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How to become a real estate appraiser in Alabama. Trainee: 75 hrs education. Licensed Residential: 150 hrs + 1,000 hrs experience. All four tiers documented with fees, exams, and AQB comparison. Data verified 2026-03-21. Source: LicenseMap (getlicensemap.com).
Real Estate Appraiser
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75 hrs
TRAINEE ED.
150 hrs
LICENSED RES. ED.
1,500 hrs
CERT. RES. EXP.
3,000 hrs
CERT. GEN. EXP.
Real estate appraiser licensing follows a tiered path. Each level builds on the previous one with additional education and experience.
Scope: May assist on appraisals the supervising certified appraiser is permitted to perform. Cannot independently sign or issue appraisal reports.
Degree: None required
Scope: Non-complex 1-4 unit residential properties with a transaction value less than $1,000,000 and complex 1-4 unit residential properties with a transaction value less than $400,000
Degree: Associate degree or equivalent
Scope: 1-4 unit residential properties without regard to value or complexity
Degree: Bachelor's degree or higher
Scope: All types of real property, including residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, and all other property types
75 hours of core education. With the addition of Valuation Bias (8 hrs) and Supervisor/Trainee (4 hrs) courses for post-Jan 2026 applicants, the total comes to approximately 87 hours.
Online courses: Allowed
No experience required to obtain Trainee credential. Trainees gain experience under supervision.
No exam required at this level
Must work under a Certified Residential or Certified General appraiser in good standing. Supervisor must directly supervise and sign all appraisal reports.
Max trainees per supervisor: 3
Must be a Certified Residential or Certified General appraiser in good standing for at least 3 years
May assist on appraisals the supervising certified appraiser is permitted to perform. Cannot independently sign or issue appraisal reports.
Total with ancillary courses (Valuation Bias + Supervisor/Trainee) comes to approximately 162 hours for post-Jan 2026 applicants.
Online courses: Allowed
1,000 hours of acceptable appraisal experience in not less than 6 months
Exam: AQB-approved Licensed Residential Real Property Appraiser Examination
Provider: National exam provider
Passing score: Pass/Fail (national standard)
None required
No college degree required for Licensed Real Property Appraiser
Non-complex 1-4 unit residential properties with a transaction value less than $1,000,000 and complex 1-4 unit residential properties with a transaction value less than $400,000
Total with ancillary courses comes to approximately 204 hours for post-Jan 2026 applicants.
Online courses: Allowed
1,500 hours of acceptable appraisal experience in no fewer than 12 months
Exam: AQB-approved Certified Residential Real Property Appraiser Examination
Provider: National exam provider
Passing score: Pass/Fail (national standard)
Associate degree or equivalent
Must hold an Associate degree or satisfy AQB alternative college education requirements
1-4 unit residential properties without regard to value or complexity
Total with ancillary courses comes to approximately 304 hours for post-Jan 2026 applicants.
Online courses: Allowed
1,500 hours must be in non-residential appraisal work
3,000 hours of acceptable appraisal experience in no less than 18 months, with a minimum of 1,500 hours in non-residential appraisal work
Exam: AQB-approved Certified General Real Property Appraiser Examination
Provider: National exam provider
Passing score: Pass/Fail (national standard)
Bachelor's degree or higher
Must hold a Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university
All types of real property, including residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, and all other property types
Minimum Age
18 years old
Background Check
Background check required for all license applicants
Fingerprinting
Required
USPAP Requirement
15-Hour National USPAP Course required as part of qualifying education for all credential levels
| Tier | Application | Exam | Background | Registry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trainee | $150 | — | — | — |
| Licensed Residential | $375 | — | — | $40 |
| Certified Residential | $375 | — | — | $40 |
| Certified General | $375 | — | — | $40 |
The National Registry fee ($40/year) is paid to the federal Appraisal Subcommittee (ASC) and applies to all appraisers performing federally-related transactions.
Complete qualifying education for desired credential level
Apply for Trainee credential to begin gaining experience
Gain required experience hours under supervision of certified appraiser
Complete additional qualifying education as needed
Pass the AQB-approved national examination
Submit application with fee ($150 for trainee, $375 for licensed/certified) to ABREAB
Complete background check
Receive license and register with ASC National Registry
CE Hours Per Cycle
28 hours
(AQB minimum: 28 hrs)
Renewal Cycle
Annual (September 30)
USPAP Update
7-Hour USPAP Update required each cycle
Renewal Fee
$375
Annual license fee for Licensed/Certified appraisers ($335 for Trainees)
28 hours of CE every 24 months (on odd-numbered years). Must include 7-hour USPAP Update and 7-hour Valuation Bias and Fair Housing course. No limit on online CE hours. Signed course completion certificates required.
Alabama accepts reciprocal applications from appraisers licensed in other states with equivalent requirements
Temporary practice: Temporary practice permits available
Important: Federal Requirement for Appraisers
All licensed and certified appraisers must be listed on the ASC National Registry. $40 annual registry fee is included in the license fee.
Unique to Alabama
Alabama has an annual license renewal cycle (September 30) rather than the more common biennial cycle, though CE hours are still required over a 24-month period. The $375 license fee for Licensed/Certified appraisers includes the $40 federal registry fee. The Board also issues a 'State Registered Real Property Appraiser' credential not found in most other states.
Explore requirements for other professional licenses in Alabama.
How this state compares to 50 others for this profession
Timeline
#1 of 51
Salary
#40 of 51
Processing
#1 of 51
Based on May 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data for Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate (SOC 13-2023)
Entry Level
$39,440
25th percentile
Median
$53,050
-19% vs. national avg ($65,420)Experienced
$82,960
75th percentile
Wage Distribution (Annual)
540 employed in this state
Note: BLS category "Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate" includes both appraisers and assessors. Tax assessors and other non-appraisal roles are included in this figure.
Source: BLS OEWS – Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate (May 2024)
Real Estate Career Ladder+9% salary growth potential
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Real Estate Appraiser
$53,050
AQB courses + supervised experience (varies by tier)
Pre-licensing education (40-180 hours) + state exam
$48,740
2-3 years experience + additional education + broker exam
$62,000
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Real Estate Appraiser
AQB courses + supervised experience (varies by tier)
$53,050
Salary data from BLS OEWS May 2024 for this state. Career paths represent common advancement routes — actual progression may vary. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Outlook Handbook
Estimated total: 60–166 weeks
Timeline estimated from licensing requirements on this page.
Source: Alabama Real Estate Appraisers Board (ABREAB) — Licensing Requirements
4–8 weeks
Estimated processing time
Source: Alabama Real Estate Appraisers Board (ABREAB) — Licensing Requirements
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All data verified as of 2026-03-21. Sources consulted:
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