Section 180. Standards of professional practice

A. The provisions of subsections C through L of this section shall not apply to local, state and federal employees performing in their official capacity.

B. Maintenance of licenses. The board shall not be responsible for the failure of a licensee, registrant, or certificate holder to receive notices, communications and correspondence.

1. Change of address.

a. All licensed real estate appraisers, appraiser trainees, and certified instructors shall at all times keep the board informed in writing of their current home address and shall report any change of address to the board within 30 days of such change.

b. Registered real estate appraisal business entities shall at all times keep the board informed in writing of their current business address and shall report any change of address to the board within 30 days of such change.

2. Change of name.

a. All real estate appraisers, appraiser trainees, and certified instructors shall promptly notify the board in writing and provide appropriate written legal verification of any change of name.

b. Registered real estate appraisal business entities shall promptly notify the board of any change of name or change of business structure in writing. In addition to written notification, corporations shall provide a copy of the Certificate of Amendment from the State Corporation Commission, partnerships shall provide a copy of a certified Partnership Certificate, and other business entities trading under a fictitious name shall provide a copy of the certificate filed with the clerk of the court where business is to be conducted.

3. Upon the change of name or address of the registered agent, associate, or partner, or sole proprietor designated by a real estate appraisal business entity, the business entity shall notify the board in writing of the change within 30 days of such event.

4. No license, certification or registration issued by the board shall be assigned or otherwise transferred.

5. All licensees, certificate holders and registrants shall operate under the name in which the license or registration is issued.

6. All certificates of licensure, registration or certification in any form are the property of the Real Estate Appraiser Board. Upon death of a licensee, dissolution or restructure of a registered business entity, or change of a licensee's, registrant's, or certificate holder's name or address, such licenses, registrations, or certificates must be returned with proper instructions and supplemental material to the board within 30 days of such event.

7. All appraiser licenses issued by the board shall be visibly displayed.

C. Use of signature and electronic transmission of report.

1. The signing of an appraisal report or the transmittal of a report electronically shall indicate that the licensee has exercised complete direction and control over the appraisal. Therefore, no licensee shall sign or electronically transmit an appraisal which has been prepared by an unlicensed person unless such work was performed under the direction and supervision of the licensee in accordance with § 54.1-2011 C of the Code of Virginia.

2. All original appraisal reports shall be signed by the licensed appraiser. For narrative and letter appraisals, the signature and final value conclusion shall appear on the letter of transmittal and certification page. For form appraisals, the signature shall appear on the page designated for the appraiser's signature and final estimate of value. All temporary licensed real estate appraisers shall sign and affix their temporary license to the appraisal report or letter for which they obtained the license to authenticate such report or letter. Appraisal reports may be transmitted electronically. Reports prepared without the use of a seal shall contain the license number of the appraiser.

a. An appraiser may provide market analysis studies or consulting reports, which do not constitute appraisals of market value, provided such reports, studies, or evaluations shall contain a conspicuous statement that such reports, studies, or evaluations are not an appraisal as defined in § 54.1-2009 of the Code of Virginia.

b. Application of the seal and signature or electronic transmission of the report indicates acceptance of responsibility for work shown thereon.

c. The seal shall conform in detail and size to the design illustrated below:

*The number on the seal shall be the 10-digit number or the last six digits, or the last significant digits on the license issued by the board.

D. Development of appraisal. In developing a real property appraisal, all licensees shall comply with the provisions of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) as defined in this chapter or in the prior edition in effect at the time of the reports' preparation. If the required definition of value uses the word "market," licensees must use the definition of market value set forth in USPAP "DEFINITIONS."

E. Appraisal report requirements. In reporting a real property appraisal, a licensee shall meet the requirements of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice as defined in this chapter or in the prior edition in effect at the time of the reports' preparation.

F. Reviewing an appraisal. In performing a review appraisal, a licensee shall comply with the requirements of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice as defined in this chapter or in the prior edition in effect at the time of the reports' preparation. The reviewer's signature and seal shall appear on the certification page of the report.

G. Mass appraisals. In developing and reporting a mass appraisal for ad valorem tax purposes, a licensee shall comply with the requirements of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice as defined in this chapter or in the prior edition in effect at the time of the reports' preparation.

H. Recordkeeping requirements.

1. A licensee shall abide by the Record Keeping Rule as stated in the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice as defined in this chapter or in the prior edition in effect at the time of the reports' preparation.

2. A licensee or registrant of the Real Estate Appraiser Board shall, upon request or demand, promptly produce to the board or any of its agents within 10 working days of the request, any document, book, record, work file or electronic record in a licensee's possession concerning any appraisal which the licensee performed, or for which the licensee is required to maintain records for inspection by the board or its agents. The board or any of its agents may extend such time frame upon a showing of extenuating circumstances prohibiting delivery within such 10-day period.

3. Upon the completion of an assignment, a licensee or registrant shall return to the rightful owner, upon demand, any document or instrument which the licensee possesses.

4. The appraiser trainee shall be entitled to obtain copies of appraisal reports he prepared. The supervising appraiser shall keep copies of appraisal reports for a period of at least five years or at least two years after final disposition of any judicial proceedings in which testimony was given, whichever period expires last.

I. Disclosure requirements. A licensee appraising property in which he, any member of his family, his firm, any member of his firm, or any entity in which he has an ownership interest, has any interest shall disclose, in writing, to any client such interest in the property and his status as a real estate appraiser licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As used in the context of this chapter, "any interest" includes but is not limited to an ownership interest in the property to be appraised or in an adjacent property or involvement in the transaction, such as deciding whether to extend credit to be secured by such property.

J. Competency. A licensee shall abide by the Competency Rule as stated in the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice as defined in this chapter or in the prior edition in effect at the time of the reports' preparation.

K. Scope of work. A licensee shall abide by the Scope of Work Rule as stated in the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice as defined in this chapter or in the prior edition in effect at the time of the reports' preparation.

L. Jurisdictional exception. A licensee shall abide by the Jurisdictional Exception Rule as stated in the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice as defined in this chapter or in the prior edition in effect at the time of the reports' preparation.

M. Prohibited acts.

1. A licensee shall act as a certified general real estate appraiser, certified residential real estate appraiser or licensed residential real estate appraiser in such a manner as to safeguard the interests of the public, and shall not engage in improper, fraudulent, or dishonest conduct.

2. A licensee may not have been convicted, found guilty or pled guilty, regardless of adjudication, in any jurisdiction of the United States of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude or of any felony there being no appeal pending therefrom or the time for appeal having elapsed. Any plea of nolo contendere shall be considered a conviction for the purposes of this subdivision. A certified copy of a final order, decree, or case decision by a court with the lawful authority to issue such order, decree, or case decision shall be admissible as prima facie evidence of such guilt.

3. A licensee shall inform the board in writing within 30 days of pleading guilty or nolo contendere or being convicted or found guilty, regardless of adjudication, of any felony or of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude.

4. A licensee may not have had a license or certification as a real estate appraiser which was suspended, revoked, or surrendered in connection with a disciplinary action or which has been the subject of discipline in any jurisdiction.

5. A licensee shall inform the board in writing within 30 days of the suspension, revocation or surrender of an appraiser license or certification in connection with a disciplinary action in any other jurisdiction, and a licensee shall inform the board in writing within 30 days of any appraiser license or certification which has been the subject of discipline in any jurisdiction.

6. A licensee shall perform all appraisals in accordance with Virginia Fair Housing Law, § 36-96.1 et seq. of the Code of Virginia.

7. A licensee shall respond to an inquiry by the board or its agents, other than requested under subdivision H 2 of this section, within 21 days.

8. A licensee shall not provide false, misleading or incomplete information in the investigation of a complaint filed with the board.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR583-01-03 § 4.3, eff. April 15, 1992; amended, Volume 11, Issue 04, eff. January 1, 1995; Volume 14, Issue 10, eff. March 4, 1998; Volume 19, Issue 18, eff. July 1, 2003; Volume 24, Issue 06, eff. January 1, 2008; Volume 24, Issue 23, eff. September 1, 2008; Volume 31, Issue 20, eff. August 1, 2015.

Statutory Authority

§§ 54.1-201 and 54.1-2013 of the Code of Virginia.