All Roll Calls
Yes: 338 • No: 21
KentuckyHB 3552026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET
AN ACT relating to real property appraisers.
Sponsored By: Shawn McPherson (Republican)
Became Law
Boards And CommissionsLicensingOccupations And ProfessionsPropertyReal EstateState Agencies
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
18 provisions identified: 8 benefits, 7 costs, 3 mixed.
Qualified reviewers required for appraiser investigations
Board complaint investigators and appraisal reviewers must be state-certified appraisers with at least 10 years of experience. Their credentials must equal or exceed those of the appraiser being reviewed. They must also have experience appraising the type of property involved. Appraisers can challenge investigations or reviews that fail the credential or property-experience requirements.
Transportation Cabinet pays employee appraisal costs
The Transportation Cabinet pays specified costs for employees whose job descriptions include real property appraisals requiring certification. Covered costs include initial applications, exams, continuing education, and two-year renewals. The law does not state the amounts.
More representation options for property-tax appeals
Property owners can pay tax consultants, Kentucky real estate brokers, or Kentucky sales associates to represent them in assessment disputes. This covers conferences with property valuation administrators and hearings before county assessment appeal boards. Representatives must present the owner's written authorization stating their professional role. The law removes the stated exception from disclosing terms of covered contingency-fee arrangements. When the county attorney cannot represent the state and county, that attorney or the fiscal court must arrange a substitute.
Small appraisal companies get registration exemption
Appraisal management companies contracting for fewer than 10 Kentucky appraisals in a calendar year are exempt from state registration requirements. This exemption does not apply when state or federal law separately requires registration. Listed exemptions also cover governments, chartered financial institutions, and real estate licensees acting within their agency roles. They also cover employee-appraisal businesses, individual appraisers contracting for workload or skill needs, and federally regulated appraisal management companies.
Stronger oversight from Kentucky's appraiser board
The appraiser board must investigate every alleged violation received through its complaint process and take appropriate action. It can also discipline licensed or certified appraisers for violating KRS 324A.100. State and local prosecutors must help when asked, and the board can refer violations for civil or criminal proceedings. Current board members keep their existing terms, with successors appointed as those terms end. The Governor must appoint two additional members within one year after the law takes effect.
Insurance adjusters exempt from appraisal rules
Kentucky's real property appraiser chapter does not cover licensed staff or independent adjusters when they settle insurance claims. Other insurance company representatives settling claims are also excluded. This exemption does not establish different claim payments or eligibility.
Banks retain authority to conduct appraisals
Banks, bankers, and Farm Credit System institutions can provide appraisals and appraisal reviews in their normal business. Kentucky's real property appraiser chapter does not prohibit this work. The exception applies only when it does not conflict with federal law.
Some valuation work stays outside appraisal rules
People licensed under another Kentucky law can keep doing work that their license authorizes. The real property appraiser chapter does not govern appraisals of personal property. Examples include furniture, livestock, vehicles, and jewelry.
Appraisers cannot negotiate property insurance claims
Real property appraisers cannot negotiate, or advertise to negotiate, insurance claims involving real property on behalf of insured people. They can still defend their appraisal reports and the reports' accuracy. This limits the claim-negotiation help insured people can get from an appraiser.
Board advice receives limited legal protection
The law bars legal actions arising from best-practices management advice given to licensed or certified appraisers. The protection covers advice from the board or its authorized agents. It does not extend to other board conduct or other kinds of advice.
Less time to file appraiser complaints
Most board complaints must be filed within one year after the appraisal report or review assignment is sent. This replaces the former five-year period. The law also removes the alternative deadline tied to the end of a court case. Complaints involving actions listed in KRS 324A.050(1)(c), (d), (g), and (k) remain outside this deadline.
Shorter deadlines for appraisal legal claims
Damages claims against Kentucky-licensed or certified appraisers and appraisal management companies generally have a one-year filing deadline. That deadline starts when the appraisal report is completed and sent to the client. Fraud or knowing and intentional misrepresentation claims have five years. Discriminatory housing practice claims have one year after the practice, or the time allowed by federal law. A separate professional-services rule gives one year from the act or when it was, or reasonably should have been, discovered. That rule covers both contract claims and claims for other civil wrongs against licensed or certified appraisers.
Limited appraiser entry after access refusal
A certified appraiser chosen by a permittee or operator can enter property to estimate likely damage, including lost use. This requires an abatement notice or order, no existing legal right of entry, and refused access by the owner or occupant. The rule covers violations other than imminent health or safety danger or significant imminent environmental harm. Entry is limited to making the damage appraisal.
Appraiser fees lose fixed dollar limits
The board sets application, exam, license, and service fees by regulation, replacing former statutory dollar caps. Fees cannot exceed what is needed to carry out and enforce the appraiser law; license and certificate fees cover two years. Reinstatement within six months after renewal requires compliance with renewal rules and a board-set late fee. The law removes that late fee's former $200 maximum. The board also sets fees for each license-status change, replacing the former $50 amount; new fee amounts are not stated.
Tighter checks for appraisal management companies
The board can deny, suspend, revoke, refuse renewal of, or restrict company registrations because of specified offenses within the past 10 years. These include mortgage-lending or appraisal misdemeanors and offenses involving breach of trust, fraud, or dishonest dealing. Covered people include applicants, registrants, owners with at least 10%, and specified company leaders or controlling persons. Companies applying for or holding registration must certify that they have a system to periodically review every appraiser working for them. Reviews must check reports against minimum reporting requirements in the latest Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.
Appraiser education rules include return flexibility
Appraisers renew every two years and must complete at least 28 continuing education hours per period. The latest available professional standards update is due within six months, or immediately when available if unavailable then. A second update released during that period can count toward the next period. Appraisers inactive for at least two years must show completion of the required two-year hours before returning. Those inactive for less than two years can show half the hours and finish the rest within six months.
Appraisers can offer clearly labeled evaluations
Licensed or certified appraisers can give financial institutions market-value evaluations when federal law does not require an appraisal. Evaluations must follow federal interagency appraisal and evaluation guidelines. Appraisers cannot identify their licensed or certified status in the evaluation. The first page must state that the evaluation is not subject to the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.
Licenses required for real property appraisals
Unlicensed people cannot use “real property appraiser,” “real estate appraiser,” “real property damage appraiser,” or “appraiser” for real property or federally related transactions. Kentucky appraisal work, reviews, consulting assignments, and usual appraiser duties generally require a board license or certification. Exceptions cover professional assistance, mass tax appraisals, court-directed appraisals, and specified Transportation Cabinet employees. The Cabinet exception excludes jobs that require appraiser certification. The appraiser definition also covers qualifying unpaid work by licensed people that meets minimum professional appraisal standards.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Shawn McPherson
Republican • House
Cosponsors
George Brown Jr.
Democrat • House
Michael Sarge Pollock
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 4/14/2026
passed
Yes: 79 • No: 15
Senate vote • 4/14/2026
passed
Yes: 30 • No: 6
House vote • 3/31/2026
passed
Yes: 96 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/20/2026
3rd reading, passed
Yes: 37 • No: 0
House vote • 2/25/2026
3rd reading, passed
Yes: 96 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 172)
4/14/2026enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
4/14/2026Houseenrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
4/14/2026Housereceived in House
4/14/2026Housepassed 30-6
4/14/2026Senateveto overridden
4/14/2026Senateposted for passage for consideration of Governor's veto
4/14/2026to Rules (S)
4/14/2026Senatereceived in Senate
4/14/2026Senatepassed 79-15
4/14/2026Houseveto overridden
4/14/2026Houseposted for consideration of Governor's veto
4/14/2026taken from Rules
4/14/2026Houseto Rules (H)
4/14/2026Housereceived in House
4/14/2026HouseVetoed
4/10/2026delivered to Governor
3/31/2026enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
3/31/2026Houseenrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
3/31/2026Housepassed 96-0
3/31/2026HouseHouse concurred in Committee Substitute (1)
3/31/2026Houseposted for passage for concurrence in Senate Committee Substitute (1)
3/27/2026Senateto Rules (H)
3/20/2026Housereceived in House
3/20/2026House3rd reading, passed 37-0 with Committee Substitute (1)
3/20/2026Senate
Bill Text
Current
4/14/2026
Introduced
12/19/2025
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