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How to get your license: Appraisal management companies

Requirements

To qualify for a license, an appraisal management company must:

  • Have a business license with the Business Licensing Service.
  • Appoint 1 person as the designated controlling person.
  • Have the designated controlling person and each owner of 10% or more of the company submit fingerprints for the required background checks. Provide any legal background documents, if needed.
  • Have a $100,000 surety bond.

Before you apply

  1. Get your Unified Business Identifier (UBI) number from the Business Licensing Service.
  2. Complete the Appraisal Management Company $100,000 Surety Bond.
  3. The designated controlling person and each individual owner of 10% or more of the company must submit fingerprints for state and national background checks. Use Idemia's IdentoGO services to submit your fingerprints.
    • Outside Washington:  Email the program: dolbpdamc@dol.wa.gov for directions and we will email them to you.
    • Inside Washington: Go to www.identogo.com to schedule an appointment through Idemia, our electronic fingerprinting vendor. You'll pay IdentoGO for taking your fingerprints and for the background checks required for your license type.
    • For more details, see Fingerprinting and background checks.
  4. Complete the designated controlling person Appraisal Management Company Designated Controlling Person Registration form.
  5. Have each individual owning 10% or more of the company complete an Appraisal Management Company Owner Registration form.
  6. Complete the Supplemental Owner Form listing all owners.
  7. Be ready to answer legal background questions and provide documents, if needed.
  8. Complete the Appraisal Management Company Appraisal Subcommittee National Registry of AMCs Eligibility Registration Form. This form must be included, even if the AMC is not eligible to be on the ASC National Registry.

How to apply for an appraisal management company license

You can apply online or by mail.

Online

Log in or sign up to apply online. Please have the following required documents completed and ready to upload:

By mail

Submit your application by mail:

  • Complete an Appraisal Management Company Application, following the instructions on the form.
  • Include all of the required completed forms listed on the application (including any legal background documents)
  • Include one check or money order for the nonrefundable application fee, and if eligible, the ASC National Registry fee (payable to the Department of Licensing) to:
    Appraisal Management Company Program
    Department of Licensing
    PO Box 3777
    Seattle, WA 98124–3777

Please allow at least 2 weeks for us to review your application once we get it to determine if you're eligible for a license. We cannot issue a license until we get and review all fingerprint background checks. We will let the Designated Controlling Person know if any fingerprints get rejected for poor quality.

How to register as a designated controlling person or owner for an existing appraisal management company

  1. Have the new designated controlling person submit fingerprints for state and national background checks. Use Idemia's IdentoGO services to submit your fingerprints.
    • Outside Washington: Email the program at dolbpdamc@dol.wa.gov for directions and we will email them to you.
    • Inside Washington: Go to www.identogo.com to schedule an appointment through Idemia, our electronic fingerprinting vendor. You'll pay IdentoGO for taking your fingerprints and for the background checks required for your license type.
    • For more details, see Fingerprinting and background checks.
  2. Complete the Appraisal Management Company Designated Controlling Person Registration form.
  3. Submit the completed form:
    • Online
      Log in or sign up to submit online.
    • By mail
      Send completed form to:
      Appraisal Management Company Program
      Department of Licensing
      PO Box 9201
      Seattle, WA 98507–9201

Please allow at least 2 weeks for us to review and process the application. The switch cannot be made until the fingerprint background results have been received and cleared.

Related information

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