What is a licensed personal property appraiser? There is no such thing as a licensed personal property appraiser. Personal property appraisers who market themselves as such are referring to their general business license for their state or geographic locality and this statement should not be construed by potential clients as a reflection on appraising quality by any licensing board (Note: Real estate appraisers are subject to licensing. This discussion applies only to personal property appraisers). Similarly, while a personal property appraiser can achieve a "Certified" level membership status within appraisal professional organizations, there is no such thing as a "Certified Appraiser" as an independent designation for personal property appraisers outside of the context of membership in a professional organization. Achieving "certified" level membership within a professional organization requires years of work and is a mark of distinction but potential clients should check for which organization the "certified" member designation is achieved in to better understand the organization-specific requirements for achieving this level. The International Society of Appraisers and the Appraisers Association of America both have "certified" member designations.
