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How to become a real estate appraiser in Texas. 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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84% of data points are verified against official sources. 6 fields based on preliminary research. 1 field needs 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: May only appraise properties that the supervisory appraiser is permitted to appraise and only under direct supervision.
Degree: No college degree required by AQB at this level; however, Texas requires one of: Bachelor's degree in any field, Associate's degree in Business/Accounting/Finance/Economics/Real Estate, or 30 semester hours in specified subjects
Scope: Non-complex 1-4 unit residential properties with a transaction value less than $1,000,000. Certain vacant land intended for single-to-four family residential use.
Degree: One of: Bachelor's degree in any field, Associate's degree in Business/Accounting/Finance/Economics/Real Estate, 30 semester hours in specified subjects, CLEP exam equivalents, or no college for Licensed Residential appraisers with 5+ years experience and clean record
Scope: 1-4 unit residential properties without regard to transaction value or complexity. Vacant land intended for single-to-four family residential use. May not independently appraise subdivisions but may associate with a Certified General appraiser for non-residential work.
Degree: Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited institution
Scope: All types of real property without regard to complexity or transaction value, including commercial, industrial, agricultural, and residential properties.
Texas uses the term 'Appraiser Trainee' rather than 'Trainee Appraiser'
All qualifying education must be completed within the 5-year period immediately preceding the date of application.
Online courses: Allowed
Trainees gain experience under supervision — no experience required to become a trainee.
No exam required at this level
Must work under a supervisory appraiser. Trainees may have more than one supervisor. Supervisor must provide active, personal, and diligent supervision.
Max trainees per supervisor: 3 without a supervision plan; up to 5 with a submitted trainee supervision plan
Must hold a Certified Residential or Certified General license in good standing. Must complete the Board-approved Appraiser Trainee/Supervisory Appraiser (ATSA) course.
May only appraise properties that the supervisory appraiser is permitted to appraise and only under direct supervision.
Online courses: Allowed
1,000 hours of acceptable and verifiable appraisal experience acquired over a minimum of 6 months. Alternatively, may complete an AQB-approved Licensed Residential PAREA training module.
Exam: National Licensed Residential Real Property Exam
Provider: Pearson VUE
Passing score: Scaled score of 75 out of 110
Questions: 125
Time limit: 4 hours
Fee: $55
15 of the 125 questions are unscored pilot questions. Passing score valid for 24 months. Three failed attempts require 15 additional hours of qualifying education before reapplication.
No college degree required by AQB at this level; however, Texas requires one of: Bachelor's degree in any field, Associate's degree in Business/Accounting/Finance/Economics/Real Estate, or 30 semester hours in specified subjects
Texas exceeds the AQB minimum by requiring college-level education for Licensed Residential, which AQB does not mandate at this tier
Non-complex 1-4 unit residential properties with a transaction value less than $1,000,000. Certain vacant land intended for single-to-four family residential use.
Online courses: Allowed
1,500 hours of verifiable appraisal experience over a minimum of 12 months. Alternative pathways available via PAREA: Licensed Residential PAREA + 500 hours over 6 months, or Certified Residential PAREA + reduced hours.
Exam: National Certified Residential Real Property Exam
Provider: Pearson VUE
Passing score: Scaled score of 75 out of 110
Questions: 125
Time limit: 4 hours
Fee: $55
Passing score valid for 24 months. Three failed attempts require additional qualifying education before reapplication.
One of: Bachelor's degree in any field, Associate's degree in Business/Accounting/Finance/Economics/Real Estate, 30 semester hours in specified subjects, CLEP exam equivalents, or no college for Licensed Residential appraisers with 5+ years experience and clean record
Texas offers multiple pathways including an experience-based waiver for Licensed Residential holders with 5+ years
1-4 unit residential properties without regard to transaction value or complexity. Vacant land intended for single-to-four family residential use. May not independently appraise subdivisions but may associate with a Certified General appraiser for non-residential work.
Online courses: Allowed
1,500 hours must be in non-residential appraisal work
3,000 hours over a minimum of 18 months, with at least 1,500 hours in non-residential appraisal. Alternative PAREA pathways available: Licensed Residential PAREA + 2,000 hours (1,500 non-residential) over 12 months, or Certified Residential PAREA + 1,500 non-residential hours over 6 months.
Exam: National Certified General Real Property Exam
Provider: Pearson VUE
Passing score: Scaled score of 75 out of 110
Questions: 125
Time limit: 6 hours
Fee: $55
Passing score valid for 24 months. Three failed attempts require additional qualifying education before reapplication.
Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited institution
Matches AQB minimum requirement for Certified General
All types of real property without regard to complexity or transaction value, including commercial, industrial, agricultural, and residential properties.
Minimum Age
18 years old
Background Check
Applicants must satisfy TALCB as to honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity through a background history review. Fingerprints must be submitted to Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). A pre-application fitness determination is available for candidates with criminal or disciplinary history.
Fingerprinting
Required
USPAP Requirement
15-hour National USPAP Course required for initial licensing. 7-hour USPAP Update Course required every 2 years for renewal.
| Tier | Application | Exam | Background | Registry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trainee | $250 | — | — | — |
| Licensed Residential | $400 | $55 | — | $40 |
| Certified Residential | $460 | $55 | — | $40 |
| Certified General | $560 | $55 | — | $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 required qualifying education (83–300 hours depending on tier)
Complete the Appraiser Trainee/Supervisory Appraiser (ATSA) course (4 hours)
Submit fingerprints to Texas DPS for background check
Submit application to TALCB online or by mail with required fees
Gain required experience hours under a supervisory appraiser (or via PAREA)
Receive exam clearance from TALCB after meeting education and experience requirements
Schedule and pass the national exam through Pearson VUE
Receive license and register on ASC National Registry
CE Hours Per Cycle
28 hours
(AQB minimum: 28 hrs)
Renewal Cycle
2 years
USPAP Update
7-Hour USPAP Update required each cycle
Renewal Fee
$250–$560 (varies by license level: Trainee $250, Licensed Residential $400, Certified Residential $460, Certified General $560)
28 hours of approved appraiser continuing education (ACE) during each 2-year license period. Must include a 7-hour National USPAP Update course and a 7-hour Valuation Bias and Fair Housing course (effective 2026).
Appraisers licensed in another state may register with TALCB for temporary practice in Texas if their home state program has not been disapproved by the ASC. Business in Texas must be of a temporary nature not to exceed six months.
Temporary practice: Available for out-of-state licensed appraisers. Valid for up to 6 months for temporary assignments. Extensions available if continuing the same assignment. Fingerprint requirements waived for temporary registrants.
Important: Federal Requirement for Appraisers
All state-licensed and state-certified appraisers performing federally related transactions must be listed on the ASC National Registry. Texas collects an $80 Federal Registry Fee with the application.
Unique to Texas
Texas exceeds AQB minimums in education for both the Trainee (83 vs 75 hours) and Licensed Residential (158 vs 150 hours) tiers due to the mandatory 8-hour Valuation Bias and Fair Housing Regulations course. Texas also requires college-level education at the Licensed Residential tier, which exceeds the AQB standard. The TALCB collects an $80 Federal Registry Fee bundled with applications, which is higher than the standard $40 annual ASC fee.
Explore requirements for other professional licenses in Texas.
How this state compares to 50 others for this profession
Timeline
#1 of 51
Salary
#24 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
$50,520
25th percentile
Median
$63,960
-2% vs. national avg ($65,420)Experienced
$82,380
75th percentile
Wage Distribution (Annual)
5,520 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+28% salary growth potential
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Real Estate Appraiser
$63,960
AQB courses + supervised experience (varies by tier)
Pre-licensing education (40-180 hours) + state exam
$50,150
2-3 years experience + additional education + broker exam
$66,700
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Real Estate Appraiser
AQB courses + supervised experience (varies by tier)
$63,960
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: Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board (TALCB) — Licensing Requirements
4–8 weeks
Estimated processing time
Source: Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board (TALCB) — Licensing Requirements
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All data verified as of 2026-03-21. Sources consulted:
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