The SRA exam is taken by residential appraisers working toward the Senior Residential Appraiser designation from the Appraisal Institute. This page lays out the verified exam format, fees, eligibility and retake rules, then links to free practice sets on valuation, market analysis, cost approach and USPAP, with a study plan built around them.
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions (Residential Comprehensive Exam) | Multiple choice, 50 scored questions (may include unscored items)[1] | Appraisal Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Time limit (Residential Comprehensive Exam) | 4 hours (240 minutes)[1] | Appraisal Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Passing score (Residential Comprehensive Exam) | Fixed passing score (not published, not curved)[1] | Appraisal Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Exam fee (Designation Application) | $100 plus annual dues[2] | Appraisal Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Exam fee (Experience Requirement Application) | $300[2] | Appraisal Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Exam fee (Residential Comprehensive Exam) | $150 per module[1] | Appraisal Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Exam fee (Residential Demonstration Appraisal Report) | $350 (Research Project $350; Thesis/Peer-Reviewed Publication $150; 45-Hour Package varies by offering)[2] | Appraisal Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Retake policy (Residential Comprehensive Exam) | Register again only after results are received; one window at a time[1] | Appraisal Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Validity (Candidacy) | 4 years to complete all SRA requirements[3] | Appraisal Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Renewal | 100 hours of AI continuing education every 5 years[4] | Appraisal Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Delivery (Residential Comprehensive Exam) | Computer-based at Pearson VUE testing centers[1] | Appraisal Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Eligibility | Certified Real Property Appraiser (or a bachelor's degree), Standards (USPAP/IVS), Fair Housing, AI Business Practices and Ethics, Residential Elective, Advanced Residential Applications and Case Studies/Part 1[5] | Appraisal Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Eligibility (Experience requirement) | 3,000 hours of residential experience[5] | Appraisal Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Eligibility (Residential Comprehensive Exam) | Must be a Candidate for Designation who has met the prerequisites[1] | Appraisal Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Score release (Residential Comprehensive Exam) | About 5–10 business days after the window closes[1] | Appraisal Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Registration deadline (Residential Comprehensive Exam) | Day before the window opens (6 weeks ahead recommended)[1] | Appraisal Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Testing window (Residential Comprehensive Exam) | Fixed 30-day testing windows[1] | Appraisal Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
According to Appraisal Institute, “A module may contain more than 50 questions; however, will only be scored on 50.”[1]
The SRA designation is awarded by the Appraisal Institute to residential appraisers. To sit for the exam, you must be a Candidate for Designation who has met the prerequisites. Those include being a Certified Real Property Appraiser (or holding a bachelor's degree), and finishing Standards (USPAP/IVS), Fair Housing, AI Business Practices and Ethics, a Residential Elective, and Advanced Residential Applications and Case Studies/Part 1. You also need 3,000 hours of residential experience. Candidacy runs for 4 years, and that is the time you have to complete all SRA requirements.
The exam is computer-based at Pearson VUE testing centers and is offered only in fixed 30-day testing windows. Module I is multiple choice with 50 scored questions, though a module may include unscored items, and it has a 4-hour (240-minute) time limit. The passing score is fixed, is not published, and is not curved.
The exam fee is $150 per module. Registration closes the day before a window opens, and 6 weeks ahead is recommended. Results are usually available about 5 to 10 business days after the window closes. You cannot register for the same module in overlapping windows, so you register again only after you receive your results.
Other fees include a $100 designation application (plus annual dues) and a $300 experience requirement application. Fees can change each year, so confirm current amounts and dates with the Appraisal Institute before you register.
The content areas below are copied from the official SRA content outline published by Appraisal Institute. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Practice on this site |
|---|---|
| Cost Approach[1] | SRA Cost Approach & Depreciation Analysis Practise estimating site and improvement value and recognising which types of depreciation apply to a given property. |
| Income Capitalization Approach[1] | SRA Property Valuation Principles & Method... Practise choosing the right income method and explaining why a capitalization approach fits or does not fit a property. |
| Land or Site Valuation[1] | SRA Property Valuation Principles & Method... Practise the methods for valuing a site on its own and how they feed into the other approaches. |
| Market Analysis and Highest & Best Use[1] | SRA Market Analysis & Highest & Best Use Practise applying the highest and best use tests in order and reading market conditions to support your conclusion. |
| Market Data[1] | SRA Market Analysis & Highest & Best Use Practise judging which market data is reliable and relevant to the subject property. |
| Nature of Real Estate & Property Analysis[1] | SRA Property Valuation Principles & Method... Practise separating the legal, physical and economic characteristics of a property and what each means for value. |
| Principles of Real Estate Appraisal[1] | SRA Property Valuation Principles & Method... Practise recognising the value principles in short scenarios and explaining how each one affects the answer. |
| Sales Comparison Approach[1] | SRA Property Valuation Principles & Method... Practise selecting comparables, choosing adjustments and reconciling the results into a supported value. |
| Valuation Process[1] | SRA Appraisal Reporting & Documentation Practise ordering the steps of an assignment from problem definition to the final report and documenting each one. |
Prepare for the SRA - Senior Residential Appraiser exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: In Senior Residential Appraiser, what is the MOST effective approach to communication & stakeholder engagement?
Answer: A. Active listening combined with clear, empathetic communication
Explanation:
The correct choice is active listening combined with clear, empathetic communication. It works because communication runs in both directions: you learn what the other party needs and they understand what you are telling them. Providing information without seeking feedback is wrong because you never confirm that anyone understood. Using technical terminology exclusively is wrong because clients and other stakeholders often do not share your vocabulary. Communicating only in writing is wrong because a written record is useful but cannot replace a conversation that clears up confusion as it happens. The general rule: the best communication choice usually checks understanding and adapts to the audience, rather than relying on one channel or one style.
Question: When addressing difficult situations through communication & stakeholder engagement in Senior Residential Appraiser, what strategy is BEST?
Answer: A. Acknowledging concerns, providing clear information, and offering solutions
Explanation:
The best strategy is to acknowledge the concerns, give clear information and offer solutions. Acknowledging shows the other party they have been heard, clear information replaces speculation, and solutions move the matter toward a result. Avoiding the conversation is wrong because problems left alone tend to grow and trust erodes while you wait. Minimizing the issue is wrong because it dismisses a concern that matters to the other person, whatever its size to you. Responding defensively to protect your reputation is wrong because it turns the exchange into an argument and usually damages the reputation you meant to protect. The rule to remember: in a hard conversation, engage early, be honest and work toward a fix.
Question: What is the MOST important skill for effective client relationship management in Senior Residential Appraiser?
Answer: A. Clear communication and the ability to align team efforts with objectives
Explanation:
Clear communication and the ability to align team efforts with objectives is the correct answer. Client relationships depend on everyone knowing what is expected and why, and that comes from clear, consistent communication. Technical expertise alone is wrong because skill that is not explained or shared leaves clients and colleagues unsure of the work. Maintaining strict authority over all decisions is wrong because it shuts out input and weakens cooperation. Avoiding conflict at all costs is wrong because real disagreements go unresolved and surface later in worse forms. The general rule: strong client management pairs technical competence with open communication and shared goals, and it addresses disagreement directly.
Start with the official material. Read the Appraisal Institute candidate guidebook and the SRA designation page so you know the format, the registration rules and the content areas before you practise anything.
Next, work through the valuation sets that match the official content areas: property valuation principles and methodologies, market analysis and highest and best use, cost approach and depreciation, and appraisal reporting and documentation. Take each set once without notes. Then go back through every miss and write down in a sentence why the right option is right and why yours was not. Keep those sentences as a running list of weak spots.
Use the USPAP compliance and ethical standards set alongside your course material, since Standards is part of the prerequisites. Our other sets cover business and people skills, such as client relationships, communication and project management. They are written by us as general practice and do not map to a listed content area, so treat them as extra reading rather than a substitute for the valuation topics.
As your test window approaches, shift to timed sessions on the full practice test so you get used to the pace of the time limit. Return to your weak-spot list each time. Our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions, so use them to find gaps and check them against the official outline.
You must be a Candidate for Designation who has met the required prerequisites. These include being a Certified Real Property Appraiser (or holding a bachelor's degree), finishing the listed courses, and completing 3,000 hours of residential experience. Check the Appraisal Institute designation page for the current list.
It is computer-based at Pearson VUE testing centers, and only during fixed 30-day testing windows. Module I has a 4-hour (240-minute) time limit. It is multiple choice with 50 scored questions, and a module may also include unscored items.
The passing score is fixed for each module, and the exam is not curved. The Appraisal Institute does not publish the number in the guidebook, so we cannot give you one. Rather than aiming at a target score, practise until you can explain every answer.
The exam fee is $150 per module, paid at registration through your AI account. Separate fees apply to the designation application ($100 plus annual dues) and the experience requirement application ($300). Fees are subject to change each year, so check the official fee page.
Results are usually available about 5 to 10 business days after the testing window ends. You cannot register for the same module in multiple windows at once, so you register again only after you receive your results. Confirm the next window dates with the Appraisal Institute.
The Appraisal Institute requires 100 hours of continuing education every 5 years. USPAP/IVS, the Fair Housing course and AI Business Practices and Ethics are included in that total. See the official continuing education overview for current details.
How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.