How to Get a License or Certification

The following is a brief summary regarding the different levels of appraiser licenses, along with education and experience requirements.

There are three real estate appraiser classifications: State Licensed Appraiser, State Certified Residential Appraiser and State Certified General Appraiser.

Background Checks: Beginning January 1, 2015, All Initial Applicants For A Real Property Appraiser Credential Must Undergo Background Check.

See T.C.A. 62-39-102 for definition of an initial applicant for registration, licensure or certification.

The following is a summary of education and experience requirements for obtaining licensure/certification as a real estate appraiser.

Go to the following website to download the current list of approved qualifying and continuing education courses: Approved Course Listing

Registered Trainee - A person desiring to become an appraiser must register with the Commission and work under the direct supervision of one or more certified appraisers who have been certified with the Commission for a minimum of 36 months in Tennessee. Experience gained prior to registration will be not accepted. Prior to registering with the Commission, a registered trainee applicant must complete 75 hours of qualifying education, within five (5) years preceding the date of application, in the following categories and successfully pass the applicable final examinations:

State Licensed Appraiser - An applicant must have 150 hours of approved qualifying appraisal education courses completed with successful passage of course final exams in the following categories and credit hours:

State Certified Residential Appraiser - Applicant must complete one of the six college options listed in the New Appraiser Qualification Criteria: effective 5/1/2018.

In addition to the Bachelor’s degree, 200 hours of qualifying education courses in the following categories and credit hours must be completed, with the successful passage of the course final exams, as specified in these rules:

State Certified General Appraiser - Applicant must have a Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.

In addition to the Bachelor's degree, 300 hours of qualifying education courses in the following categories and credit hours must be completed, with the successful passage of course final exams, as specified in these rules:

Experience Requirements:
Registered Trainee - No previous experience is required to register as a Trainee. However, in order to gain experience credit for licensure/certification, an appraiser assistant must have a supervising appraiser and register with the Commission. Experience gained prior to registration will not be accepted. When measuring the beginning and ending of the experience period under AQB criteria (currently 6 months for licensed and 12 months for certified residential and 18 months and for certified general), TREAC will review each appraiser’s experience log and note the dates of the first and last acceptable appraisal activities performed by the applicant. Then, TREAC will calculate the time period spanned between those appraisal activities. The supervisor and trainee have shared responsibility to ensure the appraisal experience log for the Trainee Appraiser is accurate, current, and complies with the requirements of the Laws and Rules of Tennessee.

State Licensed Appraiser – 1,000 hours over a minimum period of six months. Experience must be in conformance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.

State Certified Residential Appraiser - 1,500 hours over a minimum period of twelve months. Experience must be in conformance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.

State Certified General Appraiser - 3,000 hours (including at least 1,500 hours of non-residential appraisal experience) over a minimum period of eighteen months. Experience must be in conformance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.

SEE RULES OF THE TENNESSEE REAL ESTATE APPRAISER COMMISSION CHAPTER 1255-3 (EVALUATION OF APPRAISER EXPERIENCE) FOR ACCEPTABLE APPRAISAL EXPERIENCE.

Experience Log
An experience log (PDF format) documenting acceptable appraisal experience is required for all license/certification applications. The work product claimed for experience credit must conform with Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice and be verifiable.

SEE RULES OF THE TENNESSEE REAL ESTATE APPRAISER COMMISSION CHAPTER 1255-3 (EVALUATION OF APPRAISER EXPERIENCE) FOR GUIDELINES FOR APPRAISAL EXPERIENCE.

The tests will be administered by an approved provider under contract with the Tennessee Real Estate Appraiser Commission. An electronic examination provides test/fail reports to candidates immediately upon completion of the examinations. The examinations are given at established test center locations. An applicant will be allowed four opportunities to pass the examination. The applicant must successfully pass the examination within twelve (12) months of their exam approval date. Any applicant who has taken and failed four examinations shall be required to submit a new application.

Rescheduling and Excused Absences
An applicant must reschedule examinations and request excused absences directly from the testing agent.

Licensing/Certification Procedures
Upon successful completion of the examination, applicants must send the Commission an original test score sheet from the testing center regarding successful completion of the examination and required fees for licensure/certification. Applicants should keep a very good photo copy of the test sheet for their records.

Some files are Adobe Reader® Files [pdf], 6.0 or higher. You may need to DOWNLOAD a free copy of Adobe Reader® to view these files.