How to Get an Appraiser License in Iowa

License levels recognized in Iowa

Click HERE to view state requirements.

Associate Real Property Appraiser
Certified Residential Appraiser
Certified General Appraiser

Steps to becoming an appraiser in the state of Iowa

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 – 4 hours

STEP 3: Submit the Application package which includes:

Forms (Online Application Submissions)
Fees (located on application)
Education – completion certificates and/or official college transcripts
Experience (Experience Log)
Background checks are required pursuant to Iowa Code 543D.22 and Iowa Administrative Code 193F chapter 4.1(3), chapter 5.7(5) and Chapter 6.7, which is applicable to new associate appraisers, associate appraisers upgrading to certified status, and certified residential appraisers upgrading to (Fingerprint certified general status. Applicants may utilize the background check cards available at any authorized fingerprint location. (Criminal Background Check Information) (Fingerprint Locations)

Additional Helpful Links and Resource Downloads:

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

VIEW PACKAGES AND SUBSCRIPTION

McKissock courses and online delivery method are approved by the Iowa Real Estate Appraiser Examining Board 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 Iowa appraiser license

The appraiser license renewal cycle is two years. All licenses must be renewed by 6/30 even numbered years.

Renewal Process

Education Requirement

As a prerequisite to renewal of a certification, a certified real estate appraiser shall present evidence satisfactory to the board of having met continuing education requirements.
The basic continuing education requirement for renewal of certification shall be the completion, before June 30 of the year in which the appraiser’s certificate expires, of the number of hours of instruction required by the board in courses or seminars which have received the preapproval of the board.
License expiration date is 6/30 of even years.
Education is due by 6/30 of even years.
Beginning with renewal year 2012, 7 hours of report writing is no longer required as a condition of renewal.
An applicant seeking to renew an initial certificate or registration issued less than 185 days prior to renewal is not required to report any continuing education.
An applicant seeking to renew an initial certificate or registration issued for 185 days to 365 days prior to renewal must demonstrate completion of at least 14 credit hours, including 7 credit hours of the most recent National USPAP Update.

Online renewal instructions

To renew your license, you must log into My Iowa PLB. Paper renewals are no longer accepted.

To renew, on your My Iowa PLB homepage:

Click on “Applications/Renewals”
Complete the Checklist
Upload Documents, if necessary
Click “Submit for Review”
Pay for your renewal

Please note:

All renewal fees must be paid in full by the end of the regular renewal timeframe or your license will lapse.
Staff is available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding state holidays.
Call (515) 725-9022 for assistance. You may need to leave a message, which will be returned within 48 hours. Please do not leave multiple messages. We appreciate your patience during this busy time.
If your application is in pending status, you need to complete the checklist and submit for review.
If you application is approved-ready for payment status, you must pay to complete your renewal.

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

VIEW MEMBERSHIP AND PACKAGES

Steps to upgrade your appraiser license in the state of Iowa

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 (Online Application/Register)
Fees (located in application)
Education – completion certificates and/or official college transcripts

Experience (Experience Log)
Background information for criminal records check. Background checks are required pursuant to Iowa Code 543D.22 and Iowa Administrative Code 193F chapter 4.1(3), chapter 5.7(5) and Chapter 6.7, which is applicable to new associate appraisers, associate appraisers upgrading to certified status, and certified residential appraisers upgrading to (Fingerprint certified general status. Applicants may utilize the background check cards available at any authorized fingerprint location. (Criminal Background Check Information) (Fingerprint Locations)

STEP 5: Examination Process Must pass the national examination approved by AQB and the IA REAEB. Iowa national exam provider is PSI.

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.

VIEW PACKAGES AND SUBSCRIPTION

Qualifying education requirements by license level

Associate Real Property 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 – 4 hours

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 – 4 hours
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 – 4 hours
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.