The information contained below is designed to provide a summary of the minimum education, experience, and examination requirements established by the District of Columbia Board of Appraisers.

We recommend that you contact the Board for more detailed information and for any law or regulation changes which may have occurred.

Levels of Licensure:

• Appraiser Trainee
• Licensed Residential Real property Appraiser
• Certified Residential Real Property Appraiser
• Certified General Real Property Appraiser

License Requirements:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be a high school graduate or holder of a G.E.D. diploma
• Not have been convicted of a crime of moral turpitude which bears directly on the applicant's fitness to be licensed
• Turn in a complete, notarized application form provided by the Board
• Include with the application, two recent passport photos measuring 2 "x2" and the licensing fees
• Show evidence of satisfactorily completion the required hours of education
• Submit to the Board satisfactory evidence of required experience
• Submit Work Experience Log Forms
• Take and pass a written State exam and submit the Passing Score Report (no exam requirement for Trainees)
• For Certified Residential level: Provide proof of satisfactory completion of either a 2 year associates degree or higher, OR a total of 21 semester hours consisting of: English Composition; Principles of Economics, (either Macro or Micro); Finance; Algebra; Geometry or higher mathematics; Statistics; Computer Science; and either Business Law or Real Estate Law
• For Certified General level: Provide proof of satisfactory completion of either a 4 year bachelors degree or higher, OR a total of 30 semester hours consisting of: English Composition; Micro Economics, Macro Economics; Finance; Algebra; Geometry or higher mathematics; Statistics; Computer Science; and either Business Law or Real Estate Law.  Also must include any 2 or the following courses: Accounting; Geography; Agricultural Economics; Business Management. Or Real Estate
• Submit the Board's Application for Appraiser License within 30 months of passing the exam.

Education Requirements:

On February 20, 2004, the Appraiser Qualifications Board of The Appraisal Foundation adopted changes to the Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria that went into effect on January 1, 2008. These changes represent the minimum national requirements that each state must implement for individuals applying for a real estate appraiser license or certification as of January 1, 2008. The Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria and Interpretations of the Criteria provides in depth information on the new criteria and may be accessed by clicking the hyperlink or is available on The Appraisal Foundation website. The educational hour requirements for DC are:

• 75 hours for the Appraiser Trainee which consist of the following courses:
  • Basic Appraisal Principles (30 hours)
  • Basic Appraisal Procedures (30 hours)
  • The 15 Hour National USPAP course or its equivalent (15 hours)
• 150 hours for the Licensed Real Property Appraiser which consist of the same 75 hours for Trainee AND:
  • Residential Report Writing and Case Studies (15 hours)
  • Residential Market Analysis and Highest & Best Use (15 hours)
  • Residential Appraiser Site Valuation & Cost Approach (15 hours)
  • Residential Sales Comparison & Income Approach (30 hours)
• 200 hours for the Certified Residential Real Property Appraiser
• 300 hours for Certified General Real Property Appraiser

Experience Requirements:

• Trainee Real Property Appraiser - No experience required
• State Registered Real Property Appraiser - 1000 hours
• Licensed Real Property Appraiser - 2000 hours over at least 12 months
• Certified Residential Real Property Appraiser - 2500 hours gained continuously over at least 24 months (to include at least 625 hours of property appraisal experience in complex one to four unit residential real property appraisal work)
• Certified General Real Property Appraiser - 3000 hours gained continuously over at least 30 months with at least 1500 hours of experience in non-residential appraisals

Continuing Education:

• There shall be no continuing education requirements for applicants who obtain a license during the second year of the two year period preceding the date the license expires.
• All other licensees must complete at least 28 hours of continuing education during the three year licensing period.
• Appraisers must take the USPAP 7 hour update course within a licensing period.