Click on the following links to learn more about Appraisal Licensing state requirements:
Required Education
About the Exam
Required Experience
Application Procedures
Colorado has adopted the “segmented approach” to comply with the new 2008 Appraiser Qualifications Board (the “AQB”) criteria. The requirements are broken down into three segments (or components): Education, Experience, and Examination. An applicant would have to meet the criteria in effect at the time he or she completes a particular component or segment. Any component completed prior to January 1, 2008 , would satisfy the current criteria, while any component not completed by January 1, 2008 , would have to conform to the new criteria. Any credential issued by a state appraiser regulatory body on or after January 1, 2008 , must be in compliance with the new AQB requirements.
Under this scenario, for example, if a candidate completed the Licensed Appraiser upgrade education in 2007 and took the Licensed Appraiser exam, she would need only satisfy the experience requirement to apply for her license upgrade. However, if she only partially completed the upgrade coursework in 2007, she would have to start over and complete all 75 hours in 2008 or beyond.
Required Education [Back to Top]
Level 1 - Registered Appraiser
You must complete 75 hours of approved appraisal education, including the 15-hour National USPAP Course.
Level 2 – Licensed Appraiser
You must complete the 75 hours of approved Registered Appraiser education PLUS an additional 75 hours of approved education for a total of 150 hours of approved education.
Level 3 – Certified Residential Appraiser
You must complete the 150 hours of approved education required to become a Licensed Appraiser PLUS and additional 50 hours of approved education for a total of 200 hours of approved appraisal education. Additionally, you must have attained a college level associate degree or higher from an accredited college or university. In lieu of the required degree, you may complete twenty-one (21) semester credit hours covering the following subject matter courses: English Composition; Principles of Economics (Micro or Macro); Finance; Algebra, Geometry or higher mathematics; Statistics; Computer Science; and Business or Real Estate Law.
Level 4 – Certified General Appraiser
You must complete the 200 hours of approved education required to become a Certified Residential Appraiser PLUS and additional 100 hours of approved appraisal education for a total of 300 hours of approved education. Additionally, you must have attained a college level Bachelors degree or higher from an accredited college or university. In lieu of the required degree, you may complete thirty (30) semester credit hours covering the following subject matter courses: English Composition; Micro Economics; Macro Economics; Finance; Algebra, Geometry or higher mathematics; Statistics; Computer Science; Business or Real Estate Law; and two (2) elective courses in Accounting, Geography, Economics, Business Management, or Real Estate.
About the Exam [Back to Top]
Applicants pay examination fees directly to the exam provider PSI (www.psiexams.com).
Any person wishing to apply for the Registered Appraiser license shall register for and achieve a passing score on the Registered Real Property Appraiser examination with the testing service designated by the Colorado Board of Real Estate Appraisers (“BOREA”). Examinees shall comply with the standards of test administration established by the Board and the testing service. A passing score on an examination shall be valid for one year from the examination date. Failure to file a complete application within the one year period will result in the examination grade being void.
Level 2 - Licensed Appraiser
Any person wishing to apply for the Licensed Appraiser license shall register for and achieve a passing score on the Licensed Real Property Appraiser examination with the testing service designated by the Board. Examinees shall comply with the standards of test administration established by the Board and the testing service. A passing score on an examination shall be valid for one year from the examination date. Failure to file a complete application within the one year period will result in the examination grade being void.
Level 3 - Certified Residential Appraiser
Any person wishing to apply for the Certified Residential Appraiser license shall register for and achieve a passing score on the Certified Residential Appraiser examination with the testing service designated by the Board. Examinees shall comply with the standards of test administration established by the Board and the testing service. A passing score on an examination shall be valid for one year from the examination date. Failure to file a complete application within the one year period will result in the examination grade being void.
Level 4 - Certified General Appraiser
Any person wishing to apply for the Certified General Appraiser license shall register for and achieve a passing score on the Certified General Appraiser examination with the testing service designated by the Board. Examinees shall comply with the standards of test administration established by the Board and the testing service. A passing score on an examination shall be valid for one year from the examination date. Failure to file a complete application within the one year period will result in the examination grade being void.
Required Experience [Back to Top]
Prior to your approval as a Registered Appraiser, you are not required to have any appraisal experience. As a Registered Appraiser, you must work under the direct supervision of a supervising appraiser who shall be state certified in good standing (a Certified Residential or Certified General Appraiser).
The supervising appraiser shall be responsible for your training and direct supervision by:
As a Registered Appraiser, you must also maintain your Appraiser Experience Log Form (Exp Log 6/02). The log must contain the following information for each appraisal:
To upgrade to a Licensed Appraiser, you must be a Registered Appraiser and have a minimum of 2,000 hours and 12 months of real estate appraisal experience. Acceptable appraisal experience includes, but is not limited to, the following:
As a Licensed Appraiser, you may appraise any non-complex properties with 1-4 residential units having a transaction value less than $1,000,000 and complex 1-4 residential units having a transaction value less than $250,000.
To apply for certification, you must be a Licensed Appraiser and have a minimum of 2,500 hours and 24 months of real estate appraisal experience, of which 500 hours must be complex residential. Acceptable appraisal experience includes, but is not limited to, the following:
As a Certified Residential Appraiser, you may appraise any 1-4 unit residential property without regard to transaction value or complexity.
To apply for certification, you must be a Certified Residential Appraiser and have a minimum of 3,000 hours and 30 months of real estate appraisal experience, of which 1,500 hours must be non-residential. Acceptable appraisal experience includes, but is not limited to, the following:
As a Certified General Appraiser, you may appraise all real estate without regard to transaction value or complexity.
In order to become a Registered Appraiser in Colorado , you must be at least 18 years of age and be a legal resident of the United States . You must also complete and submit the following:
In order to become a Licensed Appraiser in Colorado , you must be at least 18 years of age and be a legal resident of the United States . You must also complete and submit the following:
In order to become a Certified Residential Appraiser in Colorado , you must be at least 18 years of age and be a legal resident of the United States . You must also complete and submit the following:
In order to become a Certified General Appraiser in Colorado , you must be at least 18 years of age and be a legal resident of the United States . You must also complete and submit the following: