USPAP Certification 2025

uspap appraisal

USPAP 2025 is the generally accepted set of standards for real property, mass appraisal, personal property and business valuation. It is published by the Appraisal Foundation.

It requires that appraisers be aware of and correctly employ recognized methods necessary to produce credible assignments. This includes awareness of transformations in real estate, innovative marketing techniques and societal change.

Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice

The appraisal profession has long recognized the need for high quality, straightforward, principles-based valuation standards. As a result, in keeping with its historic role as leader of the valuation profession and developer of appraisal standards, the Appraisal Institute developed USPAP (Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice).

USPAP is a set of rules, regulations and practices that appraisers must adhere to when developing and communicating an opinion of value on real estate or personal property. It is a widely accepted code of ethics and performance standards for the appraisal profession in North America and is enforced by state real estate appraiser licensing and certification agencies, professional appraisal organizations and client groups. It is also cited in federal statutes and the Financial Institutions Reform Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA).

NCUA’s appraisal regulation requires that all credit unions ensure that appraisals supporting mortgage finance transactions and other credit transactions with the agency comply with USPAP. To assist in this effort, the enclosed 2006 USPAP and Scope of Work document provides specific information regarding recent changes to the 2006 version of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.

USPAP 2025

The Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) provides appraisers with the fundamentals needed to produce credible assignments. USPAP is governed by the Appraisal Foundation and is published every two years. USPAP is designed to promote and maintain a high degree of public trust in the appraisal profession. Appraisers are required to follow USPAP and other Federal and State laws, including the Truth in Lending Act – 129E and the Mortgage Loan Originator Disclosure Rule.

ISA’s new 7-Hour 2025-2025 National USPAP Update Course includes the latest edition of the USPAP Student Manual and the USPAP Reference Guide. This course is designed for PERSONAL PROPERTY appraisers, and it fulfills the 7-Hour USPAP requirement as established by the Appraiser Qualifications Board of The Appraisal Foundation.

The course also discusses current issues affecting the appraisal profession, such as the impact of bias on personal property appraisers and the importance of maintaining credibility in the real estate appraisal industry. 100% attendance is required to receive a certificate for state certification/licensing and state continuing education credit.

uspap 2025

USPAP Real Estate

USPAP Real Estate is a set of standards that governs the development and reporting of real property appraisals in the United States. It includes ten Standards and 32 Advisory Opinions. AVSO appraisers must adhere to USPAP and are expected to be aware of transformations in real estate, new construction techniques, innovative marketing strategies, and changes to the legal framework within which real property is conveyed and financed. Failure to be aware of these factors could result in a substantial error of commission or omission.

USPAP is published by the Appraisal Foundation, a non-profit corporation charged with promulgating appraisal standards. The foundation’s mission is to promote a high level of public trust in the appraisal profession and its analyses, opinions, and conclusions. This goal drives the definitions, rules and standards in USPAP. It is also a factor that the Board of Trustees considers when making changes to the document. USPAP is required by dozens of state real estate appraiser licensing boards and is the standard of practice for many professional appraisal organizations throughout the world.

USPAP Course

USPAP is a collection of rules and standards appraisers must follow. It includes definitions, real property development and reporting, mass appraisal, and personal property valuation standards as well as ethics rules and record keeping requirements. It also provides guidance in the form of Advisory Opinions and other helpful information.

uspap certification

Many state and local appraisal regulatory bodies require USPAP compliance. In addition, appraisal clients, lenders and other users of appraisals rely on the USPAP guidelines to ensure that appraisal reports are thorough, clear and accurate.

Whether you’re a trainee or a fully-credentialed appraiser, you need to know about USPAP and how it applies to your work. This course covers the latest edition of USPAP and helps you understand its application in your practice. It also offers tips for avoiding common errors and pitfalls in your reports. You’ll learn how to apply the USPAP rules and standards to any type of assignment. You’ll also learn how to identify violations of USPAP and how to resolve them.

USPAP Ethics Rule

USPAP contains a strong and enforceable independence requirement, which requires appraisers to perform assignments with impartiality, objectivity, and independence. Moreover, it prohibits advocacy appraisals. It also contains a number of advisory opinions that deal with various real-life situations and how to resolve them.

In a new assignment, an appraiser must disclose any services he or she has provided regarding the subject property within three years. This includes all services, including lending, property management, and general contracting. However, the appraiser must be careful not to disclose confidential information from a previous assignment in a new one.

The USPAP Ethics Rule is a set of requirements that appraisers must follow to protect the public’s trust. It includes five different sections, which are primarily concerned with the appraiser’s independence and integrity. These rules are important to ensuring that appraisals meet the highest standards of professionalism. They are also critical to bolstering investor confidence in the appraisal industry. Moreover, they are critical to the integrity of the financial system as a whole. This is why ASA supports efforts to bolster investor confidence in the USPAP.

uspap real estate

Appraisal USPAP

USPAP is a set of national Standards that apply to most appraisals. It has been developed by the Appraisal Foundation, a non-governmental entity charged with promulgating appraisal standards, and is recognized by state governments and professional appraiser organizations. It is also a requirement for obtaining a license to practice as an appraiser in most states.

The elegant definition of an appraisal has been eroded by two decades of compromise. Even the authors of USPAP, the Appraisal Standards Board (ASB) of the Appraisal Foundation, have hobbled it with a FAQ that magically parses an opinion of value from tools, estimates and calculations.

USPAP includes 10 Standards, ten Rules of Practice and a number of Advisory Opinions. The ASB seeks comments and questions from appraisers, clients, users of appraisal services, and regulators and considers these when making changes to the Standards and Rules. The ASB’s charge is to promote and maintain a high level of public trust in the discipline of appraising real property. This focus guides and influences the definitions, rules, standards, and statements in USPAP.

USPAP 2025-23 PDF

For those who appraise personal property, this 15-hour USPAP course provides an in-depth review of the recognized standards governing professional appraisal practice. The course uses lecture, discussion and real-world examples to familiarize students with the Appraisal Foundation’s USPAP requirements.

This year, the 7-Hour USPAP Update Course is a bit different than usual. Rather than focusing on changes in the current edition of USPAP, this course will discuss issues that impact the profession and the credibility of appraisers. This includes a candid discussion of bias, which is an issue that affects the largest group of appraisers covered by USPAP.

This year, the course also introduces an innovative new publication from The Appraisal Foundation, the USPAP Reference Manual. The Reference Manual is designed to help appraisers quickly find answers to questions they encounter in their day-to-day appraisal practice. It has a number of helpful features, including advisory opinions organized by topic and frequently asked questions (FAQs). The Reference Manual will be included with the class materials for this course. The ISA course fee covers the cost of the book.

USPAP Scope of Work Rule

Wayne Miller, chair of the Appraisal Standards Board and John Brenan, vice president, Appraisal Issues at The Appraisal Foundation discuss how the new 2020-21 USPAP balances appraiser flexibility with a minimum set of quality standards for appraisal, appraisal review and appraisal consulting assignments. They also explain how the Scope of Work Rule is a clear re-emphasis on the analysis process and a change from conforming reporting to labels such as Complete, Limited, Binding and Specific Requirements.

The scope of work rule and the Competency Rule both require that an appraiser be competent to perform their assignment in a way that is credible for its intended use. This includes having the ability to identify the assignment problem and determine the scope of work necessary to develop credible assignment results. It also requires that the scope of work and all significant research be disclosed in the report. This information could include the type of research and the extent to which it was assisted by experts or outside sources. This information can help clients determine if an appraiser is competent to complete their assignment.

USPAP Questions and Answers

The Appraisal Foundation’s Appraisal Standards Board (ASB) publishes USPAP, the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (TAF). After the savings and loan crisis, Congress passed USPAP in 1989 to provide ethical and procedural requirements for appraisers. The current edition is for 2016–2017. Appraisers must follow the 395-page document’s requirements. Standards 7 and 8 concern personal property appraising. The Ethics, Record Keeping, Competency, and Scope of Work Rules are among USPAP’s essential Rules that govern appraisers’ professional conduct. The Appraisal Standards Board (ASB) of The Appraisal Foundation produces, interprets, and updates USPAP on behalf of appraisers and users of appraisal services, according to USPAP.

Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).

The Appraisal Standards Board (ASB) has the last say on any changes to the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP). The ASB is an independent body established by The Appraisal Foundation, the recognized authority in the United States for establishing appraisal standards. ASB is responsible for establishing, interpreting, and modifying USPAP to assure appraiser compliance with ethical and professional standards. Before being enacted, any proposed amendments to USPAP must undergo a public exposure procedure and gain final approval by the ASB.

The Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Work (USPAP) is comprised of ten standards that give appraisers guidance on ethical and professional criteria for their appraisal practice. The 10 USPAP standards consist of:

  • Standard 1: Real Property Appraisal: This standard describes the standards for real property appraisal assignments. It describes the appraiser’s responsibilities, work scope, and reporting requirements.
  • Standard 2. This criterion applies to valuations of personal property, including artwork, antiques, collectibles, and other tangible items. It specifies criteria for executing assignments involving the valuation of personal property.
  • Standard 3: Review and Management of Evaluations: This standard addresses the examination and verification of other appraisers’ work. It specifies the scope of the review process and the standards for reporting.
  • Standard 4. This standard addresses the value of several properties for a mass appraisal assignment. It gives recommendations on mass appraisal-specific processes, strategies, and reporting requirements.
  • Standard 5. This criterion applies to the evaluation of businesses and business interests. It discusses the roles of the appraiser, the valuation processes and methods employed, and the reporting requirements for business appraisal assignments.
  • Standard 6: Appraisal Consulting: This standard relates to consulting engagements that give expert appraisal advice and views. It describes the requirements for completing appraisal consulting assignments as well as the appraiser’s responsibilities.
  • Standard 7: Appraisal of Personal Property—Development: This standard focuses on the creation of appraisal reports for personal property. It gives guidance on the required information, the analysis method, and the reporting requirements unique to the establishment of personal property appraisals.
  • Standard 8: Appraisal of Personal Property—Reporting: This standard addresses the reporting requirements for assignments involving the assessment of personal property. It describes the content, format, and dissemination of appraisal reports for personal property.
  • Standard 9: Enterprise Evaluation—Development: This standard relates to the creation of business evaluation reports. It gives direction on the essential information, analysis methods, and reporting requirements unique to the formulation of business appraisals.
  • Standard 10: Enterprise Evaluation—Reporting: This standard focuses on the requirements for reporting business evaluation assignments. It describes the content, format, and delivery of business evaluation reports.

The Appraisal Foundation’s Appraisal Standards Board (ASB) is independent.

Advisory opinions produced under the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice provide additional guidance and interpretation on certain topics (USPAP). They are intended to clarify unclear areas, solve developing challenges, and provide further assistance in applying USPAP principles and standards. Advisory opinions aid appraisers in understanding their obligations and responsibilities, promote uniformity in the interpretation and application of USPAP, and preserve the relevance and credibility of the standards in an appraisal industry that is constantly evolving. Advisory opinions are authoritative interpretations that aid appraisers, clients, and regulatory bodies in evaluating compliance with the standards, although not part of the USPAP standards themselves.

An appraiser performing a desktop appraisal is entirely USPAP compliant under certain circumstances. Giving pictures is not a great assessment help. The appraiser has no ethical duty to reveal the photographer’s identity or the degree of his or her help.

The Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) are designed to uphold professionalism, integrity, and uniformity in the appraisal industry. Through the promotion of objective and trustworthy appraisal services, it seeks to safeguard the public interest. The USPAP establishes ethical norms, emphasizes the necessity for appraisers to prove their expertise through training and experience, and offers uniform appraisal standards for reliable and consistent valuation reports. Maintaining public confidence, upholding ethical behavior, establishing professional competency, standardizing assessment procedures, and holding appraisers responsible for their work are the ultimate goals.

USPAP does not need any sort of property inspection. The scope of a property inspection is determined by the client’s requirements as described in the job scope and the assignment conditions.

The 15-Hour National USPAP Course (or its equivalent) is required for real estate appraisers to get a state license. Once licensed, all real estate appraisers must take the 7-Hour National USPAP Update Course (or its equivalent) once every two calendar years.

The Appraisal Standards Board (ASB), an independent board of the Appraisal Foundation, is responsible for creating and revising the professional appraisal standards used in every state and territory in the United States.

Standard 5 – Applies to any mass evaluations of real or personal property, irrespective of their purpose or intended use. 56 The exceptions regarding reporting and jurisdiction that apply to public mass appraisals prepared for ad valorem taxation do not apply to mass appraisals prepared for other reasons.

A broker’s valuation of a short sale made for a lender.

In the United States, state real estate appraiser regulating agencies, known as Appraisal Regulatory Authorities (ARAs), are largely responsible for enforcing the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP). These agencies supervise the licensing, certification, and regulation of real estate appraisers in their respective states.

The major appraisal organizations in North America have embraced USPAP, which was developed and granted copyright protection in 1987 by The Appraisal Foundation, a private, not-for-profit corporation.

USPAP appraisals are completed in line with The Appraisal Foundation’s Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP). They involve a methodical process of acquiring pertinent information, assessing data, applying proper valuation procedures, and arriving at a well-supported judgment. Adherence to USPAP guarantees the appraisal is conducted professionally and satisfies industry standards for precision, dependability, and honesty.