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

How to Become a Certified Residential Appraiser in Vermont

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

1. 1. Register as a Vermont Appraiser Trainee

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

   Qualifying Education. Before you can register as a trainee, you’ll need to complete 75 hours total of Vermont 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 an Appraiser Trainee/Supervisory Appraiser Course. Before signing up for this 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 Vermont Office of Professional Regulation. You must complete all Qualifying Education prior to submitting your Trainee application.

   Before applying for your license, take a moment to read through Vermont’s detailed trainee application requirements.

   Once you’ve met all of the above requirements, you can register as an Appraiser Trainee using Vermont’s online portal. There is a $115 application fee.

2. 2. Complete Your Vermont Licensed Real Estate Appraiser Education

   After becoming a Vermont Appraiser Trainee, it’s time for the next step toward becoming a Certified Residential Appraiser: 200 total hours of Appraisal Foundation-approved appraiser education. Take a look at the application requirements. (Please Note: You’ve already satisfied 75 of these hours through your Trainee license – nice work!)

3. 3. Conduct Your Appraisal Work Experience

   Once you’ve finished your education, you must conduct and log at least 1,500 hours of actual appraisal experience. Those 1,500 hours must be completed:

   • Under the supervision of a certified appraiser; and
   • Over a period of at least 12 months.

   There are many ways to find a supervisory appraiser. You can use Vermont’s licensee search portal to find certified residential and general appraisers who are open to working with trainees. You can also search the list of active certified appraisers in Vermont found in the Appraisal Subcommittee’s National Registry of Appraisers.

   Once you’ve completed your appraiser education and experience requirements, you’ll need to submit proof of completion to the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation for verification. Once approved, the board will notify you that you can schedule your certification exam.

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

   After the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation approves your education and experience, you can take the National Uniform Licensing & Certification Exam.

   In Vermont, the test is administered by PSI (formerly AMP). 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 Certified 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 Vermont Certified Residential Appraiser

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

   To fill out your application, you first need to create an account on the Vermont online portal. There is a $315 application fee.

   You’ll need to submit your fingerprints and consent to a background check as part of your application. More info on this process can be found here.

   Vermont Certified Residential Appraiser licenses are valid for two years. You’ll need to renew your license by May 31st of every even-numbered year. Continuing Education (CE) must be completed to renew.

Appraiser License Types in Vermont

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

• Appraiser Trainee
• Certified Residential Appraiser
• Certified General Appraiser

After registering as a Vermont trainee appraiser, you can “upgrade” to any of the subsequent license levels. Today, we’ll be focusing on how to become a certified residential appraiser. But first, here’s a quick overview of the requirements for all license levels.

Appraiser Trainee

Vermont, like most states, recommends 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 recommended before becoming fully licensed.

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

Certified Residential Appraiser

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

• 1-4 unit residential properties without regard to value or complexity
• Non-residential properties (transaction value < $250,000)

Certified General Appraiser

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