Virginia Law

Every applicant to the board for a certified general, certified residential, or licensed residential real estate appraiser license must meet the following qualifications:

1. The applicant must meet the current educational and experience requirements and submit a license application to the department or its agent prior to the time the applicant is approved to take the licensing examination.

2. The applicant must sign, as part of the application, a statement verifying that the applicant has read and understands the Virginia real estate appraiser license law and the regulations of the board.

3. The applicant must report any action taken by any board or administrative body in any jurisdiction against a professional or occupational license, certification, or registration issued to the applicant, to include any suspension, revocation, or surrender of a license, certification, or registration, imposition of a monetary penalty, or requirement to take remedial education or other corrective action. The board, in its discretion, may deny licensure to any applicant for any prior action taken by any board or administrative body in any jurisdiction. The applicant has the right to request further review of any such action by the board under the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq. of the Code of Virginia).

4. In accordance with § 54.1-204 of the Code of Virginia, each applicant must disclose the following information:

a. All misdemeanor convictions involving fraudulent or dishonest acts, sexual offense, non-marijuana drug distribution, or physical injury within five years of the date of the application; and

b. All felony convictions.

The board, in its discretion, may deny licensure to any applicant in accordance with § 54.1-204 of the Code of Virginia.

5. The applicant must be at least 18 years of age.

6. The applicant must have successfully completed minimum education standards established by the Appraiser Qualifications Board in its January 2022 Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria. The Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria and Interpretations of the Criteria, effective January 1, 2022, are incorporated by reference. For applications received on or after January 1, 2026, the applicant must have successfully completed the minimum education standards established by the Appraiser Qualifications Board in its January 2026 Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria. The Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria, effective January 1, 2026, are incorporated by reference.

7. The applicant must, as part of the application for licensure, verify the applicant's experience in the field of real estate appraisal.

a. All applicants must submit, upon application, sample appraisal reports as specified by the board.

(1) All experience must be acquired within the five-year period immediately preceding the date application is made and be supported by adequate written reports or file memoranda, which must be made available to the board upon request.

(2) The board, at its discretion, may extend the five-year period for applicants who have suffered serious personal illness or injury, death in the immediate family, obligation of military service or service in the Peace Corps, or for other good cause of similar magnitude approved by the board. Documentation of these circumstances must be provided to the board.

b. Experience requirements.

(1) Fee and staff appraisals. To qualify for fee and staff appraiser experience, an individual must have prepared written appraisal reports that comply with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice and demonstrate competence in the act or process of valuation of real property or preparing an appraisal report.

(2) Ad valorem experience. Ad valorem tax appraisal experience may be obtained either through individual property appraisals or through mass appraisals as long as applicants under this category of experience can demonstrate the use of techniques to value real property similar to those being used by fee and staff appraisers and the effective utilization of the appraisal process.

(a) To qualify for ad valorem tax appraisal experience for individual property appraisals, an individual must have prepared written appraisal reports that comply with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice. An applicant claiming only ad valorem tax appraisal experience must also include a fee and staff appraiser assignment as part of the application.

(b) To qualify for ad valorem tax appraisal experience for mass appraisals, an individual must have prepared mass appraisals or have documented mass appraisal reports that comply with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, including Standard 6.

(c) To qualify for ad valorem tax appraisal experience, the applicant's experience log must be attested to by the applicant's supervisor.

(3) Reviewer experience. Reviewer experience must not constitute more than 1,000 hours of total experience claimed, and at least 50% of the review experience claimed must be in field review wherein the individual has personally inspected the real property that is the subject of the review.

(a) To qualify for reviewer experience, an individual must have prepared written reports after January 30, 1989, recommending the acceptance, revision, or rejection of the fee and staff appraiser's opinions that comply with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, including Standard 3.

(b) Signing as "Review Appraiser" on an appraisal report prepared by another will not qualify an individual for experience in the reviewer category. Experience gained in this capacity will be considered under the cosigner subcategory of fee and staff appraiser experience.

(4) Real estate consulting experience. To qualify for real estate consulting experience, an individual must have prepared written reports that comply with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice. Real estate consulting must not constitute more than 500 hours of experience for any type of appraisal license.

c. Experience hours.

(1) The applicant for a licensed residential real estate appraiser license must have a minimum of 1,000 hours of appraisal experience obtained in no fewer than six months. Hours may be treated as cumulative in order to achieve the necessary 1,000 hours of appraisal experience.

(2) The applicant for a certified residential real estate appraiser license must have a minimum of 1,500 hours of appraisal experience obtained in no fewer than 12 months. Hours may be treated as cumulative in order to achieve the necessary 1,500 hours of appraisal experience.

(3) The applicant for a certified general real estate appraiser license must have a minimum of 3,000 hours of appraisal experience obtained in no fewer than 18 months. Hours may be treated as cumulative in order to achieve the necessary 3,000 hours of appraisal experience. At least 50% of the appraisal experience required (1,500 hours) must be in nonresidential appraisal assignments and include assignments that demonstrate the use and understanding of the income approach. An applicant whose nonresidential appraisal experience is predominately in such properties that do not require the use of the income approach may satisfy this requirement by performing two or more appraisals on properties in association with a certified general appraiser that include the use of the income approach. The applicant must provide evidence that the applicant has substantially contributed to the development of the income approach in such reports.

(4) Applicants completing a Licensed Residential Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal (PAREA) Program will receive credit for:

(a) 100% of the experience required by board regulations as a condition of licensure as a licensed residential real estate appraiser;

(b) 67% of the experience required by board regulations as a condition of licensure as a certified residential real estate appraiser; or

(c) 33% of the experience required by board regulations as a condition of licensure as a certified general real estate appraiser.

(5) Applicants completing a Certified Residential PAREA Program will receive credit for:

(a) 100% of the experience required by board regulations as a condition of licensure as a licensed residential real estate appraiser or certified residential real estate appraiser; or

(b) 50% of the experience required by board regulations as a condition of licensure as a certified general real estate appraiser.

8. Applicants must pass the board-approved examination within 24 months of being approved to take the examination.

9. Applicants for licensure who do not meet the requirements set forth in subdivisions 3 and 4 of this section may be approved for licensure following consideration of their application by the board.