Home appraisers: state licenses and the ASC National Registry

In short

An appraiser gives your lender a written opinion of what the home is worth. Appraisers are licensed or certified by the states under a federal framework, Title XI of FIRREA, overseen by the Appraisal Subcommittee (ASC), which keeps a National Registry of appraisers you can search yourself by state and name. Federal rules also protect the appraiser's independence.

What an appraiser does

The CFPB defines an appraisal as "a written document that shows an opinion of how much a property is worth". The lender relies on it to decide how much it will lend; it is not an inspection of the home's condition. For a first-lien home loan, the lender must give you a copy, as explained in home appraisal cost and how it works.

Who regulates appraisers

The states issue the credentials (licensed, certified residential, certified general) and report every issuance, renewal and disciplinary action "to the national registry of the Appraisal Subcommittee" (12 U.S.C. § 3338). The ASC says it provides "federal oversight of State Appraiser and AMC regulatory programs" and maintains national registries of appraisers and of appraisal management companies (AMCs), the firms many lenders use to order appraisals. For federally related transactions of $1,000,000 or more, the law requires a state certified appraiser (12 U.S.C. § 3342).

Federal rules also shield the value from pressure: no one involved in the loan may cause the value "to be based on any factor other than the independent judgment" of the appraiser (Regulation Z, 12 CFR § 1026.42(c)).

How to check an appraiser yourself

The appraisal report names the appraiser and their state credential. Search them on the ASC Appraiser Registry: the quick search takes the credentialing state, the certificate type and the first and last name. You can also use the state board's own search, linked from each state page below. Payotte links to these searches; it does not check appraisers for you and does not copy the registry.

Where a license is required

Of the 50 states in Payotte's data, 46 require a state license; 4 offer only a voluntary certification.

Voluntary certification only: Massachusetts, Missouri, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.

Read from each state's statute and regulator pages (last reading October 14, 2026). A state with no license may still protect a title or license a related activity: the state page gives the detail and its sources.

What it costs

No federal source gives a typical fee for conventional or FHA appraisals. The one official fee table is the VA's, $650 to $1,500 for a single-family home depending on county (effective May 1, 2026), detailed in home appraisal cost and how it works.

Appraisers in each state

Related guides

Home appraisal cost · Home inspection cost · FHA loans · All six professions

Questions

How do I check if an appraiser is licensed?

Search the appraiser's name and state on the ASC Appraiser Registry (asc.gov/appraiser), the national registry kept by the Appraisal Subcommittee from the states' reports, or on the state board's search linked from each state page.

Who licenses home appraisers?

The states, under the federal framework of Title XI of FIRREA. Each state reports issuances, renewals and discipline to the Appraisal Subcommittee's national registry (12 U.S.C. § 3338).

Can my lender or agent pressure the appraiser?

No. Regulation Z bars anyone involved in the loan from causing the value to be based on anything other than the appraiser's independent judgment (12 CFR § 1026.42(c)).