Arkansas
Appraiser Continuing Education Requirements

If you hold an Arkansas appraiser credential, it is important to understand that Arkansas uses different renewal and CE cycles depending on credential type. State-licensed, certified residential, and certified general appraisers renew annually on June 30, but their principal CE cycle is 28 hours over the two-year period ending with the even-numbered-year renewal. State-registered and registered apprentice appraisers renew annually on December 31 and must complete 14 hours each calendar year before renewal.

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Arkansas appraiser regulation is administered by the State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors, part of the Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing. The Board was created in 2023 when the Arkansas Legislature combined the separate licensing boards for appraisers, abstracters, and home inspectors into a single board, which began its work on July 1, 2023.

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What Arkansas licensed and certified appraisers need

Arkansas state-licensed, certified residential, and certified general appraisers must complete a minimum of 28 hours of qualifying or continuing education during the two-year period prior to renewal in an even-numbered year. 17 CAR § 200-205 also states that the class-hour requirement may be fulfilled at any time during the cycle.

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USPAP requirement

Arkansas requires appraisers to successfully complete the 7-Hour National USPAP Update Course, or its AQB-approved equivalent, every two calendar years. 17 CAR § 200-205 also says the 15-Hour National USPAP Course may not be substituted for the 7-hour update course. For appraisers credentialed in more than one jurisdiction, Arkansas follows the AQB standard that they do not need to take more than one 7-hour USPAP Update Course within the same two-calendar-year period to satisfy that AQB requirement.

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Valuation Bias and Fair Housing status

As of this review, the Valuation Bias and Fair Housing Laws and Regulations course is not a current Arkansas CE requirement. Arkansas has an active proposed rulemaking for the appraiser rules. The official public notice states that the proposed changes are intended to comply with Acts 949 and 974 of 2025 and with changes to the Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria adopted by the AQB, and that written comments were accepted through April 20, 2026.

The posted draft rule would add a requirement that appraisers complete a course meeting the Valuation Bias and Fair Housing Laws and Regulations outline every two calendar years. Because that language appears only in a proposed rule, it is not a current Arkansas CE requirement. Arkansas appraisers should treat it as a pending change until the final rule takes effect, and should watch the Board's official Board page for the final implementation notice.

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Important Arkansas deadlines

Arkansas appraiser credentials must be renewed each year or they are placed on expired status. 17 CAR § 200-215 provides that state-licensed, certified residential, and certified general credentials renew on June 30 each year, while state-registered and registered apprentice credentials renew on December 31 each year.

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If a credential holder misses the renewal date, the rule provides that during the first 184 days of expired status, renewal requires the renewal fee, the required completion certificates, and a late fee of $50 per month or partial month elapsed since the renewal date. The rule also states that a credential holder who fails to complete required CE is not eligible to renew.

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Online and distance education

Arkansas permits distance education and expressly recognizes synchronous, asynchronous, and hybrid delivery formats. For asynchronous continuing education, 17 CAR § 200-205 requires that the course include either a proctored written examination or another prescribed mechanism demonstrating knowledge of the subject matter.

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Special note for state-registered and registered apprentice appraisers

For state-registered and registered apprentice appraisers, the current Arkansas rule is different from the licensed and certified cycle. Those credential holders must complete 14 hours of qualifying or continuing education each calendar year prior to renewal, and their annual renewal date is December 31.

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Approved Courses

Arkansas course offerings must be approved by the State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors unless they are accepted through the AQB Course Approval Program, which the Board must accept without additional state approval. The Board's Education page publishes the Arkansas Approved Continuing and Qualifying Education List, which covers all CE and QE courses approved by the Board.

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If you take a course that is not on the approved list, the Board's Education page explains that it may be submitted for individual credit approval on a per-person basis. For an online course, the IDECC certification must be submitted; for an AQB-approved course, the CAP approval certification must be submitted.​​​

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​Stay on track with your Arkansas CE

We offer appraisal education designed to help appraisers satisfy Arkansas continuing education requirements with practical, current instruction and Board-approved course options. The Board's official Education and Forms pages are the best places to confirm currently approved offerings and current renewal logistics.​​

Legal Authority / Compliance References

The current Arkansas CE requirements for appraisers are set out primarily in 17 CAR § 200-205. That section requires the 7-Hour National USPAP Update Course every two calendar years, requires 28 hours during the two-year period prior to renewal in an even-numbered year for state-licensed, certified residential, and certified general appraisers, and requires 14 hours each calendar year for state-registered and registered apprentice appraisers. The same section governs Board approval of course offerings, class-hour definitions, and credit for teaching and other appraisal educational activities.

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The current Arkansas renewal dates are set out in 17 CAR § 200-215, which provides that state-licensed, certified residential, and certified general credentials renew on June 30 each year and state-registered and registered apprentice credentials renew on December 31 each year. The same rule governs electronic renewal, renewal notices, expired-status renewal, and late fees.

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Arkansas also expressly allows distance education, including synchronous, asynchronous, and hybrid delivery, in 17 CAR § 200-205(a)(5), and sets additional requirements for asynchronous continuing education in 17 CAR § 200-205(c)(7).

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The official Arkansas public notice dated in March 2026 confirms that appraiser rule changes are currently proposed, not final, and the publicly posted draft contains the proposed recurring Valuation Bias and Fair Housing Laws and Regulations course requirement.

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State Appraisers Board Contact Information

Arkansas State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors
Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing
Website: Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board
Education page: Education
Forms page: Forms
Board office phone: 501-296-1843

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How to Renew

Arkansas appraisers renew through the Board's electronic renewal process. 17 CAR § 200-215 provides that applicants may renew electronically through a Board-established electronic process, and that credential holders must file a timely and sufficient renewal application by the renewal date each year. An application is deemed filed on the date received by the Board, the date of electronic submission, or, if mailed, the date postmarked — not the date metered.

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The Board's stated policy is to send an electronic renewal notice to the last email address on file at least 60 days before the credential expires. However, the rule expressly provides that neither the Board's failure to send that notice nor the credential holder's failure to receive it excuses the requirement to renew on time and pay the renewal fee.

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Course completion certificates are the credential holder's responsibility. The Board's Education page states that appraisers must upload course completion certificates into their ELP account, and that education providers do not submit completion certificates to the Board office on the appraiser's behalf.

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Pro-Tips for 2026

• Upload your own CE certificates. Arkansas is explicit that education providers do not submit completion certificates to the Board on your behalf — you must upload them into your ELP account yourself.

• Do not rely on the renewal reminder email. Arkansas rule states plainly that failing to receive the Board's notice does not excuse a late renewal or the late fee.

• Non-resident appraisers should confirm their current renewal date. The Board's Forms page states that non-resident appraisers are being converted to an annual June 30 renewal, with 28 hours of CE due every even year, to match the resident appraiser cycle.

• Treat the Valuation Bias and Fair Housing course as coming, not current. It appears in Arkansas's proposed rule but is not yet a requirement. Appraisers credentialed in multiple states may already need it elsewhere, so plan the course on the strictest state's timeline.

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Important Disclaimer

This page is provided for general informational purposes only. Continuing education and renewal requirements can change. Appraisers should verify current requirements directly with the Arkansas State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors.

Last reviewed: April 13, 2026.