Appraiser Trainee Registration Checklist
I. General
A. The Trainee Appraiser classification is intended to incorporate any documented non-certified/non-licensed real property appraisers who are subject to the Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria. Recognizing that individual credentialing jurisdictions may use different terminologies, “Trainee Appraisers” include, but are not limited to: registered appraisers, apprentice appraisers, provisional appraisers, or other similar designations created by state appraiser regulatory agencies.
B. The scope of practice for the Trainee Appraiser classification is the appraisal of those properties which the state-certified Supervisory Appraiser is permitted by his/her current credential and that the Supervisory Appraiser is competent to appraise.
C. The Trainee Appraiser, as well as the Supervisory Appraiser, shall be entitled to obtain copies of appraisal reports and/or permitted appropriate access and retrieval arrangements for all work files for appraisals in which he or she participated, in accordance with the RECORD KEEPING RULE of USPAP.
D. All Trainee Appraisers must comply with the COMPETENCY RULE of USPAP for all assignments.
II. Examination
There is no examination requirement for the Trainee Appraiser classification, but the Trainee Appraiser shall pass the appropriate end-of-course examinations in all of the prerequisite qualifying education courses in order to earn credit for those courses.
III. Qualifying Education
A. As the prerequisite for application, an applicant must have completed seventy-five (75) hours of qualifying education as specified in the Required Core Curriculum. Additionally, applicants must pass the course examinations and pass the 15-Hour National USPAP Course (or its AQB-approved equivalent) and examination as part of the 75 hours. All qualifying education must be completed within the five (5) year period immediately preceding the date of application for a Trainee Appraiser credential.
B. Appraisers holding a valid Licensed Residential Real Property Appraiser credential satisfy the educational requirements for the Trainee Appraiser credential.
C. Appraisers holding a valid Certified Residential Real Property Appraiser credential satisfy the educational requirements for the Trainee Appraiser credential.
D. Appraisers holding a valid Certified General Real Property Appraiser credential satisfy the educational requirements for the Trainee Appraiser credential.
IV. Experience
No experience is required as a prerequisite for the Trainee Appraiser classification.
V. Training
A. The Trainee Appraiser shall be subject to direct control and supervision by a Supervisory Appraiser in good standing, who shall be state certified. A Trainee Appraiser is permitted to have more than one Supervisory Appraiser.
B. The Supervisory Appraiser shall be responsible for the training, guidance, and direct control and supervision of the Trainee Appraiser by:
1. Accepting responsibility for the appraisal by signing and certifying the appraisal complies with USPAP;
2. Reviewing and signing the Trainee Appraiser appraisal report(s); and
3. Personally inspecting each appraised property with the Trainee Appraiser until the Supervisory Appraiser determines the Trainee Appraiser is competent to inspect the property, in accordance with the COMPETENCY RULE of USPAP for the property type.
C. The Trainee Appraiser is permitted to have more than one Supervisory Appraiser, but a Supervisory Appraiser may not supervise more than three (3) Trainee Appraisers, at one time, unless a program in the state appraiser regulatory jurisdiction provides for progress monitoring, supervising certified appraiser qualifications, and supervision and oversight requirements for Supervisory Appraisers.
D. An appraisal experience log shall be maintained jointly by the Supervisory Appraiser and the Trainee Appraiser. It is the responsibility of both the Supervisory Appraiser and the Trainee Appraiser to ensure the appraisal experience log is accurate, current, and complies with the requirements of the Trainee Appraiser’s credentialing jurisdiction. At a minimum, the appraisal log requirements shall include:
1. Type of property;
2. Date of report;
3. Address of appraised property;
4. Description of work performed by the Trainee Appraiser and scope of the review and supervision of the Supervisory Appraiser;
5. Number of actual work hours by the Trainee Appraiser on the assignment; and
6. The signature and state certification number of the Supervisory Appraiser. Separate appraisal logs shall be maintained for each Supervisory Appraiser, if applicable.
E. Supervisory Appraisers shall be state certified and in good standing for a period of at least three (3) years prior to being eligible to become a Supervisory Appraiser. Supervisory Appraisers do not need to be state certified and in good standing in the jurisdiction in which the Trainee Appraiser practices for any specific minimum period of time. Supervisory Appraisers shall not have been subject to any disciplinary action—within any jurisdiction—within the last three (3) years that affected the Supervisory Appraiser’s legal eligibility to engage in appraisal practice. A Supervisory Appraiser subject to disciplinary action would be considered to be in “good standing” three (3) years after the successful completion/termination of the sanction imposed against the appraiser.
F. Trainee Appraisers shall be required to complete a course that, at minimum, complies with the specifications for course content established by the AQB, which is specifically oriented to the requirements and responsibilities of Supervisory Appraisers and Trainee Appraisers. The course must be completed by the Trainee Appraiser prior to obtaining a Trainee Appraiser credential from the individual credentialing jurisdiction. Further, the Trainee Appraiser course is not eligible towards the 75 hours of qualifying education required. Please refer to the Supervisory Appraiser / Trainee Appraiser Course Objectives and Outline in this booklet for more information.
