The Florida Senate

475.612  Certification or licensure required.--

(1)  A person may not use the title "certified real estate appraiser," "licensed real estate appraiser," or "registered real estate appraiser," or any abbreviation or words to that effect, or issue an appraisal report in connection with any federally related transaction, unless such person is certified, licensed, or registered by the department pursuant to this section. However, the work upon which an appraisal report is based may be performed by a person who is not a certified, licensed, or registered appraiser if the report is approved and signed by a certified or licensed appraiser.

(2)  This section does not preclude a broker, salesperson, or broker-salesperson who is not a certified, licensed, or registered real estate appraiser from appraising real estate for compensation. Such persons may continue to provide appraisals and appraisal services for compensation so long as they do not represent themselves as certified or licensed under this section.

(3)  This section shall not apply to a real estate broker or salesperson who, in the ordinary course of business, performs a comparative market analysis and/or gives an opinion of the value of real estate. However, in no event may this opinion be referred to or construed as an appraisal.

(4)  This section shall not prevent any state court or administrative law judge from certifying as an expert witness in any legal or administrative proceeding an appraiser who is not certified, licensed, or registered; nor shall it prevent any appraiser from testifying, with respect to the results of an appraisal.

(5)  This section shall not apply to any full-time graduate student who is enrolled in a degree program in appraising at a college or university in this state, if the student is acting under the direct supervision of a certified or licensed appraiser or licensed broker and is engaged only in appraisal activities related to the approved degree program. Any appraisal report by the student must be issued in the name of the supervising individual.

(6)  This section shall not apply to any employee of a local, state, or federal agency who performs appraisal services within the scope of her or his employment. However, this exemption shall not apply where any local, state, or federal agency requires an employee to be registered, licensed, or certified to perform appraisal services.

History.--ss. 9, 11, ch. 91-89; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 224, ch. 96-410; s. 1119, ch. 97-103.