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How to become a real estate appraiser in Montana. 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
Governing Authority
Montana Board of Real Estate Appraisers (under Department of Labor & Industry)
Official website →Some information on this page has not been fully verified.
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75 hrs
TRAINEE ED.
150 hrs
LICENSED RES. ED.
2,500 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 in appraisals under direct supervision of an approved mentor. Cannot independently sign appraisal reports.
Degree: None required
Scope: Appraisal of non-complex 1-4 unit residential properties with transaction value under $1,000,000 and complex 1-4 unit residential properties with transaction value under $400,000.
Degree: Associate degree or higher, or equivalent CLEP/college coursework
Scope: Appraisal of 1-4 unit residential properties without regard to transaction value or complexity.
Degree: Bachelor's degree or higher required
Scope: Appraisal of all types of real property without restriction on value or complexity, including commercial, industrial, agricultural, and residential.
Online courses: Allowed
No experience required. Trainees gain experience under supervision of an approved mentor.
No exam required at this level
Must work under direct supervision of a certified appraiser who is an approved mentor in Montana. Both trainee and supervisory appraiser must complete a course that complies with AQB specifications.
Max trainees per supervisor: 3
Must hold Certified Residential or Certified General designation and be approved as a mentor by the Board.
May assist in appraisals under direct supervision of an approved mentor. Cannot independently sign appraisal reports.
Montana uses 'Licensed Appraiser' rather than 'Licensed Residential Appraiser'
Online courses: Allowed
1,000 hours of actual appraisal experience under supervision of a certified appraiser who is an approved mentor, completed over at least 6 months.
Exam: National Uniform Licensing Exam - Licensed Residential
Provider: Pearson VUE
Passing score: 75%
Fee: $125
None required
No college degree required at this level
Appraisal of non-complex 1-4 unit residential properties with transaction value under $1,000,000 and complex 1-4 unit residential properties with transaction value under $400,000.
Online courses: Allowed
2,500 hours of appraisal experience over a minimum of 24 months. Montana exceeds AQB minimum of 1,500 hours.
Exam: National Uniform Certification Exam - Certified Residential
Provider: Pearson VUE
Passing score: 77%
Fee: $125
Associate degree or higher, or equivalent CLEP/college coursework
Bachelor's degree, Associate degree, or 30 semester hours of CLEP college-level courses accepted
Appraisal of 1-4 unit residential properties without regard to transaction value or complexity.
Online courses: Allowed
1,500 hours must be in non-residential appraisal work
3,000 hours over at least 18 months, with minimum 1,500 hours in non-residential appraisal work.
Exam: National Uniform Certification Exam - Certified General
Provider: Pearson VUE
Passing score: 75%
Fee: $125
Bachelor's degree or higher required
Must be from an accredited college or university
Appraisal of all types of real property without restriction on value or complexity, including commercial, industrial, agricultural, and residential.
Minimum Age
18 years old
Background Check
Criminal background check required for all applicants.
Fingerprinting
Required
USPAP Requirement
15-Hour National USPAP Course required as part of qualifying education. 7-Hour USPAP Update Course required every 2 years for renewal.
| Tier | Application | Exam | Background | Registry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trainee | $400 | — | — | — |
| Licensed Residential | $515 | $125 | — | $40 |
| Certified Residential | $515 | $125 | — | $40 |
| Certified General | $815 | $125 | — | $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 75 hours of qualifying education
Find an approved mentor (certified appraiser) in Montana
Submit Trainee application with $400 fee
Complete background check
Obtain Trainee credential and begin accumulating experience under mentor supervision
Complete additional education hours for desired license/certification level
Pass the National Uniform Licensing/Certification Examination with required passing score
Submit upgrade application with experience logs and required fee
Register with ASC National Registry
CE Hours Per Cycle
28 hours
(AQB minimum: 28 hrs)
Renewal Cycle
1 year (annual renewal by March 31)
USPAP Update
7-Hour USPAP Update required each cycle
Renewal Fee
$400-$515
Varies by license level; annual renewal required
Montana recognizes credentials from other states under FIRREA Title XI. Reciprocal appraiser license application fee is $515.
Temporary practice: Temporary practice permits available for out-of-state appraisers.
Important: Federal Requirement for Appraisers
All licensed and certified appraisers performing federally related transactions must be listed on the ASC National Registry.
Unique to Montana
Montana has notably high application fees across all tiers and uses an approved mentor system rather than a generic supervisor system. The state requires annual renewal (March 31) but only requires CE every other renewal cycle. Montana's Certified Residential exam passing score of 77% is higher than the typical 75%.
Explore requirements for other professional licenses in Montana.
How this state compares to 50 others for this profession
Timeline
#1 of 51
Salary
#31 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
$49,760
25th percentile
Median
$60,990
-7% vs. national avg ($65,420)Experienced
$74,040
75th percentile
Wage Distribution (Annual)
260 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+8% salary growth potential
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Real Estate Appraiser
$60,990
AQB courses + supervised experience (varies by tier)
Pre-licensing education (40-180 hours) + state exam
$56,670
2-3 years experience + additional education + broker exam
$59,310
You are here
Real Estate Appraiser
AQB courses + supervised experience (varies by tier)
$60,990
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.
4–8 weeks
Estimated processing time
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All data verified as of 2026-03-21. Sources consulted:
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Already a licensed real estate agent? Many appraisers start as agents. Compare Montana real estate agent requirements →