How to Get an Appraiser License in Illinois

License levels recognized in Illinois

Click HERE to view state requirements.

Associate Trainee Appraiser
Certified Residential Appraiser
Certified General Appraiser

Steps to becoming an appraiser in the state of Illinois

Qualifications

Applicant must be at least 18 years of age.
Applicant must hold a valid high school diploma or its equivalent

STEP 1: Find a supervisor/mentor to work with to log your experience hours. (Suggestions for finding a supervisor/mentor)

STEP 2: Successfully complete 75 hours of qualifying education courses approved by the Board. In addition, successfully complete the AQB approved Supervisory/Trainee Course AND the Illinois-specific Supervisor-Trainee course. Successful completion requires passing the course final examinations for each course with a proctor. Proctoring requirement only applies to qualifying education and does not include the Supervisory course or law course. (Course Online Proctoring Policy and Requirements)

Basic Appraisal Principles – 30 hours
Basic Appraisal Procedures – 30 hours
National USPAP Course or Equivalent – 15 hours
Supervisor-Trainee Course – 6 hours (must include 3 hours of Illinois specific training)

STEP 3: Submit the Application package which includes:

Forms (Application)
Fees (located on application)
Education – completion certificates and/or official college transcripts
Experience (Trainee Experience Log)
Background information for criminal record check (Fingerprint Vendor LINK)

Additional Helpful Links and Resource Downloads:

Ready to get started? Click the button below to view class options and enroll.

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McKissock courses and online delivery method are approved by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Resources Real Estate Appraisal and International Distance Education Certification Center (IDECC).

McKissock is the exclusive provider of The Appraisal Foundation‘s national online USPAP course for the past 10 years.

Next steps after getting or upgrading your Illinois appraiser license

The appraiser license renewal cycle is two years. All licenses must be renewed by 9/30 of odd years.

Renewal Process

Education Requirement

A State Certified General Real Estate Appraiser, State Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser, or Associate Real Estate Trainee Appraiser who makes application to renew his or her real estate appraiser license shall successfully complete the equivalent of 14 hours of approved continuing education per year preceding the renewal, e.g., a total of 28 hours of approved continuing education for a 2-year renewal.
Continuing education credit will only be accepted from education providers and courses approved by the Division.
License expiration date is 9/30 of odd years.
Education is due by 6/30 of odd years.
7-hour USPAP course must be completed within 6 months after the effective date of USPAP (June 30 – odd years).
In addition to the 28hrs of continuing education; Sexual harassment prevention training is now required of all persons who hold a license issued by the Division of Real Estate for (“DRE”) professions that require CE to renew. The new law requires licensees to complete a one-hour CE course in sexual harassment prevention training and is effective for all renewals on or after January 1, 2020 where CE is required.

Exceptions

If a real estate appraiser was issued an initial license for less than 185 days prior to the expiration of the license, then no continuing education is required for that renewal.
If a real estate appraiser has held a license 185 days or more prior to the expiration, then 14 hours of approved continuing education is required for that year. An additional 14 hours of CE is required for the following year, pursuant to subsection (a)(1).

A real estate appraiser must complete the 7-hour National USPAP Update Course or its equivalent as determined by the AQB or an alternate method established by the AQB taught by an AQB certified instructor who also holds a current appraiser certification by a state during each pre-renewal period prior to renewing or converting his or her real estate appraiser license, unless the real estate appraiser was issued his or her initial license for a period of less than 185 days prior to the expiration date.
A real Estate appraiser must complete the 7-hour National USPAP Update Course or its equivalent by June 30 of an even-numbered year, following the release of USPAP.
Those real estate appraisers issued a license more than 6 months affter the effective date of USPAP shall complete the 7-hour National USPAP Update Course within 6 months after licensure.

Online License Renewal Chekcklist for Success

Please read through each step before you continue.

Please note that NO credit card information is retained by IDFPR.

You can print instructions so that you have them for reference as you complete your renewal.
Please click HERE for printable instructions.
In order to renew your license online, you must have a valid VISA, Mastercard, or Discover card.
NOTICE – All fees are Non-Refundable.

Identifiers that you MUST provide:

In order to renew your license you must provide your license number and one of the following identifiers:

Your date of birth.
Your social security number.
Or your PIN number used in prior renewals.

Important notice regarding PINS.

Check out the IDFPR Paperless Licensing FAQs

CONTINUE to on-line renewal.

Paper Application LINK

Need to take classes for renewal? Click the button below to view class options and enroll.

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Steps to upgrade your appraiser license in the state of Illinois

Qualifications

Applicant must be at least 18 years of age.
Applicant must hold a valid high school diploma or its equivalent

STEP 1: Hold a valid appriasal license and successfully complete the additional required qualifying education courses (see course requirements below by license level). Successful completion of qualifying education courses requires passing the course final examination for each course with a proctor. (Course Online Proctoring Policy and Requirements)

STEP 2: Complete and document all required experience hours for your upgrade level.

Certified Residential Appraiser – Provide 1,500 hours of acceptable and verifiable appraisal experience acquired over a minimum of 12 months
Certified General Appraiser – Provide 3,000 hours of acceptable and verifiable appraisal experience acquired over a minimum of 18 months of which a minimum of 1,500 hours must be non-residential real property appraisal experience

STEP 3: Complete courses and maintain copies of transcripts for all college level requirements.

Certified Residential Appraiser – (See table at top of page or view requirements HERE)
Certified General Appraiser – You must have a Bachelor’s degree or higher.

STEP 4: Submit the Application package which includes:

Forms (Application)
Fees (located in application)
Education – completion certificates and/or official college transcripts
Experience (Experience Log Instructions) (Experience Log Cover) (Experience Log Data)
Background information for criminal records check. (Fingerprint Vendor LINK) (information included in application)

STEP 5: Examination Process Must pass the national examination approved by AQB and the IL IDFPR. Illinois national exam provider is AMP.

Additional Helpful Links and Resource Dowloads:

*Continuing education requirements and process for license upgrade displayed in above renewal section.

Ready to upgrade your license? Click the button below to view class options and enroll.

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Qualifying education requirements by license level

Associate Trainee Appraiser (75 hours) – AQB recommended course order

Basic Appraisal Principles – 30 hours
Basic Appraisal Procedures – 30 hours
National USPAP Course or Equivalent – 15 hours
Supervisor/Trainee Course – 6 hours (includes 3 hours of Illinois-specific supervisor-trainee instruction)

Certified Residential Appraiser (200 hours) – AQB recommended course order

Basic Appraisal Principles – 30 hours
Basic Appraisal Procedures – 30 hours
National USPAP Course or Equivalent – 15 hours
Supervisor/Trainee Course – 6 hours (includes 3 hours of Illinois-specific supervisor-trainee instruction)
Residential Market Analysis and Highest and Best Use – 15 hours
Residential Appraiser Site Valuation and Cost Approach – 15 hours
Residential Sales Comparison and Income Approaches – 30 hours
Residential Report Writing and Case Studies – 15 hours
Statistics, Modeling or Finance – 15 hours
Advanced Residential Applications and Case Studies 15 hours
Appraisal Subject Matter Electives 20 hours

Certified General Appraiser (300 hours) – AQB recommended course order

Basic Appraisal Principles – 30 hours
Basic Appraisal Procedures – 30 hours
National USPAP Course or Equivalent – 15 hours
Supervisor/Trainee Course – 6 hours (includes 3 hours of Illinois-specific supervisor-trainee instruction)
General Appraiser Market Analysis and Highest and Best Use – 30 hours
Statistics, Modeling and Finance – 15 hours
General Appraiser Site Valuation and Cost Approach – 30 hours
General Appraiser Sales Comparison Approach – 30 hours
General Appraiser Income Approach – 60 hours
General Appraiser Report Writing and Case Studies – 30 hours
Appraisal Subject Matter Electives – 30 hours

*These pages were updated on November 10, 2020. Please review the state board/commission page to determine if any changes have been made to the process since then.