The Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB) of The Appraisal Foundation sets the criteria for the National Real Estate Appraiser License (State Certified General) examination. This test assesses broad competencies in real property appraisal across 10 subject domains. Candidates encounter 125 multiple-choice questions over a 360-minute session. Core subjects include the income approach, market analysis, Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP), and sales comparison methodology.
Candidates seeking state certification as general real property appraisers should take this exam. Applicants must fulfill qualifying education and experience requirements established by the Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB) and state appraiser regulatory agencies prior to sitting for the examination.
Focus study efforts on high-weight domains such as Income approach (19.0%), Real estate market (18.0%), and USPAP (17.0%). Review the Exam Content Outlines published by the Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB). Practice quantitative valuation scenarios and familiarise yourself with permissible financial calculators, including bringing the manufacturer manual to verify cleared memory for the 360-minute session.
This domain accounts for 18.0% of the exam content. It focuses on economic principles influencing real estate, market analysis, land utilization, and factors affecting supply and demand across commercial and residential property sectors.
This section represents 11.0% of the examination. It addresses legal descriptions, property characteristics, architectural types, site inspectable traits, and improvement features necessary to characterize real estate assets correctly for professional appraisal reporting.
Comprising 4.0% of the exam, this topic covers methods used to estimate land value independently of improvements. Candidates analyze land valuation techniques, highest and best use considerations, and site-specific value influences for various property types.
Making up 14.0% of the exam, this domain covers comparative market adjustments, selecting comparable properties, unit of comparison analysis, and deriving value conclusions through market observation and price adjustments for real estate assets.
Representing 11.0% of the test, this domain examines cost estimation techniques, replacement and reproduction cost calculations, land valuation integration, and accrued depreciation measurement, including physical, functional, and external obsolescence for property valuation.
Accounting for 19.0% of the exam, this section covers income capitalization techniques, gross rent multipliers, direct capitalization, discounted cash flow concepts, operating statement analysis, and yield capitalization applied to real property valuation.
Weighed at 1.0% of the test content, this topic covers evaluating value indicators from different valuation approaches, weighing reliability of data, and arriving at a single final value conclusion for the subject property.
Constituting 17.0% of the examination, this domain covers compliance with professional standards, ethical rules, competency requirements, reporting standards, scope of work rules, and record keeping obligations defined by USPAP for all appraisers.
Accounting for 3.0% of the exam, this domain addresses evolving valuation practices, technological tools in property assessment, modern data sources, and non-traditional valuation techniques entering contemporary appraisal workflows and professional industry standards.
Representing 3.0% of the total score, this section covers basic quantitative methods, measures of central tendency, regression concepts, standard deviation, and statistical analysis applied to property valuation data and market research findings.
Bring an approved financial calculator along with its official instruction manual so test proctors can verify cleared memory. Candidates receive 360 minutes to complete the exam. Manage time carefully to address all 125 questions during the session.
The test contains 125 total questions. These questions are designed to assess your professional competency across all required domains of the real estate appraisal industry as defined by the board.
Candidates must achieve a passing score of 75 to pass the examination. State appraiser regulatory agencies administer the test and report final qualification decisions based on the established AQB criteria.
Candidates are permitted a total duration of 360 minutes to complete the examination. Test administration is coordinated through state appraiser regulatory agencies and their contracted test vendors to ensure proper security.
Yes, candidates must bring their own financial calculator. Alpha-programmable models are prohibited except for the HP-12C. You must also present the calculator instruction manual so proctors can verify memory reset procedures.
Verified 2026-09-14
This overview was compiled using official Appraisal Foundation documentation, AQB criteria guidelines, and state licensing administration details to reflect examination structure, duration, passing requirements, and domain allocations accurately for all candidates.