How to Get an Appraiser License in District of Columbia

License levels recognized in District of Columbia

Click HERE to view state requirements.

  1. Trainee Appraiser
  2. Licensed Residential Appraiser
  3. Certified Residential Appraiser
  4. Certified General Appraiser
DC Appraiser License

Steps to becoming an appraiser in Washington, DC

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)

  1. Basic Appraisal Principles – 30 hours
  2. Basic Appraisal Procedures – 30-hours
  3. National USPAP Course or Equivalent – 15 hours
  4. Supervisor/Trainee Course – 4 hours

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

  1. Forms (Application/Online Portal)
  2. Fees (Fee list)
  3. Education – completion certificates and/or official college transcripts (Course Tracking Worksheet)
  4. Experience (Appraisal Assignment Log)

STEP 4: Fingerprint and background check is required by AQB. DC has not yet enacted this standard.

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 District of Columbia Board of Real Estate Appraisers 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.

DC Appraiser License

Next steps after getting or upgrading your Wastington DC appraiser license

Appraisal licenses expire every two years on 2/28, even numbered years. At least sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of a license, the Board shall send a renewal application by first class mail to the holder of a license at the licensee’s address on record with the Board.

Renewal Process

Education Requirements

  • Washington DC Appraisers are required to take 28 continuing education hours every 24 months.
  • This includes 7 hours of the National USPAP Update course or Equivalent. Continuing education credit for the National USPAP Update Course shall only be awarded to licensees completing USPAP continuing education courses taught by an AQB-certified instructor who is also a certified appraiser.
  • Applicants licensed 185 days or less from the renewal date are not required to complete any hours of continuing education for that license cycle.
  • Applicants licensed during the last twelve (12) months of a license cycle, but before the one hundred eighty-five (185) day period must complete fourteen (14) hours of continuing education for that license cycle.
  • A holder of a license shall meet all of the requirements for license renewal prior to the issuance of the renewal.

Before you renew:

  • if this is your first time using the online system you will need to Register for an Account.  Once complete you can complete the remaining steps and update online.
  • Update your contact information online before you renew.

Additional items you will need to know before you renew:

  • Continuing education course documentation shall be filed on a form provided by the Board and shall include the following: Sponsor; Title and/or description of course content; Dates of attendance or publication; Location; and Number of hours.
  • The Board shall deny a renewal application if the applicant has not completed the continuing education requirements prior to the expiration date of the license.
  • If you are an existing licensee or already have an account you will need to have your License Number or Client ID and password to log in.  For help, contact a customer service representative for DCOPLA at 866.270.9817.

Click HERE to start your renewal.

What you’ll need:

  • Your license number.
  • Documents ready to upload, if needed.
  • Visa, MasterCard, or American Express credit or debit card, or bank account information to pay renewal fee.

Late Renewal Information:

  • A holder of a license who fails to renew before the expiration date may renew the license within sixty (60) days after expiration upon paying the required late fee and submitting proof of having completed the required continuing education prior to the expiration date of the license. Upon renewal, the holder shall be deemed to have possessed a valid license during the period between the expiration of the license and its renewal.
  • If a licensee fails to renew his or her license within sixty (60) days after its expiration, the license shall be deemed to have lapsed on the date of expiration and the holder shall be required to apply for reinstatement of the expired license pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 47-2853.15 (2005 Repl.) and § 3308 of chapter 33 (GENERAL RULES: FUNERAL DIRECTORS, VETERINARIANS, INTERIOR DESIGNERS AND REAL ESTATE APPRAISERS) of this title and pay the required reinstatement fee. A licensee may not apply for reinstatement if the license has been expired for five (5) years or more.
  • Denial of an application for renewal for failure to complete the continuing education requirements shall require the applicant to complete the continuing education requirements prior to submitting an application for reinstatement pursuant to § 2310.

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 Washington DC

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 16months
  • 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.

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

STEP 4: Submit the Application package which includes:

  1. Forms (Application/Online Portal) 
  2. Fees (Fee chart)
  3. Education – completion certificates and/or official college transcripts (Course Tracking Worksheet)
  4. Experience (Appraisal Assignment Log)
  5. Background information for criminal records check. DC has not yet enacted this standard.

STEP 5: Examination Process Must pass the national examination approved by AQB and DCOPLA. DC national exam provider is PSI.

 

Additional Helpful Links and Resource Dowloads:

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

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

 

 

 

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
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
  • 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

*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.