Appraisers must mail their upgrade application and a $405 initial license fee along with proof that the applicant met the following requirements:
I. EDUCATION
Applicant must have a Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
In addition to the Bachelor's degree, 300 hours of qualifying education courses in the following categories and credit hours must be completed, with the successful passage of course final exams, as specified in these rules:
● Course(s) on Basic Appraisal Principles (30 hours in not less than 15 hour increments);
● Course(s) on Basic Appraisal Procedures (30 hours in not less than 15 hour increments);
● Course(s) on General Appraiser Market Analysis and Highest and Best Use (30 hours in not less than 15 hour increments);
● Course(s) on Statistics, Modeling and Finance (15 hours);
● Course(s) on General Appraiser Sales Comparison Approach (30 hours in not less than 15 hour increments);
● Course(s) on General Appraiser Site Valuation and Cost Approach (30 hours in not less than 15 hour increments);
● Course(s) on General Appraiser Income Approach (60 hours in not less than 15 hour increments);
● Course(s) on General Appraiser Report Writing and Case Studies (30 hours in not less than 15 hour increments);
● Electives (30 hours in not less than 15 hour increments);
● The Appraisal Foundation's National USPAP Course or its equivalent (15 hours).
II. EXPERIENCE
3,000 hours (including at least 1,500 hours of non-residential appraisal experience) over a minimum period of thirty months. Experience must be in conformance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.
An experience log (PDF format) documenting acceptable appraisal experience is required for all license/certification applications. The work product claimed for experience credit must conform with Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice and be verifiable.
Experience obtained before trainee registration will not be accepted. When measuring the beginning and ending of the experience period under AQB criteria (currently 24 months for licensed and certified residential and 30 months and for certified general), TREAC will review each appraiser’s experience log and note the dates of the first and last acceptable appraisal activities performed by the applicant. Then, TREAC will calculate the time period spanned between those appraisal activities. The supervisor and trainee have shared responsibility to ensure the appraisal experience log for the Trainee Appraiser is accurate, current, and complies with the requirements of the Laws and Rules of Tennessee
III. Application
All of the requirements must be accomplished prior to submitting a License/Certification application:
1. Upgrade Application (PDF ONLY)
2. Attachments
1) Experience Log
An experience log (PDF format) documenting acceptable appraisal experience is required for all license/certification applications. The work product claimed for experience credit must conform with Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice and be verifiable.
2) Eligibility Verification Attestation and Identification
3) Qualifying education course completion certificates
3. Fee, $405
IV. Examination
The exam is scheduled after receipt of the upgrade application. The tests will be administered by an approved provider under contract with the Tennessee Real Estate Appraiser Commission. An electronic examination provides test/fail reports to candidates immediately upon completion of the examinations. The examinations are given at established test center locations. An applicant will be allowed four opportunities to pass the examination. The applicant must successfully pass the examination within twelve (12) months of their exam approval date. Any applicant who has taken and failed four examinations shall be required to submit a new application.
V. INTERVIEW
The appraisals should be submitted no later than twenty (20) days prior to the next meeting in order to ensure placement on the agenda.
An interview will be scheduled with the Commission to discuss those appraisal reports. When an applicant is approved, he/she will receive information from the Commission in order to schedule the examination.
A registered trainee must obtain licensure or certification within twenty-four (24) months of the examination date or they will lose credit for the examination.
If all other requirements are not met prior to the expiration of a trainee's registration and the registered trainee fails to renew, then he or she loses credit for passing the examination.