How to Become an FHA Appraiser

Apply for Placement on the FHA Appraiser Roster

Only appraisers who meet the eligibility criteria listed below may apply. An eligible appraiser must:

• Be a state-licensed or state-certified appraiser with credentials based on the minimum licensing/certification criteria issued by the Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB) of the Appraisal Foundation, and
• Not be listed on the General Services Administration's Suspension and Debarment List, HUD's Limited Denial of Participation (LDP) List, or HUD's Credit Alert Interactive Voice Response System (CAIVRS).
  

New Procedures for Applying for Placement on the FHA Appraiser Roster:

• On May 5, 2008 FHA launched an online appraiser application process that will replace the existing paper applications.
• Appraisers who have already submitted paper applications do not need to reapply online.
• Make an application. Go to: http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/appr/apr_rost.cfm

I've already made application but haven't been placed on the Roster yet.

• Over the next several weeks processing times of paper applications that have already been submitted will be expedited.
• Appraisers who are approved for placement on the roster will not receive formal notification but can determine status by periodically checking the online roster status page.
• For ineligible/denied applications that have already been submitted to FHA, the applicant will be notified and provided the reason for the denial.
  

I have questions about the application process.

If you have questions about the application process, please call 202-402-2041 and leave a message stating your name, phone number and a brief message with your question. Calls are answered in the order in which they are received.

I'm On the Roster, Now What?

Congratulations! Once you have been listed on the roster, you may begin to conduct appraisals for FHA insured loans, but before you do, there are a few things you should know.

FHA Roster Appraisers must have in-depth knowledge of and remain up to date on policies and procedures for conducting FHA appraisals. Here are a few things you can do to assure you comply with FHA requirements:

• Review all policies and procedures in FHA's guidance and policy documents, which include handbooks, mortgagee letters, federal register notices and the Code of Federal Regulations. It is important to understand that policies and procedures in older handbooks are often updated and/or superceded by mortgagee letters or federal register notices. Be sure to always read the most recent guidance.
• Attend a training session. Members of FHA's Homeownership Centers (HOCs) and field staff throughout the country conduct training sessions for appraisers on an ongoing basis. Get the latest information on policies, procedures and training events by registering for the Single Family Housing Homeownership Reference Guide and signing up on the Single Family email list at
  http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/ref/hsgrcont.cfm.
• Know where to call for help. All technical questions pertaining to appraisal policies and procedures are answered by Homeownership Center and/or field office staff throughout the country. To find the most appropriate person to assist you, contact the FHA Resource Center at 1-800-CALL-FHA or 1-800-225-5342 and request assistance from the HOC that has jurisdiction over the state in which you do business.
  

Update Your Information via the FHA Connection

In addition to technical know-how, as an FHA Roster Appraiser, you have certain administrative responsibilities including keeping your personal and business information up to date via the FHA Connection.

To apply for an FHAC User ID:

• Go to the FHA Connection at: https://entp.hud.gov/clas/index.cfm
• Click on "Registering a New User"
• Click on the "Appraiser Registration" link
• Fill out the Appraiser Registration page and click "send"
  

To update contact information once you have an FHAC User ID:

• Go to the FHA Connection at: https://entp.hud.gov/clas/index.cfm
• Click on "Signon"
• Enter your FHAC User ID and password
• Select “Appraiser Roster” from the ID Maintenance screen
• Change contact information as needed and click “Send”

Roster Appraiser Renewal and License Update Procedures

Appraisers with expired licenses risk being removed from the Roster and must follow the steps below to assure continuous retention on the Roster:

• Upon receipt of state license or certification renewal, appraisers should verify that the FHA Appraiser Roster reflects the updated license or certification information.
• If the certification/license renewal number or expiration date are
  updated on the Roster, it is not necessary for the appraiser to submit a photocopy of the valid State appraiser's license or certification renewal information to HUD.
• If the most recent certification/license renewal number or expiration date differs from that on the Roster, the appraiser must submit a photocopy of the current license or certification, with credentials based on the minimum criteria issued by the AQB, to HUD via facsimile at 202-401-0416, or regular mail to:

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Office of Single Family Housing
451 7th Street, S.W., Room 9270
Attn: Appraisal Branch
Washington, DC 20410

Due to a recent audit by HUD's Office of the Inspector General (OIG), FHA must ensure that the license or certification number listed on the FHA Appraiser Roster matches exactly with the number posted on the National Registry of the Appraisal Subcommittee (ASC). Appraisers may visit ASC's web page at http://www.asc.gov/ to compare their state issued license or certification number with that posted on the National Registry. Although FHA has not yet implemented this policy of exactly matching the appraiser's state issued license or certification number, as renewals come in our processors have begun to match the numbers exactly with that posted on the National Registry to assure timely renewals in the future.

How Renewals and Updates are Processed

Renewal and Update requests are reviewed and processed in the order in which they are received. After a renewal or update request is received, HUD, reviewers will:

• Verify eligibility by running checks on the Appraisal Subcommittee (ASC) website, the General Services Administration's Suspension and Debarment List, HUD's Limited Denial of Participation (LDP) List, and HUD's Credit Alert Interactive Voice Response System (CAIVRS);
• For approved renewals, enter data into HUD's Computerized Homes Underwriting System (CHUMS) which enables the appraiser to remain the roster or for updates, add the updated information;
• For ineligible/denied renewals, remove the appraiser from the Roster.
  

Requests for renewals or updates are generally processed within ten business days after receipt by FHA, however, because the reporting times from states to the ASC vary, and information on the ASC website must be used by FHA to validate appraisers' license information, delays in renewal or updates occasionally occur. In an effort to mitigate the effect caused by delays in state reporting,

FHA does provide for a 30-day grace period. Appraisers who are concerned about delays in updates on the Roster should do the following:

Check your status on the ASC website http://www.asc.gov

• If the ASC website does not contain your current license or certification information, contact your state appraiser regulatory agency to determine when they plan to send the updated information to ASC.
• Renewals cannot be processed until the state sends the updated information.
• If the ASC website does show your renewed license or certification, but the FHA Appraiser Roster does not, you may call the FHA Appraiser Roster line at (202) 402-2041. Messages on this line are answered in the order in which they are received.