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How to become a real estate appraiser in Washington. Trainee: 75 hrs education. Licensed Residential: 150 hrs + 2,000 hrs experience. All four tiers documented with fees, exams, and AQB comparison. Data verified 2026-03-21. Source: LicenseMap (getlicensemap.com).
Real Estate Appraiser
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 on any appraisal the supervising certified appraiser is permitted to perform. Cannot independently sign appraisal reports.
Degree: None 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 $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 without restriction on value or complexity, including commercial, industrial, agricultural, and all other property types
Registered with the Washington State Department of Licensing
75 creditable hours of qualifying education. Starting January 1, 2026, an additional 8-hour Valuation Bias & Fair Housing Laws & Regulations course and 4-hour Supervisor/Trainee course may be required.
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. Supervisor must be state-certified for at least 3 years.
Max trainees per supervisor: 3
Must be a state-certified appraiser in good standing for at least 3 years
May assist on any appraisal the supervising certified appraiser is permitted to perform. Cannot independently sign appraisal reports.
Online courses: Allowed
2,000 hours of qualifying experience in no fewer than 12 months. Washington exceeds the AQB minimum of 1,000 hours over 6 months.
Exam: AQB-approved Licensed Residential Real Property Appraiser Examination
Provider: AMP (Applied Measurement Professionals)
Passing score: Scaled score of 75 (125 total questions, 110 scored)
Questions: 125
Fee: $120
None required
No college-level education required for State-Licensed Appraiser
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 $400,000
Online courses: Allowed
2,500 hours of experience in no fewer than 24 months. Washington exceeds the AQB minimum of 1,500 hours over 12 months.
Exam: AQB-approved Certified Residential Real Property Appraiser Examination
Provider: AMP (Applied Measurement Professionals)
Passing score: Scaled score of 75 (125 total questions, 110 scored)
Questions: 125
Fee: $120
Associate degree or equivalent
Must satisfy college education requirement: Bachelor's degree, Associate's degree in specified fields, 30 semester hours in approved topics, or CLEP exams
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 over a continuous period of 18 months or longer, with at least 1,500 hours in non-residential appraisal work
Exam: AQB-approved Certified General Real Property Appraiser Examination
Provider: AMP (Applied Measurement Professionals)
Passing score: Scaled score of 75 (125 total questions, 110 scored)
Questions: 125
Fee: $120
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 | $400 | — | — | — |
| Licensed Residential | $1,160 | $120 | — | $40 |
| Certified Residential | $1,160 | $120 | — | $40 |
| Certified General | $1,160 | $120 | — | $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
Apply for State-Registered Real Estate Appraiser Trainee ($400)
Gain required experience hours under a certified supervising appraiser
Complete additional qualifying education for desired credential level
Pass the AQB-approved national examination ($120)
Submit license/certification application ($1,160)
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
$980
Certification or licensure renewal fee
28 hours every 24 months including 7-hour USPAP Update Course. Effective 2026, a Valuation Bias and Fair Housing course is required per House Bill 1797.
Washington accepts reciprocal applications from appraisers licensed in other states. $1,080 fee for reciprocal applications (Application $660 + Certification $420).
Temporary practice: Temporary practice permits available for $250
Important: Federal Requirement for Appraisers
All licensed and certified appraisers must be listed on the ASC National Registry to perform federally related transactions. $80 from certification/licensure fees goes to the Appraisal Subcommittee.
Unique to Washington
Washington has among the highest licensing fees in the nation ($1,160 for initial application). The state significantly exceeds AQB experience minimums for both Licensed (2,000 hrs) and Certified Residential (2,500 hrs) tiers. AMP is the exam provider rather than PSI/Pearson VUE used by most states.
Explore requirements for other professional licenses in Washington.
How this state compares to 50 others for this profession
Timeline
#1 of 51
Salary
#8 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
$59,390
25th percentile
Median
$80,120
+22% vs. national avg ($65,420)Experienced
$102,820
75th percentile
Wage Distribution (Annual)
1,190 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+4% salary growth potential
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Real Estate Appraiser
$80,120
AQB courses + supervised experience (varies by tier)
Pre-licensing education (40-180 hours) + state exam
$76,980
2-3 years experience + additional education + broker exam
$81,450
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Real Estate Appraiser
AQB courses + supervised experience (varies by tier)
$80,120
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: Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) — Licensing Requirements
4–8 weeks
Estimated processing time
Source: Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) — Licensing Requirements
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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 Washington real estate agent requirements →