How to Become a Real Estate Appraiser in Michigan: Your
5-Step Guide

How to Become a State Licensed Real Estate Appraiser in Michigan

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

1. 1. Obtain Your Michigan Limited Real Estate Appraiser 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 state licensed real estate appraiser in Michigan, you’ll need to complete 75 hours total of Michigan 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

   It’s also recommended that you complete a 4-hour Training Course for Supervisory Appraisers and Trainee-Level Appraisers. All Qualifying Education must be approved by the Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB) and the Michigan State Board of Real Estate Appraisers. You must complete all Qualifying Education prior to submitting your limited real estate appraiser application.

   Before applying for your license, take a moment to read through Michigan’s limited real estate appraiser licensing guide.

   Once you’ve met all of the above requirements, you can apply for your appraiser assistant license using Michigan’s online application portal. There is a $285 application fee.

2. 2. Complete Your Appraiser Education

   After becoming a Michigan limited real estate appraiser, it’s time for the next step toward becoming a state licensed real estate appraiser: 150 total hours of Appraisal Foundation-approved appraiser education. See the breakdown of coursework required by the AQB on page 21 of the Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria. (Please Note: You’ve already satisfied 75 of these hours through your Limited Real Estate 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 a certified appraiser; 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 a limited real estate appraiser 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 Michigan’s licensee portal 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 Michigan State 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 Michigan State 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:

   • 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 Michigan State Licensed Real Estate 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.

   You can apply for your license using Michigan’s online application portal. There is a $385 application fee.

   Michigan state licensed appraiser licenses are valid for two years. Continuing Education (CE) must be completed during each renewal period.

Appraiser License Types in Michigan

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

• Limited Real Estate Appraiser
• State Licensed Real Estate Appraiser
• Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser
• Certified General Real Estate Appraiser

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

Limited Real Estate Appraiser

Michigan, like most states, recommends a pilot program for potential appraisers to begin their path toward becoming fully licensed. Known as a limited real estate appraiser, this first level of licensure is recommended 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 limited real estate appraiser.

State Licensed Real Estate Appraiser

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

• Non-complex 1-4 unit residential properties for federally related and non-federally related transactions less than $1,000,000
• Non-residential properties for federally related transactions less than $250,000

Here’s a quick overview of everything you’ll need to become a Michigan state licensed real estate appraiser:

Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser

Certified residential real estate appraisers may appraise:

• 1-4 unit residential properties in non-federally related transactions without regard to value or complexity
• Non-residential properties for federally related transactions less than $250,000

Certified General Real Estate Appraiser

Certified general real estate appraisers are the highest level of appraiser professionals in Michigan. They can appraise all types of residential or commercial property in federally and non-federally related transactions without regard to value or complexity.