KO Appraisal
Guide

What is an MAI appraiser?

MAI stands for Member, Appraisal Institute: a designation awarded to commercial real estate appraisers who complete the Institute’s education, experience, and examination requirements. It is held by a small fraction of appraisers nationwide, and it is not the same thing as a state licence.

Designation and licence are different things

A state licence is what legally permits someone to appraise. In California that is issued by the Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers, with Certified General the highest classification. All property types, no value limit.

A designation is a professional credential from a membership body, earned on top of the licence. The MAI requires substantial coursework, a demonstration of experience in commercial valuation, and comprehensive examinations. Every MAI holds a licence; very few licensees hold an MAI.

Why anyone cares

In practice the designation matters most where the report will be challenged. Lenders often require or prefer MAI-prepared appraisals on significant commercial assets. In litigation, opposing counsel will examine the appraiser’s qualifications before they examine the analysis, and designations bear directly on whether the court accepts the witness as an expert.

SRA, and what it adds

SRA is the Appraisal Institute’s residential designation. An appraiser holding both MAI and SRA is credentialed across both sides of the practice, which matters for assignments that straddle them, such as an estate containing a family home and an apartment building, or a mixed-use property.

The MAI is not a licence, and licences do not cross state lines

This trips up a lot of people, so it is worth being precise. The MAI is a membership designation from a professional body. It confers no legal authority to appraise anything, anywhere. The licence does that, and appraiser licences are issued by individual states. There is no national appraisal licence.

The federal bodies people cite do not license appraisers either. Under Title XI of FIRREA, the Appraiser Qualifications Board sets minimum education, experience, and examination criteria that every state must meet or exceed, and the Appraisal Subcommittee oversees the state agencies and maintains the National Registry. But the credential itself comes from a state agency. In California, the Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers.

The practical consequence: to appraise a property in California, an appraiser needs a California credential. An appraiser licensed elsewhere can obtain a temporary practice permit for a specific assignment. That mechanism is federally mandated so it exists in every state, but it is per-assignment, not a standing right to practise here.

Common questions

Do I need an MAI appraiser?
Not always. For many assignments a Certified General appraiser is entirely sufficient. It matters most where a lender requires it, where the value will be challenged, or where the appraiser may testify.
Can an out-of-state appraiser appraise my California property?
Not on an out-of-state licence alone. Appraiser licensing is state-specific, so California work requires a California credential, or a temporary practice permit issued by the Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers for that particular assignment. If someone offers to appraise California property on the strength of a licence from elsewhere, ask which of the two they are relying on.
How can I verify an appraiser's credentials?
California licences can be checked with the Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers, and appraisers nationwide appear on the ASC National Registry maintained by the Appraisal Subcommittee. Designations can be verified with the Appraisal Institute directly. Verify rather than take anyone's word, including ours.
Does an MAI cost more?
Fees reflect the assignment, not the letters. Where the designation is required or where the report must withstand challenge, it is generally the cheaper outcome.
Who wrote this Kevin O'Brien, MAI, SRA. California Certified General Real Estate Appraiser #3005065, issued by the California Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers (BREA). Practicing in San Diego. This page reflects how these assignments are actually handled, not a summary of other people's summaries.
Where this applies Appraiser licensing is state-specific, there is no national appraisal licence, so appraisal engagements here are California properties, primarily San Diego County. The valuation methodology and the federal tax rules described above apply anywhere in the United States; if your property is in another state, you need an appraiser credentialed there, and this page should still tell you what to ask them for.

Related reading

Next step

Tell me about the property.

Most assignments start with a short call, property type, the purpose of the appraisal, and the deadline you are working against. You get a fixed quote before any engagement, never contingent on the value reached.

Typical commercial fees range $2,000–$4,000. Residential and simpler assignments quote lower. Every engagement is quoted in advance, so the figure is known before work begins.

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