Our Mission
Frequently Asked Questions
of the
Appraisal Subcommittee (“ASC”)
FHA Roster Applications
How do I apply for the FHA appraiser roster?
FHA Application Process: As
part of its application and renewal process, HUD/FHA relies on the National
Registry, which is a database we, the ASC, maintain. But HUD is another Federal
agency. The ASC staff does not participate in the processing of applications or
renewals for the FHA Appraiser Roster. Any questions about your FHA application
or renewal must be directed to HUD. We understand that appraisers may call
202-402-2041 to reach a HUD representative that may provide information on how
to proceed in this regard. We also suggest you consult the HUD Web site,
http://http://www.hud.gov/groups/appraisers.cfm.
Because HUD staff, in part, relies on our database, the
National Registry, while on our site (www.asc.gov), we suggest you use the
National Registry tab to ensure your credential information is correct. You
do not need a user name and
password. Simply select the National Registry tab and select one of the query
features to ensure your new or renewed credential information appears. You may
use the standard or custom query features. The standard queries are self
explanatory. If you select the custom query feature, scroll to the appropriate
licensing State, type in the appraiser's last name and first name, and then go
to bottom and click check all and submit. The appraiser's status will be listed
as either "active" or "inactive" in the status column. Individuals with
a trainee level credential (such as a State registered or associate
appraiser) will not appear on the National Registry, and, therefore, are not
eligible for FHA appraiser approval. This is because the trainee level is not
federally recognized.
Inactive credentials are listed because the National Registry
is intentionally intended to also serve as an historical reference to every
credential an appraiser currently holds or has ever held. Changes in license
type (i.e., upgrades) and/or changes in license numbering formats are frequent
triggers for why multiple licenses appear. Previously held licenses or
certificates or old credential numbers will appear as “inactive.”
Wrong Expiration Date: The
National Registry data updates are not performed “in real time.” Federal law and
ASC Policy require each State to provide submissions at least monthly. It,
therefore, may take up to 30-35 days for information pertaining to an
appraiser’s new license or certificate to appear on our Web site. In recognition
of the fact that updates are not performed “in real time” the status for all
existing appraisers will remain “active” for 30 days past the expiration date,
and then converts to “inactive” after that time. The National Registry system
updates at midnight each day to reflect new data received. You may continue to
monitor the status on our Web site (www.asc.gov) by searching for the name under
the National Registry tab and using one of the query features.
You may not expedite the process by providing information
directly to us. In order to protect the integrity of the National Registry, we
must receive the updated information on credentials issued directly from the
States as a part of their data submission.
IF YOU RECEIVE AN ERROR MESSAGE
FROM FHA: We understand that, on occasion, differences in
the information provided to us by the States (such as Florida) for inclusion on
the National Registry is not the same as that provided on the State issued
license or certificate. In order to register for the FHA Appraiser Roster, you
must find your name on the National Registry and make sure your name, license
number and other information is entered in the FHA application EXACTLY
as it appears on the National Registry.
Missing, Inactive or Incorrect Registry Entry
Why is my new or renewed my State License, State
Certified Residential or State Certified General credential not appearing on the
National Registry?
The National Registry data updates are not performed “in real
time.” Federal law and ASC Policy require each State to provide submissions at
least monthly. It, therefore, may take up to 30-35 days for information
pertaining to your new license or certificate to appear on our Web site. In
recognition of the fact that updates are not performed “in real time” the status
for all existing appraisers will remain “active” for 30 days past the expiration
date, and then converts to “inactive” after that time. The National Registry
system updates at midnight each day to reflect new data received. You may
continue to monitor the status on our Web site (www.asc.gov) by searching for
the name under the National Registry tab and using one of the query features.
You may not expedite the process by providing information
directly to us. In order to protect the integrity of the National Registry, we
must receive the updated information directly from the States in their data
submission.
How do I correct incorrect information in my record on
the National Registry?
Any changes to your National Registry information, such as a
change in your address, phone number, etc, must be made through your State
appraiser regulatory agency. In order to protect the integrity of the National
Registry, we must receive all information directly from the States in the form
of a data submission. We cannot independently make changes to individual
records. You may use the “State Appraiser Regulatory Agencies” tab on our Web
site (www.asc.gov) to link to your specific
State’s site for contact information.
It may take up to 30-35 days for the change to appear on our
Web site. You may monitor your status on our Web site (www.asc.gov)
by searching for your name under the National Registry tab and using one of the
query features.
How do I get my name on the National Registry?
The National Registry is a database consisting of all State
Licensed, State Certified Residential and State Certified General Appraisers.
The information on these individuals is received by us directly from the State
that issued the credential and is provided to us, at least monthly.
I looked up my name and there are two references, one
is active and one is inactive, might this be an issue for my clients?
Inactive credentials are listed because the National Registry
is intentionally intended to also serve as an historical reference to every
credential an appraiser holds or has ever held.
Unless the inactive status is also accompanied by a reference
to a revocation, suspension or voluntary surrender under the disciplinary action
column, then the status is not due to a disciplinary action. Inactive
credentials are noted when an appraiser either: (1) fails to renew a license;
(2) changes license type and inactivates the old license held; or (3) returns to
the profession after allowing a previous license to lapse. Some inactive
credentials appear as such because a State has changed it license numbering
system at some point in time.
Expired or previously held licenses or certificates will
appear as “inactive.” Users of appraisers should focus on determining whether or
not the appraiser currently holds an active credential from the State in which
appraisal services are needed.
I am an Appraiser trainee, why do I not see my name on
the National Registry?
Only State licensed, certified residential and certified
general appraisers are listed on the National Registry. Individuals with
a trainee level credential (such as a State registered or associate
appraiser) will not appear on the National Registry. This is because the trainee
level is not federally recognized, because they are not able to independently
appraise property for federally related transactions.
Why is there a different expiration date on the
National Registry from the one the license or certificate I was issued?
Some States issue multiple year credentials, but appraisers
must pay annually. For example, Oklahoma provides such an option. In that
instance, the National Registry only reflects the period for which payment has
been received. Despite holding a multiple year credential, if payment is made
annually, the expiration dates on the National Registry will only show the
current year’s payment.
I hold a license or certificate in multiple States but
only one appears, when searching the National Registry, why?
Most likely all of your licenses or certificates appear on the
National Registry. Double click on your name in blue and the system should
retrieve any other licenses and certifications you hold or have ever held
nationwide.
Why doesn’t my name appear when searching for
appraisers within my county or city?
The county field is not required and some States only populate
those fields if specifically requested to do so, by the appraiser. With that
said, most States provide the city information and if a search under the
standard query is performed by city alone (leaving county blank), most records
of appraisers within that city will appear.
We suggest you contact your State Appraiser Regulatory Agency
and request the county information be added to your record. Each State provides
information to us at least monthly, so it may take up to 30-35 days to appear on
our site.
AQB Compliant or Meets AQB Column
What does AQB Compliant mean?
The term AQB compliant is frequently mistaken for AQB
complaint. The intent of this column is not to identify a disciplinary matter. A
“yes” in the column means the appraiser met the Appraiser Qualifications Board’s
Real Property Appraiser Qualifications criteria ("AQB criteria") on education,
experience, and examination, when obtaining and/or maintaining the credential. A
“no” in the column typically means the appraiser was not required to demonstrate
the hours of experience set forth in the AQB criteria for the credential level.
It, however, may also mean the appraiser failed to demonstrate the hours of
education or continuing education set forth in AQB criteria.
All appraisers with a status identified as "active" on the
National Registry are eligible to perform appraisals in connection with Federal
related transactions, within their allowed scope of practice. Certain users of
appraisal services, however, may elect not to use individuals who have a “no” in
the AQB compliance column because these individuals have not demonstrated to the
State possession of the AQB minimums in every respect. The purpose of the AQB
compliance column on our Web site is to aid those users in identifying these
individuals.
To achieve AQB compliance appraisers may be able to submit the
information in the deficient area(s) sufficient to demonstrate they now meet AQB
criteria. Appraisers wishing to have their “no” changed to “yes” must contact
their State appraiser regulatory agency to obtain the appropriate application
procedure. They may use our Web site (www.asc.gov)
via the “State Appraiser Regulatory Agencies” tab to link to the specific
State’s site for more information.
The Real Property Appraiser Qualifications criteria as
promulgated by the Appraiser Qualifications Board of the Appraisal Foundation
may be viewed in its entirety on
www.Appraisalfoundation.org.
Using the National Registry and Generating Mailing
Lists
How do I find my name or verify an appraiser’s
credential?
On our Web site, www.asc.gov, click on the National Registry
tab. You may use the standard or custom query features. The standard queries are
self explanatory. If you select the custom query feature, scroll to the
appropriate licensing state, type in the appraiser's last name and first name,
and then go to bottom and click check all and submit. You may always click on
the name in blue and it will link to all other credentials the appraiser holds
or has ever held.
Please note, the National Registry updates are not in real
time. The States are required to provide submission at least monthly.
Consequently, there may be as much as a 30-35 day lag time between when a
credential is issued or renewed and when it actually appears on the National
Registry.
How do I get a User Name and Password for access all
National Registry information?
Only State appraiser regulatory officials may be assigned a
user name and password. Everything, except sanctions that currently
do not affect an appraiser's ability to practice, is
publicly available.
Only State appraiser regulatory officials may have access to
information regarding sanctions imposed that do not affect an appraiser’s
ability to practice. This is primarily because the States differ as to whether
sanctions of this nature are publicly available. In addition, these actions
(such as requiring additional education or the payment of a fine) are deemed to
be corrective, not punitive. The individual State Web sites may provide more
information on corrective sanctions taken against appraisers. You may use the
“State Appraiser Regulatory Agencies” tab on our Web site (www.asc.gov) to link
to your specific State’s site for contact information.
How do I use the National Registry to contact all
appraisers or all appraisers in a specific State?
You may download a complete listing of all appraisers or
establish a listing based on particular specifications using our National
Registry. It may be accessed via our Web site (www.asc.gov).
Select Standard Query #8 to download a complete list.
To control the results returned, click on National Registry
tab and then select the custom query feature. Use the listing provided to
establish your desired search criteria as indicated with a check mark. Select
“Active” under status to limit the search to only currently active appraisers.
Leave as many fields as possible blank to return a larger listing of appraisers.
Leave the licensing State blank, if you want all States. Scroll down to the
bottom and hit "check all" and then submit. You may convert the result to Excel
or one of the other formats identified to establish your mailing list.
We do not collect email addresses and the company name, phone
number, and county code are not required fields and, as such, are not provided
by the States for all appraisers.
How many appraisers are there in a particular State or
in the United States?
You may find the number of active appraisers as of today via
our Web site, www.asc.gov. Click on the National Registry heading and then the
"Active Appraisers" tab. It will provide the number of appraisers by license
type within each State. Please note, the number of appraisers on the National
Registry changes daily.
Becoming an Appraiser
How do I become an appraiser?
As you would with any other career consideration, we suggest
you thoroughly research what is required to become a professional appraiser. We
recommend you begin by familiarizing yourself with the laws and regulations of
your State. You may use a link from our Web site (www.asc.gov)
to begin this process. Click on the “State appraiser regulatory agencies” tab,
then “state sites,” and scroll down to the appropriate State.
I want to become an appraiser and have begun or
completed the necessary education. How do I find an appraiser to work with me in
order to obtain the necessary experience?
Because you have begun your appraisal education, you should
know that, to become a State licensed, Certified Residential or Certified
General appraiser, requires a specific amount of education and experience along
with the successfully completion of a comprehensive State administered
examination.
It is not within the Appraisal Subcommittee’s legislative
authority to regulate individual appraisers and/or to establish educational or
mentoring options. A few State appraiser regulatory agencies have established
trainee programs with specific experience opportunities. You may check to see if
you are in a State that offers this type of service via a link to the State on
our Web site (www.asc.gov). Click on the “State
appraiser regulatory agencies” tab. Click on the “state sites” tab and then
scroll down to the appropriate State.
To earn experience frequently requires you to align with an
appraiser professional as a trainee or apprentice. This will require legwork on
your part. We suggest that you consult the yellow pages, and membership rosters
of various professional appraiser organizations to identify appraisers in your
area with whom you may interview. In addition, some of the national appraiser
professional organizations sponsor mentoring programs or offers courses with
experience earning components.
Appraiser Classifications and Temporary Practice
What are the different types of appraisers and what
type of work may each perform?
There are three federally recognized appraiser
classifications, State Licensed, State Certified Residential and State Certified
General. The difference is the examination and the number of hours of education
and experience required to obtain the credentials, in addition to the scope of
practice permitted for each once the credential is obtained.
The basic outline for these classifications is detailed in the
publication entitled Real Property Appraiser Criteria (Criteria) as promulgated
by the Appraiser Qualifications Board of the Appraisal Foundation may be viewed
in its entirety on
www.Appraisalfoundation.org.
Each State and Territory, in its laws and regulations, further
define requirements for the various categories and permitted practices. For the
certified levels, the requirements must at least meet, but may be more
restrictive than that set forth in the Criteria. The actual State established
requirements for the State License level and the other classification noted,
Trainee, may differ from that recommended in the criteria.
I hold a State license or certificate, do I need to
obtain a temporary practice permit to perform one assignment in another State?
The short answer is that it depends on the law for the state
in which you expect to conduct business.
Our jurisdiction, in this regard is very narrow. Title XI
requires States to extend temporary practice to out-of-State appraisers for the
performance of appraisal assignments conducted in conjunction with federally
related transactions. Federally related transactions ("FRT") are typically loans
being made by lending institutions that are regulated by one of the five banking
agencies (FRB, FDIC, OCC, OTS, or NCUA)having a transaction value (loan amount)
of $250,000 or more. For our purposes, the definition of appraisal is the same
as that in the USPAP, meaning that it is the act or process of developing an
opinion of value. We believe appraisers may perform desk appraisals or appraisal
reviews within their scope from their offices without obtaining a temporary
practice permit. However, if the appraisers travel to the other State and visit
the property or comparable properties, then a temporary practice permit is
required. See ASC Policy Statement 5 under the “State Rules and Policies” tab on
our Web site.
With that said, most States laws and regulations include a
broader definition of appraisal and the types of activities requiring licensure
or certification. For example, the majority of the States are what is commonly
referred to as mandatory. This means any type of appraisal activity requires a
State issued credential. Some of these States limit the extension of Temporary
Practice permits to out-of – State appraisers performing FRTs. Any other
activities would require permanent licensure or certification by the State
obtained either via reciprocity or the full application process.
You should consult each State within which you wish to conduct
business, to determine if temporary practice or a permanent credential is
needed. To be as helpful as possible, you may access the various State appraiser
regulatory programs via our Web site (www.asc.gov).
Select the "State appraiser regulatory agencies" tab and then "State sites."
Complaints
May I file a complaint about an appraiser with the ASC?
NO. Regardless of the nature of the complaint, whether investigated by
local law enforcement concerning allegations not within the purview of
the state appraiser regulatory agency, or whether appraisal-related, and
therefore appropriately referred to the state appraiser regulatory
agency, the local jurisdiction is the appropriate place to commence the
complaint process. The investigating authorities will know whether
investigation at other levels is appropriate. For your information,
Title XI of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement
Act of 1989, as amended, clearly authorizes state appraiser regulatory
agencies to handle such appraisal-related allegations. Nevertheless,
should you wish to you may keep us informed of any complaint registered
with the state appraiser regulatory agency. We will retain any such
information in our files for consideration during our next field review
of the state's appraiser regulatory program.