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Idaho Real Estate Appraiser License Requirements

Becoming an appraiser can be a lucrative and rewarding choice for your career – but how do you get started? Your appraisal education begins with 87 hours of Idaho Appraiser Qualifying Education coursework, the building blocks of your appraisal knowledge. The best way to complete those hours successfully? By getting your trainee certification, the official recommendation of The Appraisal Foundation. Though your state may not require this certification level, earning it will help you stand out to future employers, and prepare you for the jobs that require it!

Purchase your required ID trainee courses

Quick Facts

Below is a list of the steps recommended to become a licensed residential appraiser in Idaho.

  1. Obtain Your Idaho Registered Trainee Appraiser License

  2. Complete Your Appraiser Education

  3. Conduct Your Appraisal Work Experience

  4. Pass the National Uniform Licensing & Certification Examination

  5. Submit Your Application for an Idaho Licensed Residential Appraiser

We’ll go into more detail about these steps below.

If you've already completed appraiser education or are licensed in another state, visit the Idaho Real Estate Appraiser Board and read about Idaho appraiser reciprocity for more information.

How to Become a Licensed Residential Appraiser in Idaho

1

Obtain Your Idaho Registered Appraiser Trainee License

NOTE: Your state may accept PAREA or Practicum as an alternative to Trainee license with Trainee/Supervisory model.

Qualifying Education. Before you can become a licensed residential appraiser in Idaho, you’ll need to complete 75 hours total of Idaho Appraiser Qualifying Education (QE), broken up as follows:

  • 30 hours of appraisal principles

  • 30 hours of appraisal procedures

  • The 15-hour National Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) course, or an equivalent course

You’ll also need to complete Idaho’s 4-hour Training Course for Supervisory Appraisers and Real Estate Appraiser Trainees. Before signing up for the course, you need to find a supervisory appraiser who will act as your mentor through completion of your experience hours (Step 3).

All Qualifying Education must be approved by the Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB) and the Idaho Real Estate Appraiser Board. You must complete all Qualifying Education prior to submitting your registered trainee appraiser application.

Before applying for your license, take a moment to read through Idaho’s registered trainee appraiser requirements on page 7 of Idaho’s Real Estate Appraiser Board Rules.

Once you’ve met all of the above requirements, you can apply for your Registered Appraiser Trainee license using this application. There is a $250 application fee.

2

Complete Your Appraiser Education

After becoming an Idaho registered appraiser trainee, it’s time for the next step toward becoming a licensed residential appraiser: 150 total hours of Appraisal Foundation-approved appraiser education. Review the required coursework on page 9 of Idaho’s Real Estate Appraiser Board Rules. (Please Note: You’ve already satisfied 75 of these hours through your Real Estate Appraiser Trainee license – nice work!)

3

Conduct Your Appraisal Work Experience

Once you’ve finished your education, you must conduct and log at least 1,000 hours of actual appraisal experience. Those 1,000 hours must be completed:

  • Under the supervision of a certified appraiser; and

  • Over at least six months.

This means that you must take no less than six months to complete your 1,000 hours of appraisal experience. To put things in perspective, if an apprentice works 40 hours per workweek, they will complete their training in a little over six months. If, however, they put in any fewer than 40 hours per week, it would take longer.

To find a supervisory appraiser, you can search Idaho’s appraiser database to find certified residential and general appraisers who have been approved as supervisory appraisers.

Once you’ve completed your appraiser education and experience requirements, you’ll need to submit proof of completion to the Idaho Real Estate Appraiser Board for verification. Once approved, the board will notify you that you can schedule your licensing exam.

4

Pass the National Uniform Licensing & Certification Examination

After the Idaho Real Estate Appraiser Board approves your education and experience, you can take the National Uniform Licensing & Certification Exam. You will receive a candidate handbook and instructions for contacting the testing company to schedule your exam. The Appraisal Foundation publishes tips on the exam structure that can help you prepare. Here’s an overview:

  • The exam is four hours long. The Licensed Residential Examination can take up to four hours to complete.

  • There are 125 questions on the test. The National Uniform Licensing and Certification exam is composed of 125 total questions. Fifteen of these questions are considered practice, and answering those questions wrong does not negatively affect your score.

  • A score of 75 points is passing. Scores for the National Uniform Licensing and Certification exam range between 0 and 110 points. Each question carries an equal weight of 1 point. To pass, you must earn a minimum of 75 points.

  • You can take the test more than once. The Appraisal Foundation allows you to take the test up to three times.

5

Submit Your Application for Idaho Licensed Residential Appraiser

After passing your exam, it’s time to apply for your license. Generally, candidates can expect this process to take up to a month, but it may vary.

You'll need to complete the application and submit it to the Idaho Real Estate Appraiser Board along with proof of your passing exam score, completed education requirements, and completed experience hours. There is a $300 application fee.

You’ll also need to complete a criminal history record and background check as part of your application. More info on this process can be found here.

Idaho Licensed Residential Appraiser licenses are valid for one year. Continuing Education (CE) must be completed every other year.

Frequently Asked Questions About Real Estate Appraisal

What is the Average Real Estate Appraiser Salary in Idaho?

According to Indeed, the average real estate appraiser salary in Idaho is $54,150.* Of course, this rate varies depending on your city. A great incentive to working toward a higher license is the ability to make more money. The Certified General Appraiser license is the highest appraiser license in Idaho. Appraisers with this certification make an average salary of $104,601 per year.*

* April 2023 Salary Data

 How Much Does It Cost to Become a Licensed Residential Appraiser in Idaho?

Between course tuition and exam and application fees, you can expect to spend at least $2,200 to become a licensed residential appraiser. The cost will vary slightly depending on the education provider and number of attempts at the exam, but here’s a breakdown of the approximate cost:

Average Course Tuition

$1,800 (Residential Appraiser)

Application Fee

$300

Exam Fee

$140 (Estimate based on other comparable state costs)

Total

$2,240

One additional cost to consider occurs during the trainee period. You’ll be conducting 1,000 hours of in-field appraisals to upgrade your license, which means your travel expenses may accumulate. This should be considered when calculating the total approximate cost of obtaining your appraiser license.

 How Long Does It Take to Become a Licensed Residential Appraiser in Idaho?

Becoming a licensed residential appraiser in Idaho takes at least six months. This includes the 1,000 hours of mandatory logged appraisal experience and 150 hours of appraisal education. This table gives you a general idea of how long it will take to complete this process.

Trainee Education Requirements

79 hours

Residential Appraisal Education Requirements

75 hours

Required Appraisal Experience

1,000 hours (in at least 6 months)

Full-Time Pace: (40 hrs/week)

≈ 8-10 months

Part-Time Pace: (20 hrs/week)

≈ 16-18 months

 If I Have an Out-of-State Appraiser License, Can I Appraise Real Estate in Idaho?

Yes, as long as you meet a few requirements:

  • Must be a licensed or certified appraiser in another state or territory and in good standing

  • Must complete and submit Idaho's reciprocal license application and pay the required application fee

  • Must submit a criminal history record, get fingerprinted, and submit to a background check

Idaho reciprocal appraiser licenses or certifications are valid for one year.

Appraiser License Types in Idaho

It’s important to understand how Idaho classifies real estate appraisers across four separate categories, each with their own qualifications for licensure:

  • Registered Appraiser Trainee

  • Licensed Residential Appraiser

  • Certified Residential Appraiser

  • Certified General Appraiser

After receiving your Registered Appraiser Trainee license, you can “upgrade” to any of the subsequent license levels. Today, we’ll be focusing on how to become a licensed residential appraiser. But first, here’s a quick overview of the eligibility requirements for all license levels.

Appraiser Eligibility Highlights

Be at least 18 years old

Submit to a background check, provide fingerprints, and answer criminal history questions

Find extra details here regarding Idaho’s fingerprinting and background check process.

Registered Appraiser Trainee

Idaho requires a pilot program for potential appraisers to begin their path toward becoming fully licensed. Known as a registered appraiser trainee, this first level of licensure is required before you can become fully licensed and start appraising real estate on your own.

Here's a quick overview of everything you’ll need to become a registered appraiser trainee:

Qualifying Education Hours Required

Required Experience Hours Working Under a Certified Appraiser

College Degree Requirement

Exam Requirement

Background Check

75 hours of qualifying appraisal education 4-hour Supervisory/Appraiser Assistant Training Course

None required, though you will need to associate with a Supervisory Appraiser before receiving your trainee license. (You’ll work under your Supervisory Appraiser to earn experience hours after receiving your Trainee license.)

Not required

Not required

Required

Licensed Residential Appraiser

The next level up is a licensed residential appraiser. At this level, you can appraise:

  • Non-complex 1–4-unit residential properties (transaction value < $1,000,000)

  • Complex 1–4-unit residential properties (transaction value < $250,000)

Here’s a quick overview of everything you’ll need to become an Idaho licensed residential appraiser:

Qualifying Education Hours Required

Required Experience Hours Working Under a Certified Appraiser

College Degree Requirement

Exam Requirement

Background Check

150 hours (only 75 hours are required to upgrade after receiving your Trainee license)

1,000 hours in no less than six months

Not required

Must pass exam National Uniform Licensing Examination for Licensed Residential Appraisers

Required

Certified Residential Appraiser

Certified residential appraisers may appraise:

  • 1–4-unit residential properties without regard to value or complexity

Qualifying Education Hours Required

Required Experience Hours Working Under a Certified Appraiser

College Degree Requirement

Exam Requirement

Background Check

200 hours (only 125 hours are required to upgrade after receiving your Trainee license)

1,500 hours in no less than 12 months

Must have completed some college coursework. See Idaho’s five options to meet this requirement on page 10 of Idaho’s Real Estate Appraiser Board Rules.

Must pass National Uniform Licensing Examination for Certified Residential Appraisers

Required

Certified General Appraiser

Certified general appraisers are the highest level of appraiser professionals in Idaho. They can appraise all types of residential or commercial property without regard to value or complexity.

Qualifying Education Hours Required

Required Experience Hours Working Under a Certified Appraiser

College Degree Requirement

Exam Requirement

Background Check

300 hours (only 225 hours are required to upgrade after receiving your Trainee license)

3,000 hours in no less than 18 months

Must have bachelor's degree or higher in any field and from any accredited college or university

Must pass National Uniform Licensing Examination for Certified General Appraisers

Required

Idaho Real Estate Appraiser Continuing Education Requirements

Idaho has a few rules regarding its appraiser CE requirements.

Licensed and certified appraisers must complete 30 hours of CE every other year. This includes the mandatory 7-hour National USPAP update course that must be taken every two years, as required by the AQB.

Questions?