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How to become a real estate appraiser in Virginia. Trainee: 79 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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82% of data points are verified against official sources. 7 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
79 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 on any appraisal the supervising certified appraiser is permitted to perform. Cannot independently sign appraisal reports.
Degree: No college-level education required
Scope: Non-complex 1-4 unit residential properties with transaction value less than $1,000,000 and complex 1-4 unit residential properties with transaction value less than $250,000
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 without restriction on value or complexity, including commercial, industrial, agricultural, and all other property types
Registered with the Virginia Real Estate Appraiser Board
79 hours required through 12/31/2025. Starting January 1, 2026, 87 hours required (adds 8-hour Valuation Bias & Fair Housing Laws & Regulations course). Virginia requires 30 semester hours of college-level education even for the trainee level.
Online courses: Allowed
No experience required as a prerequisite for the Trainee Appraiser classification
No exam required at this level
Trainee must work under the direct supervision of a state-certified appraiser who has been certified for at least 3 years. Supervisor and trainee must complete the Virginia Supervisor/Trainee Course together.
Max trainees per supervisor: 3
Must be a state-certified appraiser in good standing for at least 3 years
30 semester hours of college-level education
Virginia uniquely requires 30 semester hours of college-level education even at the trainee level, which exceeds AQB minimums
May assist on any appraisal the supervising certified appraiser is permitted to perform. Cannot independently sign appraisal reports.
Online courses: Allowed
1,000 hours of acceptable appraisal experience in not less than 6 months
Exam: AQB National Uniform Licensed Residential Real Property Appraiser Examination
Provider: PSI or Pearson VUE
Passing score: Scaled score of 75 (125 total questions, 110 scored)
Questions: 125
Fee: $100
No college-level education required
No college degree required for Licensed Residential level beyond the 30 semester hours required at the trainee level
Non-complex 1-4 unit residential properties with transaction value less than $1,000,000 and complex 1-4 unit residential properties with transaction value less than $250,000
Online courses: Allowed
2,500 hours of experience obtained during no fewer than 24 months. Virginia exceeds AQB minimum of 1,500 hours over 12 months.
Exam: AQB National Uniform Certified Residential Real Property Appraiser Examination
Provider: PSI or Pearson VUE
Passing score: Scaled score of 75 (125 total questions, 110 scored)
Questions: 125
Fee: $100
Associate degree or equivalent
Must satisfy college education requirement: Bachelor's degree, Associate's degree in specified fields, 30 semester hours in approved topics, CLEP exams, or combination thereof
1-4 unit residential properties without regard to value or complexity
Online courses: Allowed
1,500 hours must be in non-residential appraisal work
3,000 hours of appraisal experience in no fewer than 18 months, with at least 1,500 hours in non-residential appraisal work. Must submit two commercial property narrative appraisals demonstrating use of the income approach.
Exam: AQB National Uniform Certified General Real Property Appraiser Examination
Provider: PSI or Pearson VUE
Passing score: Scaled score of 75 (125 total questions, 110 scored)
Questions: 125
Fee: $100
Bachelor's degree or higher
Must hold a Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university in any field of study
All types of real property without restriction on value or complexity, including commercial, industrial, agricultural, and all other property types
Minimum Age
18 years old
Background Check
Background check required for all 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 | $117.50 | — | — | — |
| Licensed Residential | $252.50 | $100 | — | $40 |
| Certified Residential | $252.50 | $100 | — | $40 |
| Certified General | $252.50 | $100 | — | $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 30 semester hours of college-level education
Complete 79+ hours of qualifying education (trainee level)
Apply for Appraiser Trainee registration with DPOR
Gain required experience hours under a certified supervising appraiser
Complete additional qualifying education for desired credential level
Pass the AQB-approved national examination
Submit license application with fees and supporting documentation
Receive license and register with 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
Varies
Renewal fee information available at DPOR; see 18VAC130-20-130
28 hours every 24 months including 7-hour USPAP Update Course. Also requires 2 hours of fair housing or appraisal bias course. Up to 50% of CE may be satisfied through teaching, program development, or textbook authorship.
Virginia accepts reciprocal applications from appraisers licensed in other states through DPOR.
Temporary practice: Temporary practice permits available for out-of-state appraisers
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 Virginia
Virginia requires 30 semester hours of college-level education even at the trainee level, and significantly exceeds AQB experience minimums for Certified Residential (2,500 hours over 24 months vs AQB's 1,500 hours over 12 months). Certified General applicants must submit two commercial narrative appraisals demonstrating the income approach.
Explore requirements for other professional licenses in Virginia.
How this state compares to 50 others for this profession
Timeline
#1 of 51
Salary
#14 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
$53,940
25th percentile
Median
$73,050
+12% vs. national avg ($65,420)Experienced
$94,990
75th percentile
Wage Distribution (Annual)
1,340 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+18% salary growth potential
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Real Estate Appraiser
$73,050
AQB courses + supervised experience (varies by tier)
Pre-licensing education (40-180 hours) + state exam
$61,790
2-3 years experience + additional education + broker exam
$55,660
You are here
Real Estate Appraiser
AQB courses + supervised experience (varies by tier)
$73,050
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: Virginia Real Estate Appraiser Board (under DPOR) — Licensing Requirements
4–8 weeks
Estimated processing time
Source: Virginia Real Estate Appraiser Board (under DPOR) — Licensing Requirements
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All data verified as of 2026-03-21. Sources consulted:
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