How to Get an Appraiser License in Minnesota

There are two options for having your fingerprints taken:

1. You may be electronically fingerprinted at one of the PSI Minnesota’s sites, during regular testing hours, on the day of your examination. PSI charges a $65.00 fee for fingerprinting. Additional information is in the PSI candidate handbook.
2. You may go to any local police station or similar facility with manual fingerprinting capability to have your fingerprints taken manually. The facility will charge a processing fee. After your fingerprints are taken, the fingerprint card will be given back to you in a sealed envelope. Do not fold it. Put it into another envelope along with a fully completed “Resident Insurance Producer/Insurance Adjuster/Real Estate Appraiser License Background Check Consent Form” and a check for $33.25 made out to “Minnesota Department of Commerce” and mail it to:Government & External Affairs
   Attn: Licensing
   Minnesota Department of Commerce
   85 – 7th Place East, Suite 280
   St. Paul, MN  55101

Additional Helpful Links and Resource Downloads:

• Minnesota Licensing Information
• Course Requirements by State
• How to Become an Appraiser eBook
• Appraisal Salary Guide
• How to Get Licensed Infographic

Education Requirements

• Minnesota Appraisers are required to obtain 30 hours of continuing education every 2 years.
• Of those 30 hours, 7 must be the National USPAP Update or Equivalent course. 
• Renewal cycle is every two years.  Education is due by 8/31 even years.
• If the applicant’s immediately preceding term of licensing consisted of six or more months, but fewer than 24 months, the applicant must provide evidence of completion of 15 hours of instruction during the license period. 
• A Minnesota licensee cannot receive credit for more than 8 hours of CE in any 24 hour period.

Residents

• When you apply to renew your license, the PULSE system will verify that you have completed your required continuing education (CE).
• If you have not yet completed your CE, do so no later than August 15 or you run the risk of not being able to renew your license by the deadline.
• Resident appraisers can review their CE transcript on www.pulseportal.com.
• If a course has been completed but is not listed on the CE transcript, you will need to contact the course provider for assistance. The Department of Commerce cannot assist you with this issue. All completed continuing education must be uploaded by the course provider.

Nonresidents

• After you have submitted your renewal application on Pulse Portal, email copies of your continuing education course completion certificates (all attached to ONE email) to the Department of Commerce at [email protected].
• Your continuing education certificates must be received by our office before 4:30 PM Central Time on August 31.
• Your renewal request will remain pending until your CE course completion certificates have been reviewed by the Department of Commerce.
• Do not send multiple emails that each include only some of your certificates.

Renewals

The renewal window for appraiser renewals is open from July 1 to August 31 at 4:30 PM Central time. You cannot renew the license before July 1. There is no grace period for either CE completion or license renewal.

• Renewals are performed online at Pulse Portal.
• Do not use your browser’s “Back” button at any point in the process. Your progress will be lost and you will need to start from the beginning.
• From the “Choose a state to begin” drop-down menu, select “Minnesota.”
• From the “Choose a board to continue” drop-down menu, select “Appraiser.”
• Under “License Renewals,” click on “Renew An Existing License.” This will call up the “Search License Renewal” screen.
• Click the “Individual” radio button.
• If you have completed your required continuing education (CE) and all of the required hours have been entered into the system, the “Attestation” screen will appear. Click the “I Agree” button.
• The renewed license summary will appear. Click the “Continue” button.
• The “Contact Information” screen will appear. Make any necessary additions or changes, click the “Save” button, then click the “Continue” button.
• The Credit Card Information screen will appear. Enter all requested information. (Note: If your mailing address is in the United States, you do not need to enter anything in the “Country” field.) Click the “Continue” button.
• Verify your information on the next screen. If something needs to be added or corrected, click the “Change My Request” button. If everything is correct, click the “Renew My License” button.
• The confirmation page will appear. Please write down the Confirmation ID number and print the page for your records.

Note: If you do not print and click the “Close” button, a dialog box will appear asking you to print the page for your records. Clicking the “OK” button in this box will take you to the Home page.

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.

• Licensed Residential Appraiser – Provide 1,000 hours of acceptable and verifiable appraisal experience acquired over a minimum of 6 months
• 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:

1. Forms (Online Application) 
2. Fees (on application)
3. Education – completion certificates and/or official college transcripts
4. Experience (Experience Log)
5. Background information for criminal records check. Under Minnesota law, an individual applying for an initial resident real estate appraiser license must consent to a criminal history record check and submit a fingerprint card.

There are two options for having your fingerprints taken:

1. You may be electronically fingerprinted at one of the PSI Minnesota’s sites, during regular testing hours, on the day of your examination. PSI charges a $65.00 fee for fingerprinting. Additional information is in the PSI candidate handbook.
2. You may go to any local police station or similar facility with manual fingerprinting capability to have your fingerprints taken manually. The facility will charge a processing fee. After your fingerprints are taken, the fingerprint card will be given back to you in a sealed envelope. Do not fold it. Put it into another envelope along with a fully completed “Resident Insurance Producer/Insurance Adjuster/Real Estate Appraiser License Background Check Consent Form” and a check for $33.25 made out to “Minnesota Department of Commerce” and mail it to:Government & External Affairs
   Attn: Licensing
   Minnesota Department of Commerce
   85 – 7th Place East, Suite 280
   St. Paul, MN  55101

STEP 5: Examination Process Must pass the national examination approved by AQB and MN DOC. Minnesota national exam provider is PearsonVUE.

• (PSI – MN National Exam Provider Website)
• (MN National Exam Candidate Handbook)

Additional Helpful Links and Resource Dowloads:

• AQB – National Exam Content Outline
• PSI – MN National Exam Provider Website
• MN National Exam Candidate Handbook
• AQB Licensing Exam Information
• Your Guide to an Appraisal License Upgrade eBook
• How to Upgrade Your License Infographic

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