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How to become a real estate appraiser in Louisiana. Trainee: 83 hrs education. Licensed Residential: 158 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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73% of data points are verified against official sources. 5 fields based on preliminary research. 7 fields need verification. We recommend confirming details with your state's licensing authority. See sources below · Report incorrect data
83 hrs
TRAINEE ED.
158 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: The scope of practice 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.
Degree: None required
Scope: Non-complex 1-4 residential units with transaction value less than $1,000,000; complex 1-4 residential units with transaction value less than $400,000; vacant land designated for 1-4 residential use. Excludes subdivision development appraisals.
Degree: Associate degree or equivalent
Scope: 1-4 residential units without regard to value or complexity, including vacant land for residential purposes. Excludes subdivision development analyses.
Degree: Bachelor's degree or higher
Scope: All types of real property. Must comply with USPAP's Competency Rule.
83 hours of qualifying education within 5 years before application. Must pass course examinations and the 15-Hour USPAP exam. The Supervisory Appraiser/Trainee Appraiser course is required but not counted toward the 83-hour total.
Online courses: Allowed
No experience required for initial credentialing. No state licensing exam required — must pass individual course examinations.
No exam required at this level
Must work under a state-certified Supervisory Appraiser in good standing. May have multiple supervisors. Supervisor must personally inspect each property with trainee until competency is demonstrated. Supervisor signs and certifies appraisal compliance with USPAP.
Max trainees per supervisor: 3
Must be a state-certified appraiser in good standing. Each supervisor may oversee no more than 3 trainee appraisers simultaneously.
The scope of practice 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.
158 creditable class hours including the 15-Hour National USPAP Course. Trainee holders need 75 additional hours in residential topics.
Online courses: Allowed
1,000 hours of experience obtained in no fewer than 6 months
Exam: AQB-approved Licensed Residential Real Property Appraiser Examination
Provider: National exam provider
Passing score: Pass/Fail (national standard)
May alternatively pass the Certified Residential or Certified General exam instead
None required
No college degree required for Licensed Residential credential
Non-complex 1-4 residential units with transaction value less than $1,000,000; complex 1-4 residential units with transaction value less than $400,000; vacant land designated for 1-4 residential use. Excludes subdivision development appraisals.
200 creditable class hours from the Required Core Curriculum. Trainee holders need 117 additional hours; Licensed Residential holders need 42 additional hours.
Online courses: Allowed
1,500 hours of experience obtained during 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 satisfy one of five options: (1) Bachelor's degree in any field, (2) Associate's in Business Admin, Accounting, Finance, Economics, or Real Estate, (3) 30 semester hours in specified subjects, (4) 30 semester hours via CLEP, or (5) combination of options 3 and 4
1-4 residential units without regard to value or complexity, including vacant land for residential purposes. Excludes subdivision development analyses.
300 creditable class hours. Upgrade pathways: Trainee holders need 217 additional hrs, Licensed Residential need 142 hrs, Certified Residential need 100 hrs.
Online courses: Allowed
1,500 hours must be in non-residential appraisal work
3,000 total hours required over a minimum of 18 months, with 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/university. Foreign degrees must be evaluated through NACES member services.
All types of real property. Must comply with USPAP's Competency Rule.
Minimum Age
18 years old
Background Check
Background check required as part of the application process
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 | $245 | — | — | — |
| Licensed Residential | $245 | — | — | $40 |
| Certified Residential | $245 | — | — | $40 |
| Certified General | $245 | — | — | $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 83 hours of qualifying education (including USPAP) within 5 years
Complete Supervisory Appraiser/Trainee Appraiser course
Apply for Trainee Appraiser credential with LREAB
Gain required experience hours under state-certified Supervisory Appraiser
Complete additional qualifying education for desired credential level
Pass AQB-approved national examination for the credential level
Submit application and fee ($245) to LREAB
Register with ASC National Registry
CE Hours Per Cycle
28 hours
(AQB minimum: 28 hrs)
Renewal Cycle
2 years (annual renewal period)
USPAP Update
7-Hour USPAP Update required each cycle
Renewal Fee
$245
Annual renewal fee plus $25 processing fee
28 hours every 2-year certification period. Must include 7-hour USPAP Update. Beginning Jan 1, 2026: first-time 7-hour Valuation Bias & Fair Housing course required, then at least 4 hours every two years. Renewal deadline: December 31. Delinquent fees: $25 (Jan 1 - Feb 15), $100 (Feb 16 - Jun 30).
Louisiana offers non-resident licensing and temporary registration for out-of-state appraisers
Temporary practice: Temporary registration available for non-residents
Important: Federal Requirement for Appraisers
All licensed and certified appraisers must be listed on the ASC National Registry to perform federally related transactions
Unique to Louisiana
Louisiana requires 83 hours for Trainee education (exceeds AQB 75 by 8 hours) and 158 hours for Licensed Residential (exceeds AQB 150 by 8 hours), likely due to the mandatory Valuation Bias & Fair Housing course. The Supervisory Appraiser/Trainee course is uniquely required before obtaining the Trainee credential but is NOT counted toward the education hour totals. Trainees may have multiple supervisors simultaneously.
Explore requirements for other professional licenses in Louisiana.
How this state compares to 50 others for this profession
Timeline
#1 of 51
Salary
#26 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
$48,390
25th percentile
Median
$62,710
-4% vs. national avg ($65,420)Experienced
$73,260
75th percentile
Wage Distribution (Annual)
500 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+57% salary growth potential
2-3 years experience + additional education + broker exam
You are here
Real Estate Appraiser
$62,710
AQB courses + supervised experience (varies by tier)
Pre-licensing education (40-180 hours) + state exam
$39,840
2-3 years experience + additional education + broker exam
You are here
Real Estate Appraiser
AQB courses + supervised experience (varies by tier)
$62,710
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: Louisiana Real Estate Appraisers Board (LREAB) — Licensing Requirements
4–8 weeks
Estimated processing time
Source: Louisiana Real Estate Appraisers Board (LREAB) — Licensing Requirements
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All data verified as of 2026-03-21. Sources consulted:
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