Membership Levels

Membership Levels and Designations

Honorary designation:

Life Member — ISA Life Member

ISA believes that professional advancement and requalification is important to provide the public with members they can trust. Credentialed members must fulfill the requirements for their membership classification by the end of their five-year requalification period or their member category will be lowered to the preceding classification.

Candidate

  1. Must return references with acceptable ratings.
  2. Will be expected to adhere to the ISA Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, if currently appraising. All applicants for ISA Candidate status are required to sign the affidavit section of the ISA Membership application stating that they have read and agree to abide by these requirements.
  3. Pays the stated annual membership dues and receives available discounts on qualified products and ISA events.

Member — ISA

  1. Successfully complete the ISA Core Course or an equivalent course of appraisal study approved by ISA.
  2. Document three or more years of satisfactory market-related experience in the chosen specialty field(s) by submitting resumé.
  3. Write appraisals according to the ISA Appraisal Report Writing Standard and abide by the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct in appraisal dealings. Will be subject to discipline by the Ethics Committee if non-compliant.
  4. Present documentation of successful completion of an USPAP National Course.
  5. May state that he/she is a Member of the International Society of Appraisers; may use the ISA initials followed by "Member of the International Society of Appraisers" under their signature line and on any printed materials with or without the ISA logo.
  6. Fulfill the ISA Requalification requirements for the Member level every five years or the designation will revert to Candidate.
  7. Will receive all member benefits offered by ISA other than those requiring specific education or designation levels he/she does not yet possess.
  8. Will be listed on the ISA searchable database and used for appraisal referrals.

Accredited Member — ISA AM

  1. Satisfy all "Member" level requirements.
  2. Demonstrate essential knowledge in his/her chosen specialty field(s) in one of the following ways:
    1. Present documentation of successful completion of an ISA approved course of study in the specialty field, (e.g.: GG, FGA, college degree in specialty field, certificate of specialty study from a recognized ISA approved continuing education or vocational program, etc.). Or
    2. Successful completion of an existing ISA general survey course with exam in the specialty. Specialty courses include Antiques & Residential Contents Course or Fine Art Course.
      - OR - 
    3. Present specialty expert work product for analysis and approval by an ISA peer group review panel made up of members from the applicable specialty division. Additional information may be requested as deemed appropriate by the review panel. or
    4. Pass an ISA specialty examination in his/her chosen field if one is available.
  3. Present documentation of successful completion of an USPAP National Course.
  4. May use the ISA AM designation on printed materials with the member's name, with or without the ISA logo. Must include ISA AM followed by ISA Accredited Member under their signature line.
  5. Write to the ISA Appraisal Report Writing Standards and abide by the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct in his/her appraisal dealings. Non-compliance will be subject to discipline by the Ethics Committee.
  6. Fulfill the ISA requalification requirements for Accredited Member every five years or the designation will revert back to "Member, ISA".
  7. Will be listed on the ISA searchable database and used for referrals.

Certified Member — ISA CAPP

Apply for CAPP Designation
 

  1. Fulfill all ISA AM requirements.
  2. Submit CAPP application and pay the accompanying fee.
  3. Present documentation of successful completion of an USPAP-National-Course.
  4. Document 500 billable hours doing formal appraisal reports written to ISA Appraisal Report Writing Standards, hours to have been accrued within the past five (5) years.
  5. Complete a certification examination based on application of appraisal theory, principles, methodology, ethics and report writing standards to real-life appraisal scenarios involving the appraisal functions typically encountered by personal property appraisers.
  6. Submit one self-contained and one summary appraisal written for different functions following ISA Designation & Review guidelines. Appraisal functions to be selected from a list provided to CAPP applicant (estate, donation, casualty loss, liquidation, financing, divorce, bankruptcy, etc.)
  7. Submit documentation of required professional development credits.
    1. ISA approved activities that provide substantive enhancement of appraisal skills or specialty knowledge will be accepted for credit.
    2. Guidelines for credits will match those approved for requalification (with the single exception that professional development credit will not be given for billable appraisal hours when earning a CAPP because completed appraisal hours are a separate requirement for achieving a CAPP designation).
  8. Complete CAPP processing within three years from the date of enrollment in the program or CAPP applicant will be dropped and be required to start the process over again from the beginning (pay the fee, take the exam, submit the appraisal reports, etc.)
  9. May use the ISA CAPP designation on printed materials along with his/her name, with or without the ISA logo. Must include ISA CAPP followed by ISA Certified Appraiser of Personal Property under their signature line.
  10. Fulfill the ISA requalification requirements for Certified Member every five years or the ISA CAPP designation will become ISA AM (Accredited Member).
  11. Will be listed on the ISA searchable database and used for referrals.

Honorary designation:

Life Member — ISA Life Member

Life Member is an honorary designation for Accredited or Certified Members who have served ISA and the profession of personal property appraisers.

  1. May be awarded to a limited number of Accredited or Certified Members in good standing who have reached the age of 65 and have maintained membership for a minimum of twenty years.
  2. Submit a letter of application outlining their professional history and reason for requesting the Life Member Classification to the President, ISA Board of Directors.
    1. a. Letter of application should address: ISA Membership, service to ISA, and service to the appraisal profession.
    2. b. Attach current professional resume.
  3. The ISA Board of Directors will review the application and determine eligibility to award the Life Member Classification at their discretion.
  4. May use the ISA Life Member designation on printed materials along with his/her name, with or without the ISA logo. Must include ISA Life Member followed by his/her division specialty.
  5. Must fulfill the ISA Requalification requirements for the Member level every five years.
  6. Will retain all membership benefits and will be listed on the ISA searchable database and used for referrals.
  7. Dues will be one half of regular membership.