The Alabama’s Appraisal Board website is a very good place to begin researching a career in real estate appraisal.  Their website is https://reab.alabama.gov/. 

HERE is a page on the Alabama Appraisal Board’s website that contains very specific instructions on how to become an appraiser in AL. 

You will need to take the following 4 classes to get started. You’ll want to make sure that they are listed as APPROVED on this page HERE. 

  • Basic Appraisal Principles (exam) 
  • Basic Appraisal Procedures (exam) 
  • 15 Hour USPAP (exam) 
  • Supervisor Trainee Course (no exam) 

You can register for the Appraisal Institute’s online versions of these classes HERE. They are in alphabetical  order. You can search for the synchronous and in-person classes HERE. It is recommend to choose the delivery format you want (either online, synchronous or in-person) and then type in the TITLE and click search. 

After completing the classes and passing the exams (for the first 3 classes listed above),  you can begin logging your experience hours under an appraiser that is an approved  mentor in the State of Alabama. There is a lot of information about Mentors HERE. You can search for a qualified mentor HERE. As you work under the mentor and get the  experience hours you need, (2500 hours for residential & 3000 hours for commercial),  you will also need to be working on more advanced education to go along with the  experience requirement.  

Just make sure that any classes you take are APPROVED IN ALABAMA. You  always want to check that the course title and the provider (The Appraisal Institute  or one of our competitors) and the delivery method (online, synchronous or in person) are approved or the state will not count them toward your license  and you’ll have to retake. 

The Appraisal Institute offers all of the classes you will need. You have the option of taking  these in-person, online, or synchronously, as long as they are APPROVED in AL.

HERE is a helpful page on the Appraisal Institute’s National website that is helpful to those who are just starting out.

Thanks for your interest in the Appraisal Institute.  We hope this is helpful to you as you embark on your career as an appraiser.