14. Get your license. If you pass the exam, the board will mail you your appraiser's license. The license is valid for three years.

References

• Real Estate Appraiser Licensing and Certification

Resources

• Appraiser Approved Courses
• Candidate Handbook