How to Get an Appraiser License in South Carolina

STEP 3: Submit the Application and fee to SCLLR which includes:

1. Forms (Apprentice Application Packet) (Appraiser Apprentice Program)
2. Fees (Fee Information)
3. Education – completion certificates and/or official college transcripts
4. Experience (Download Experience Log Excel Format)

STEP 4: Fingerprint and background check is required. Contact SC Appraisal Board at 803.896.4630 for information.

Additional Helpful Links and Resource Downloads:

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

All appraisal licenses expire on June 30 even years unless renewed before that time.  Licenses renewal must be completed no later than June 30 even years and education is due by June 1, even years.

Renewal Process

Education Requirements

• A South Carolina Real Estate Appraiser shall present a total of twenty-eight (28) hours of continuing education of which seven (7) hours of instruction must be the most current National USPAP Update. These courses or seminars must be approved by the South Carolina Real Estate Appraisers Board. A licensee has twenty-four (24) months to accrue this continuing education and the deadline is the expiration date reflected on the pocket card of the license.
• Appraisers must verify their CE has been reported to CE Broker and contact their provider if the courses have not been reported. Licensee must self-submit any Qualifying Education that they are allowed to use as continuing education. Providers will not report these courses since they are not typically approved as continuing education courses.
• When you log in to your account with CE Broker, if all your continuing education has been reported, it will indicate that you are complete. If you are not showing complete, contact the provider where you took the course to update your account. All Real Estate Appraiser-approved providers should be reporting all continuing education classes to CE Broker. Providers will not report Qualifying Education courses to CE Broker since they are not approved as Continuing Education courses. If you are eligible to use these courses for your continuing education, you must self-submit them to CE Broker.

Submitting an Application for Renewal

• Renew online:
  • Renew online using the Login Portal to Renew Electronically. If you have not renewed online before, you may need to register first.
  • Pay the renewal fee online no later than the expiration date of your license.
• Renew by mail:
  • Fill out an mail an Appraisal Renewal Application.
  • Include payment of the renewal fee when mailing the application.

Dates and Fees

Appraiser licenses expire every even numbered year on June 30th. Electronic and paper renewals will be available on or around May 1, 2020.

Appraisers can renew as normal before June 30^th.  However, following the Governor’s declaration of a public health emergency, LLR has granted an extension on renewals in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.  You may renew your license without penalty or late fees up to September 30, 2020.

Renewal fees are as follows:

• Apprentice: $320
• Fifth-Year Apprentice (6/30/3032 non-extendable date):$160
• Mass Appraiser: $320
• Licensed: $390
• Certified Residential: $390
• Certified General: $390
• Inactive (not available for apprentices): $200

STEP1: Hold a valid appraisal 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 examinations 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.

• State Licensed 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 (Reclassification Application) 
2. Fees (on application)
3. Education – completion certificates and/or official college transcripts
4. Experience (Experience Log Instructions) (Experience Log)
5. Background information for criminal records check. Contact the SCLLR at 803.896.4630  for information.

STEP5: Examination Process Must pass the national examination approved by AQB and SCLLR. Sout Carolina national exam provider is PSI.

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

Additional Helpful Links and Resource Dowloads:

• AQB – National Exam Content Outline
• PSI – SC National Exam Provider Website
• SC 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.

Apprentice 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

State Licensed Appraiser (150 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

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