How to Get an Appraiser License in the state of Tennessee

License levels recognized in Tennessee

Click HERE to view state requirements.

Registered Trainee Appraiser
State Licensed Residential Appraiser
State Certified Residential Appraiser
State Certified General Appraiser

Steps to becoming an appraiser in the state of Tennessee

STEP 1: Find a supervisor/mentor to work with to log your experience hours. (Suggestions for finding a supervisor/mentor) To gain your required experience hours you must train under an appraiser that meets all the following requirements:

Be certified as a general or residential appraiser for a minimum of 3 years..
Be in good standing for the 3 years immediately preceding their supervisor registration
Have no more than 3 trainees with less than 1 year experience
Have successfully completed a 4-hour Supervisory/Trainee course

STEP 2: Successfully complete 75 hours of qualifying education courses approved by the Board. In addition, successfully complete the AQB approved Supervisory/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. (Course Online Proctoring Policy and Requirements)

Effective July 2020, Basic Appraisal Principles, Basic Appraisal Procedures, and USPAP may be completed online.

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 and fee to TN DOC which includes:

Forms (Application) (Trainee Property Inspection Affidavit) (Online Application)
Fees (in Application)
Education – completion certificates and/or official college transcripts
Experience (Experience Log) (Trainee Sponsor Affidavit) (Trainee Experience Affidavit)

STEP 4: Fingerprint and background check is required by AQB. (Background Check/Fingerprint Information)

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 Tennessee Real Estate Appraiser Commission 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 Tennessee appraiser license

All Tennessee licenses expire every two years on the anniversary of your initial licensure date.

Renewal Process

Education Requirements

Tennessee Appraisers are required to complete 28 continuing education hours every 24 months.
Of the 28 hours, 7 must be the National USPAP Update or Equivalent.
TN allows all 28 hours of continuing education hours to be completed as distance education each cycle. (Rule changed 1/24/2022).
Substantially equivalent courses (same title or similar content) may not be repeated within 5 years of each other, with the exception of NUSPAP, which must be taken every 2 years.
Renewal application, certificates and fee must be received by the commission 30 prior to expiration date of license. SB2081 (Jan 2014) may be deleting this requirement.
Licensed and Certified appraisers should know that if their credential is not renewed before the first of the month prior to expiration, then they will fall off the Appraisal Subcommittee of Congress’ National Registry.

Online Renewals

Renewals are now completely online.
You can access the online system HERE.
If you are a new user you will need to register a new account.

Video Tutorials

There are multiple video tutorials to show you how to use the online system. Links are below:

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 Tennessee

All Qualifying Education for upgrade must be taken in a classroom. Distance education is not allowed for upgrade education in Tennessee.

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 2,000 hours of acceptable and verifiable appraisal experience acquired over a minimum of 24 months
Certified Residential Appraiser – Provide 2,500 hours of acceptable and verifiable appraisal experience acquired over a minimum of 24 months.
Certified General Appraiser – Provide 3,000 hours of acceptable and verifiable appraisal experience acquired over a minimum of 24 months.

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.

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

STEP 4: Submit the Application package which includes:

Forms (Application) (Upgrade from Trainee Form)
Fees (Fee Information in Application)
Education – completion certificates and/or official college transcripts
Experience (Experience Log)
Background information for criminal records check. (Background Check/Fingerprint Information)

STEP 5: Examination Process Must pass the national examination approved by AQB and TN DOC. Tennessee national exam provider is PSI.

Additional Helpful Links and Resource Dowloads:

All Qualifying Education for upgrade must be taken in a classroom. Distance education is not allowed for upgrade education in Tennessee.

Qualifying education requirements by license level

Registered 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 – 4 hours

State 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 (classroom only)
Residential Appraiser Site Valuation and Cost Approach – 15 hours (classroom only)
Residential Sales Comparison and Income Approaches – 30 hours (classroom only)
Residential Report Writing and Case Studies – 15 hours (classroom only)
Statistics, Modeling or Finance – 15 hours (classroom only)
Advanced Residential Applications and Case Studies 15 hours (classroom only)
Appraisal Subject Matter Electives 20 hours (classroom only)

State Licensed Residential 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 (classroom only)
Residential Appraiser Site Valuation and Cost Approach – 15 hours (classroom only)
Residential Sales Comparison and Income Approaches – 30 hours (classroom only)
Residential Report Writing and Case Studies – 15 hours (classroom only)

State 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 (classroom only)
Statistics, Modeling and Finance – 15 hours (classroom only)
General Appraiser Site Valuation and Cost Approach – 30 hours (classroom only)
General Appraiser Sales Comparison Approach – 30 hours (classroom only)
General Appraiser Income Approach – 60 hours (classroom only)
General Appraiser Report Writing and Case Studies – 30 hours (classroom only)
Appraisal Subject Matter Electives – 30 hours (classroom only)

*These pages were updated on December 1, 2020. Please review the state board/commission page to determine if any changes have been made to the process since then.