Welcome to the American Society of Appraisers National Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) audio course. ASA and other sponsoring organizations of the Appraisal Foundation have established accreditation requirements for their members relating to understanding of and adherence to the standards set forth by USPAP. ASA also recognizes the pressures you face to meet yet another mandated obligation. This audio course was developed in response to that recognition.

Creating a practical and convenient USPAP course that can be used by appraisers of varying disciplines presented a unique challenge to ASA. We believe we have met that challenge in this course. The lectures, materials and exam have been designed with all appraisal disciplines in mind.

To earn your certificate of completion, study the reference materials and listen to the audio program. When you are prepared to take the exam please follow the detailed instructions included. Your exam will be administered by a proctor who will forward your completed examination, course evaluation and survey form back to the ASA International Headquarters for grading. You will receive your official exam results by mail.

If you have any questions, please call ASA (800) 272-8258 Ext 113 or 123.

We are continually striving to improve our service to you and we welcome your comments and suggestions.

ASA Audio Course (SE100)
National USPAP Uniform Standards
of Professional Appraisal Practice  

The directions for this course are simple. To derive the most benefit, follow the steps below.

Step 1:  Listen to the lectures. Establish a convenient schedule and stop frequently to mentally process what you have heard.  Devote adequate time and attention to the course material.   Take notes as you listen. 

Step 2:  Refer to the student manual and USPAP book as you listen. 

Step 3:  Read and complete the enclosed agreement.  Be sure your proctor meets the qualification criteria.  You must submit the personalized agreement form (that you will receive from National Media Services) and provide adequate notice. 

Step 4:  When you finish the exam, please complete the survey and evaluation form. The information you provide on these forms will be helpful as ASA assesses future needs in education for appraisers. 

Step 5:  Ask your exam proctor to mail the exam, survey and evaluation form to: 

American Society of Appraisers
Attn: Education Specialist
555 Herndon Parkway, Suite 125
Herndon, VA   20170

You will receive a certificate of completion in the mail approximately four weeks after the exam has been successfully completed. Keep it in your professional files.   Your test results will be noted in your ASA education record. 

ASA hopes this audio course provides an enjoyable and practical learning experience.
 

The 15 Hour USPAP Home Study Course consists of: MP3 audio files and Adobe Acrobat PDF files for materials and manuals:

12 Audio Files
USPAP Student Manual
USPAP Book
Instructions

If anything is missing from the package or download, please contact National Media Services, Inc., at (540) 635-4181 or via email immediately. 

Frequently Asked Questions

• What does USPAP stand for?
The Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice which were developed by the Appraisal Standards Board (ASB) of the Appraisal Foundation.

• What is the purpose of USPAP?
USPAP represents the generally accepted and recognized standards of appraisal practice in the United States. 

• Does it apply to all disciplines of appraisal?
Yes. However, only real estate appraisers are subject to licensing and supervision by state agencies.

• How often does USPAP change?
In the past, USPAP was revised twice per year with a new version issued with an effective date of January first.  Effective with the 2008-09 edition, USPAP will be issued on a two-year publication cycle.

 • How long do I have to complete this course?
ASA applicants have ten months from their approval date in which to successfully complete the course.  Candidates must satisfy the USPAP requirement before being approved for accreditation.  Individuals holding an ASA designation may also be required to take USPAP periodically depending upon their discipline.

• What if I fail the exam?
Examinees who fail the 15-hour National USPAP course are allowed to retake the examination twice.  Contact ASA Accreditation Services for details and an application.  The retake fee is $35.00.

Student Information

Steps for Taking the National USPAP Audio Course One-Hour Exam

Step 1:  Complete the independent study portion of the audio course. 

Step 2:  Contact your local ASA chapter representative and inquire about volunteer proctors.  If that is not an option, contact the counseling department of a local high school or college or private testing service and request that a qualified counselor proctor the one-hour examination.  You may also sit for the exam at an ASA open examination location (contact accreditation services for more information and an application).  If you intend to take your exam at a school counselor’s office, be sure to verify the availability of UPS delivery and pick-up service at the location.

Step 3:  The student and proctor decide on a specific date, time and location to take the examination. The student should make sure that he or she knows who the proctor will be, what room to report to, the parking procedure, whether any monetary fee will be charged for proctoring the exam and any other relevant information. 

Step 4:  The student completes, signs and returns the personalized agreement to ASA International Headquarters with the proctor information at least 20 days before taking the exam. 

You may fax the agreement to: 703-742-8471 ATTN: Monica

or via email to: monica@appraisers.org

Note: ASA International Headquarters requires that students give at least 20 days notice to ensure that the proctor receives the examination by UPS Ground delivery before the exam date.  Additional time is allocated to allow for any delivery delays.

Step 5:  The student takes the examination on the date and time scheduled.

 S tep 6:  The examination and the survey and evaluation form are completed and turned in to the proctor to forward to ASA International Headquarters for processing and grading.

Important: If you must change your scheduled exam date, notify the test proctor and ASA immediately so a new testing date can be established. 

Proctor Responsibilities

Steps for Taking the National USPAP Audio Course One-Hour Exam

(This information is provided to the student for information only, it will be included in the materials sent directly to your test proctor.)

Step 1: The proctor is contacted by the student and discusses the student’s request for him or her to proctor the ASA USPAP examination. One hour is allowed for the exam. Please be sure you are eligible to proctor the exam.  The proctor and the examinee may not be employed in the same company, have a professional-client relationship or be related.

FYI: ASAs earn one hour Organizational Participation continuing education credit for serving as a volunteer proctor.

Step 2: The proctor and student select a mutually acceptable date and time for the examination and the proctor informs the student of any fees for proctoring the exam.

Step 3: The proctor provides the student with his or her mailing address and telephone number to forward to ASA International Headquarters.

Step 4:  The proctor receives the examination packet from ASA International Headquarters prior to the scheduled exam date.

Step 5: The proctor inspects the examination packet to ensure it includes all of the required materials: a 50-question objective exam and Scantron®  answer sheet; and evaluation form; a letter of confidentiality; and an ASA-addressed, prepaid envelope.  If anything is missing, please contact ASA immediately at 800-272-8258 Ext. 113.

Step 6:  The proctor reads and signs the letter of confidentiality.

Step 7: The proctor meets the student at the appointed time and place for the examination; proctors the exam; collects all materials, and returns them immediately via UPS with the letter of confidentiality to the ASA Education Department in the addressed, prepaid envelope provided in the exam packet.

Note: Students are responsible for any fee associated with the proctor’s services (including proctoring the exam and parking fees). 

Who Is Approved to Proctor Your USPAP Exam?

The following is a list of categories of persons eligible to proctor your USPAP exam, in order of preference:

• ASA senior members: Any Accredited Senior Appraiser* [Persons holding the Accredited Member (AM) designation are not allowed to serve as proctors]

• Counselors:  Public or private community college, four-year college or university or high school guidance department or testing center.

 •  Counselors:  Independent testing centers

* The proctor and the examinee may not be employed in the same company, have a professional-client relationship or be related.