Licensed, certified residential and certified general: what separates them

How many appraiser credential levels are there?

There are three federally recognized levels: State Licensed, State Certified Residential, and State Certified General. The Appraisal Subcommittee lists these three, and it notes that the differences are the exam, the hours of education and experience, and the scope of practice each one allows.

Many states also offer a trainee level. It is an entry point for people gaining experience under a supervisor, but it is not federally recognized, and a trainee does not appraise independently for federally related transactions.

The minimums for all of these come from the Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria, set by the Appraiser Qualifications Board of The Appraisal Foundation. States can require more, never less.

What can a Licensed Residential appraiser appraise?

A Licensed Residential appraiser works on one to four unit residential property, within value limits. The Appraisal Foundation's Real Property Appraisal page (checked September 2026) gives those limits as a transaction value under $1,000,000 for non complex homes and under $400,000 for complex ones.

Not every state still offers this level. The same page says it is available in many states, though a few have phased it out.

What does a Certified Residential appraiser add?

A Certified Residential appraiser can appraise one to four unit residential property without regard to value or complexity. That covers the unusual house, the high value house, and the small multifamily building that falls outside the licensed limits.

The credential also asks more of the person holding it: more qualifying education, more experience over a longer period, and a college level requirement that can be met in several ways.

What is a Certified General appraiser allowed to do?

A Certified General appraiser can appraise all types of real property. That includes offices, retail, industrial buildings, farms, vacant land and larger apartment buildings, as well as houses.

It is the most demanding credential to earn. Part of the required experience has to come from nonresidential work, and a bachelor's degree is required.

How do the requirements compare side by side?

These are the national minimums as listed on The Appraisal Foundation's Real Property Appraisal page, checked September 2026. Your state may set higher ones.

Each level ends with its own version of the National Uniform Licensing and Certification Examination. For the full route in, see how someone becomes an appraiser.

Which credential matters to a homeowner?

For a typical house, any of the three can be the right fit, as long as the appraiser's scope covers the property. What usually decides it is the lender or loan program. Fannie Mae's Selling Guide, for example, requires lenders to use appraisers who are state licensed or state certified, with the credential active on the report's effective date, and who know the local market and property type.

If you want to confirm which level an appraiser holds, you can look them up on the national registry. When you are ready to order an appraisal, you can also work with a certified appraiser through Pocket Appraisal, a national residential appraisal service.