How to Become a Real Estate Appraiser in Washington, D.C.: Your 5-Step Guide

How to Become a Licensed Residential Appraiser in Washington, D.C.

Now let's take a more in-depth look at the steps recommended to really start your appraisal career as a licensed residential appraiser.

1. 1. Obtain Your Washington, D.C. Appraiser Trainee License

   NOTE: Your state may accept PAREA or Practicum as an alternative to Trainee license with Trainee/Supervisory model.

   Qualifying Education. Before you can become a licensed residential appraiser in Washington, D.C., you’ll need to complete 75 hours total of District of Columbia Appraiser Qualifying Education (QE), broken up as follows:

   • 30 hours of appraisal principles
   • 30 hours of appraisal procedures
   • The 15-hour National Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) course, or an equivalent course

   You’ll also need to complete a 4-hour Supervisory Appraiser/Trainee Appraiser course. Before signing up for the course, you need to find a supervisory appraiser who will act as your mentor through completion of your experience hours (Step 3).

   All Qualifying Education must be approved by the Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB) and the Washington, D.C. Board of Real Estate Appraisers. You must complete all Qualifying Education prior to submitting your appraiser trainee application.

   Once you’ve met all of the above requirements, you can apply for your Appraiser Trainee license using Washington, D.C.’s online portal. There is a $65 application fee.

2. 2. Complete Your Appraiser Education

   After becoming a Washington, D.C. appraiser trainee, it’s time for the next step toward becoming a licensed residential appraiser: 150 total hours of Appraisal Foundation-approved appraiser education. Take a look at the breakdown of coursework (under the Licensee submenu). (Please Note: You’ve already satisfied 75 of these hours through your Trainee Appraiser license – nice work!)

3. 3. Conduct Your Appraisal Work Experience

   Once you’ve finished your education, you must conduct and log at least 1,000 hours of actual appraisal experience. Those 1,000 hours must be completed:

   • Under the supervision of an approved certified appraiser mentor; and
   • Over a period of at least six months.

   This means that you must take no less than six months to complete your 1,000 hours of appraisal experience. To put things in perspective, if an apprentice works 40 hours per workweek, they will complete their training in a little over six months. If, however, they put in any fewer than 40 hours per week, it would take longer.

   To find a supervisory appraiser, you can search Washington, D.C.’s appraiser database to find certified residential and general appraisers who are approved as supervisory appraisers.

   Once you’ve completed your appraiser education and experience requirements, you’ll need to submit proof of completion to the Washington, D.C. Board of Real Estate Appraisers for verification. Once approved, the board will notify you that you can schedule your licensing exam.

4. 4. Pass the National Uniform Licensing & Certification Examination

   After the Washington, D.C. Board of Real Estate Appraisers approves your education and experience, you can take the National Uniform Licensing & Certification Exam. You will receive a candidate handbook and instructions for contacting the testing company to schedule your exam. The Appraisal Foundation publishes tips on the exam structure that can help you prepare. Here’s an overview:

   In Montana, the test is administered by PSI (formerly AMP). There is a $106 fee to take the exam, and The Appraisal Foundation publishes tips on the exam structure that can help you prepare. Here’s an overview:

   • The exam is four hours long. The Licensed Residential Examination can take up to four hours to complete.
   • There are 125 questions on the test. The National Uniform Licensing and Certification exam is composed of 125 total questions. Fifteen of these questions are considered practice, and answering those questions wrong does not negatively affect your score.
   • A score of 75 points is passing. Scores for the National Uniform Licensing and Certification exam range between 0 and 110 points. Each question carries an equal weight of 1 point. In order to pass, you must earn a minimum of 75 points.
   • You can take the test more than once. The Appraisal Foundation allows you to take the test up to three times.

5. 5. Submit Your Application for Washington, D.C. Licensed Residential Appraiser

   After passing your exam, it’s time to apply for your license. Generally, candidates can expect this process to take up to six weeks, but it may vary.

   To fill out your application, you'll need to complete the application using Washington, D.C.’s online portal. There is a $170 application fee.

   Washington, D.C. licensed residential appraiser credentials are valid for two years. Continuing Education (CE) must be completed every other year.

Appraiser License Types in Washington, D.C.

It’s important to understand how Washington, D.C. classifies real estate appraisers across four separate categories, each with their own qualifications for licensure:

• Appraiser Trainee
• Licensed Residential Appraiser
• Certified Residential Appraiser
• Certified General Appraiser

After receiving your Appraiser Trainee license, you can “upgrade” to any of the subsequent license levels. Today, we’ll be focusing on how to become a licensed residential appraiser. But first, here’s a quick overview of the eligibility requirements for the first four licensing levels.

Appraiser Trainee

Washington, D.C. requires a pilot program for potential appraisers to begin their path toward becoming fully licensed. Known as an appraiser trainee, this first level of licensure is required before you can become fully licensed and start appraising real estate on your own.

Here's a quick overview of everything you’ll need to become a trainee:

Licensed Residential Appraiser

The next level up is a licensed residential appraiser. At this level, you can appraise:

• Non-complex 1-4 unit residential properties (transaction value < $1,000,000)
• Commercial property with a transaction value of $250,000 or less

Here’s a quick overview of everything you’ll need to become a Washington, D.C. licensed residential appraiser:

Certified Residential Appraiser

Certified residential appraisers may appraise:

• 1-4 unit residential properties without regard to value or complexity
• Commercial property with a transaction value less than $250,000

Certified General Appraiser

Certified general appraisers are the highest level of appraiser professionals in Washington, D.C. They can appraise all types of residential or commercial property without regard to value or complexity.