Title XI of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) of 1989 requires all state licensed and certified appraisers to successfully pass an examination administered by a state or territory that is issued or endorsed by the Appraiser Qualifications Board (AQB) of The Appraisal Foundation. As a result, in 2008 the AQB launched the National Uniform Licensing and Certification Examinations.
Exams are required in every state for the Licensed Residential, Certified Residential and Certified General license levels. There are a few states that also require an exam at the trainee level. Check your state regulatory information to determine if you are required to take an exam for a trainee license.