Virginia Law

Every applicant to the Real Estate Appraiser Board for a certified general, certified residential, or licensed residential real estate appraiser license shall meet the following qualifications:

1. The applicant shall be of good moral character, honest, truthful, and competent to transact the business of a licensed real estate appraiser in such a manner as to safeguard the interests of the public.

2. The applicant shall meet the current educational and experience requirements and submit a license application to the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation or its agent prior to the time the applicant is approved to take the licensing examination. Applications received by the department or the department's agent must be complete within 12 months of the date of the receipt of the license application and fee by the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation or the department's agent.

3. The applicant shall 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 Real Estate Appraiser Board.

4. The applicant shall be in good standing as a real estate appraiser in every jurisdiction where licensed or certified; the applicant may not have had a license or certification that was suspended, revoked, or surrendered in connection with a disciplinary action or that has been the subject of discipline in any jurisdiction prior to applying for licensure in Virginia.

5. The applicant shall possess a background that would not call into question the public trust. Each applicant shall submit to fingerprinting. A background investigation shall be conducted, which shall not reveal that the applicant has been convicted, found guilty, or pled guilty or nolo contendere to a crime that would call into question the applicant's fitness or suitability to engage in the profession. The applicant must disclose the following:

a. All felony convictions; and

b. All misdemeanor convictions except marijuana convictions in any jurisdiction that occurred within five years of the date of application.

Any plea of nolo contendere or finding of guilt regardless of adjudication or deferred adjudication shall be considered a conviction for purposes of this subdivision.

6. The applicant shall be at least 18 years old.

7. The applicant shall have successfully completed the following education:

a. Licensed residential classification - 150 hours of approved real estate appraisal courses, including the 15-Hour National Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice course, from accredited colleges, universities, and junior and community colleges; adult distributive or marketing education programs; local, state, or federal government agencies, boards, or commissions; proprietary schools; or real estate appraisal or real estate related organizations. The required core curriculum for the certified general or certified residential real estate appraiser is a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university. The classroom hours required for the licensed residential classification may include the classroom hours required for the appraiser trainee.

b. Certified residential classification - 200 hours of approved real estate appraisal courses, including the 15-Hour National Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice course, from accredited colleges, universities, and junior and community colleges; adult distributive or marketing education programs; local, state, or federal government agencies, boards, or commissions; proprietary schools; or real estate appraisal or real estate related organizations. The classroom hours required for the certified residential classification may include the classroom hours required for the appraiser trainee or the licensed residential classification. The applicant shall also meet one of the following options for the required core curriculum:

(1) A bachelor's degree in any field of study;

(2) An associate's degree in a field of study related to business administration, accounting, finance, economics, or real estate;

(3) Successful completion of 30 semester hours of college-level courses that cover each of the following specific topic areas and hours: English composition ( three hours); microeconomics ( three hours); macroeconomics ( three hours); finance ( three hours); algebra, geometry, or higher math ( three hours); statistics ( three hours); computer science ( three hours); business law or real estate law ( three hours); and two elective courses in any of the topics described in this subdivision or in accounting, geography, agricultural economics, business management, or real estate ( three hours each);

(4) Successful completion of at least 30 hours of College Level Examination Program (CLEP) examinations that cover each of the specific topic areas in subdivision 7 b (3) of this section. For purposes of this option, the CLEP examination for college algebra ( three hours) may be applied to the topic area of algebra, geometry, or higher math; the CLEP examination for college composition ( six hours) may be applied to the topic area of English composition; the CLEP examination for college composition modular ( three hours) may be applied to the topic area of English composition; the CLEP examination for college mathematics ( six hours) may be applied to the topic area of algebra, geometry, or higher math or statistics; the CLEP examination for principles of macroeconomics ( three hours) may be applied to the topic area of macroeconomics or finance; the CLEP examination for principles of microeconomics ( three hours) may be applied to the topic area of microeconomics or finance; the CLEP examination for introductory business law ( three hours) may be applied to the topic area of business law or real estate law; and the CLEP examination for information systems ( three hours) may be applied to the topic area of computer science;

(5) Successful completion of at least 30 hours of any combination of college-level courses and CLEP examinations that includes all of the topics identified in subdivision 7 b (3) of this section; or

(6) No college-level education. This option applies only to applicants who have held a licensed residential credential for a minimum of five years and have no record of any adverse, final, and nonappealable disciplinary action affecting the licensed residential appraiser's legal eligibility to engage in appraisal practice within the five years immediately preceding the date of application for a certified residential credential.

c. Certified general classification - 300 hours of approved real estate appraisal courses, including the 15-Hour National Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice course, from accredited colleges, universities, and junior and community colleges; adult distributive or marketing education programs; local, state, or federal government agencies, boards, or commissions; proprietary schools; or real estate appraisal or real estate related organizations. The applicant must complete an advanced level appraisal course of at least 30 classroom hours in the appraisal of nonresidential properties. The classroom hours required for the certified general classification may include the classroom hours required for the appraiser trainee, the licensed residential classification, or the certified residential classification. The required core curriculum is a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.

8. The applicant shall, as part of the application for licensure, verify the applicant's experience in the field of real estate appraisal. All applicants must submit, upon application, sample appraisal reports as specified by the board. In addition, 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 shall be made available to the board upon request.

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

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

c. The applicant for a certified general real estate appraiser license shall have a minimum of 3,000 hours of appraisal experience obtained during 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 have substantially contributed to the development of the income approach in such reports and shall provide evidence or verification of such contribution.

d. Applicants completing a Licensed Residential Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal (PAREA) Program shall receive credit for:

(1) 100% of the experience required by board regulations as a condition of licensure as a licensed residential real estate appraiser;

(2) 67% of the experience required by board regulations as a condition of licensure as a certified residential real estate appraiser; or

(3) 33% of the experience required by board regulations as a condition of licensure as a certified general real estate appraiser.

e. Applicants completing a Certified Residential PAREA Program shall receive credit for:

(1) 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

(2) 50% of the experience required by board regulations as a condition of licensure as a certified general real estate appraiser.

9. Within 12 months after being approved by the board to take the examination, the applicant shall have registered for and passed a written examination developed or endorsed by the Appraiser Qualifications Board and provided by the board or by a testing service acting on behalf of the board. Successful completion of the examination is valid for a period of 24 months.

10. Applicants for licensure who do not meet the requirements set forth in subdivisions 4 and 5 of this section may be approved for licensure following consideration of their application by the board.