Home » Appraisal » Licensing » Florida » Requirements

How to Earn or Upgrade Your Florida Appraiser License

Property appraisers often have a flexible schedule and the potential for greater income control while enjoying the benefits that come from owning their own business. Are you interested in learning how to become an appraiser in Florida or advancing your current license? McKissock Learning provides the necessary qualifying education coursework to help you reach your objectives.  

MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, USA - FEBRUARY 18, 2018: Vintage Car Parked along Ocean Drive in the Famous Art Deco District in South Beach. South Beach, FL

Florida Appraiser License: Registered Trainee

Total Hours Required: 104 hrs
Mandatory Hours:
Elective Hours:

How to become an appraiser in Florida

The first step to earn your Florida appraiser license is to become a Registered Trainee Appraiser. As a Trainee, you’ll work directly under a Certified Supervisory Appraiser who will make sure you get hands-on experience evaluating properties, researching real estate market information, and writing appraisal reports.

Steps to become a Registered Trainee Appraiser in Florida

Step 1:  Complete the required education 

You’ll need to pass 104 hours of Florida appraisal pre-licensing education, including three AQB Basic Qualifying Education courses, a Supervisor/Trainee orientation course, a Florida Laws and rules course, and additional elective courses: 

  • Basic Appraisal Principles (30 hours) 
  • Basic Appraisal Procedures (30 hours) 
  • 15-Hour National USPAP Course (15 hours) 
  • Supervisor/Trainee Course for Florida (4 hours) 
  • Florida Laws and Rules course (6 hours)
  • Appraisal subject matter electives 

Step 2: Connect with a Supervisory Appraiser 

Before you apply for your license, you need to have a Certified Residential or Certified General Appraiser agree to act as your Supervisory Appraiser. They must also take the Supervisory/Trainee Appraiser Course for Florida.  

Step 3: Apply for your Trainee registration 

Apply to become a Registered Trainee Appraiser with the Florida Appraisal Board. You’ll need to complete the initial application, undergo fingerprinting and a background check, and provide proof of completing the required Florida appraisal courses. You’ll also need to pay any licensing and application fees.

Important: Verify all steps and requirements with the Florida licensing board. For more information, contact the Florida Real Estate Appraisal Board at 850.487.1395.

Florida Trainee Appraiser (104 hours) – AQB recommended course order

Online Info

Effective July 30, 2014, The Florida Real Estate Appraisal Board permits Qualifying Education to be completed online. 
*Note the examination must be proctored in person or remotely. Bio-metric proctoring is acceptable.

Required Education: 
104 Hours: 
Basic Appraisal Principles (30 hours)
Basic Appraisal Procedures (30 hours) 
National USPAP Course or Equivalent – 15 hours
Supervisor/Trainee Course for Florida – 4 hours
Appraisal Subject Matter Electives (25 hours which shall include 6 hours of the Florida Laws and Rules).


2015 AQB Supervisor/Trainee Course Requirement: Both the Trainee Appraiser and Supervisory Appraiser shall be required to complete a course that, at minimum, complies with the specifications for course content established by the AQB. The course must be completed by the Trainee Appraiser prior to obtaining a Trainee Appraiser credential, and completed by the Supervisory Appraiser prior to supervising a Trainee Appraiser. 
 

61J1-4.001 Qualifying Education (5): students failing the Board approved end-of-course examination must wait at least 30 days from the date of the original examination to take the alternate end-of-course examination. Within one year of the original end-of-course examination, a student may retake the prescribed end-of-course exam a maximum of one time.


Experience: N/A 

College Education: N/A

Online Limitations

The Florida Real Estate Appraisal Board requires a timing mechanism for all qualifying distance education courses to ensure that the courses cannot be completed in less time than the approved credit hours. Please note that your course will time out after several minutes of inactivity.

Roster

Roster Required: yes
Roster Process:

Rosters are sent electronically each business day.

Roster Sent Every 1 days

Governing Agency

Florida Real Estate Appraisal Board
Phone: 8504871395
Fax: 4073177245
Address: 2601 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, FL 32399

FAQs about how to become an appraiser in Florida

What does a Florida property appraiser do?

Appraisers estimate a property’s market value. Typically, they complete a comprehensive physical inspection to note the square footage, quality and condition, and amenities of the property. They also research the local real estate market, including tax records and recently sold comparable properties to determine an accurate valuation. They also write detailed appraisal reports of their findings.

Should I get my Florida appraiser license? 

If you’re looking for a flexible, profitable, and challenging career in real estate, consider becoming a licensed appraiser. Lenders, property owners, government agencies, and even legal professionals need property appraisals at any given point. Regardless of fluctuations in the Florida housing market, real estate appraisal can be a very stable, lucrative career—especially with its lower start-up costs compared to other professions.

How long does it take to become a certified appraiser in Florida?  

Most people can complete the process to become a Registered Trainee Appraiser in just a few weeks or months—especially with McKissock’s self-guided, on-demand qualifying education (QE) packages.

Our flexible QE packages let you complete your appraisal courses when and where it’s convenient for you. We also offer livestream courses that let you engage with the instructor, ask questions, and stay on track without getting overwhelmed.  

After you become a Registered Trainee, the next steps to become a certified appraiser in Florida will take an additional 1 to 2 years, depending on which license level you choose to pursue. The process to become a Certified Residential Appraiser can be done in a little over 12 months. The process to become a Certified General Appraiser can be completed in a little over 18 months.

Go to the “Certified Residential” and “Certified General” tabs at the top of this page to learn the specific requirements for each designation.

How much does a property appraiser make in Florida?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual mean wage of Florida property appraisers and assessors is $72,540.1 Salary.com states that most residential real estate appraisers in Florida make between $49,017 and $98,760, and most commercial appraisers in Florida make between $43,036 and $130,718.2-5 Glassdoor gives higher salary estimates for Florida property appraisers, listing the average salary of Florida home appraisers as $121,231 per year and the average salary of Florida commercial real estate appraisers as $112,220 per year.6,7

Factors that impact appraisal income include: license level, location, years of experience, number of hours worked per week, area of specialization, and advanced skills or professional certifications.

Helpful resources:  

Sources cited:

  1. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: Property Appraisers and Assessors (US Bureau of Labor Statistics)  
  2. Appraiser (Residential Real Estate) Salary in Florida (Salary.com) 
  3. Appraiser Sr. (Residential Real Estate) Salary in Florida (Salary.com) 
  4. Appraiser I (Commercial Real Estate) Salary in Florida (Salary.com) 
  5. Appraiser IV (Commercial Real Estate) Salary in Florida (Salary.com) 
  6. Residential Real Estate Appraiser Salaries in Florida (Glassdoor) 
  7. Commercial Real Estate Appraiser Salaries in Florida (Glassdoor)