How to Start an Appraisal Business in Mississippi: Appraiser Licensing and AMC Registration

If you want to start an appraisal business in Mississippi, the first thing to understand is that you may need two separate approvals. The first is your personal appraiser license, issued by the Mississippi Real Estate Appraisal Board (the Board). That is the statutory name under Miss. Code 73-34, and it is the name you will see on most forms, though you will also hear it called the Mississippi Appraisal Board. The second is a business-side registration: if you plan to manage appraisers or order appraisals for lenders, you may need to register an appraisal management company (AMC) with the same Board. Your business entity with the Secretary of State and your city privilege license sit on top of both.

This guide puts the steps in the order that works for most new appraisers. This is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Entity choice, tax treatment, insurance, and whether your business model triggers AMC registration are decisions to make with a qualified attorney or CPA. Where we do not have a confirmed figure, we say so and tell you which agency to confirm it with rather than guessing.

What You Need Before You Start

Gather these items before you file anything. Missing one of them is the most common reason a first application stalls.

• A decision on which role you are pursuing: appraiser only, or appraiser plus AMC.
• Transcripts or certificates for your qualifying education, plus records of any supervised experience. The Board applies AQB criteria, so check the current requirements with the Board before you assume your coursework counts.
• Your qualifying course certificate if you are applying as a trainee or upgrading. The qualifying course is 8 hours and includes a test.
• A working email address. Continuing education certificates are sent to the Board by email.
• A physical Mississippi street address for your registered office, plus a registered agent who meets the state rules.
• A business name you have checked on the Secretary of State's business search.
• A budget that covers the fees in the cost table below, plus any surety bond premium if you pursue AMC registration.

Step 1: Choose Your License Level

The Board licenses four levels: trainee, licensed, certified residential, and certified general. Your level decides what you can appraise and whether you can work alone.

1. Trainee is the entry point. A trainee works under the supervision of a certified appraiser and cannot sign an appraisal independently.
2. Licensed is the next step up. Confirm the scope of this level with the Board, since it is generally limited to certain property types and transaction values.
3. Certified residential generally covers residential property, typically one to four units.
4. Certified general is the highest level and covers all property types, including complex commercial work.

Most new firms start as a trainee or licensed appraiser, then upgrade as they build experience and education. Picking the right starting level saves you a second application later. Ask the Board which level matches the work you plan to take in your first year.

Step 2: Meet the Education and Experience Requirements

Every level requires qualifying education and, for the upper levels, supervised experience. Both are measured against AQB criteria, and the AQB criteria change over time. Do not rely on an old checklist from a forum or a training provider. Confirm the current hours, experience logs, and exam requirements with the Board before you enroll in anything expensive.

Upper levels also require passing the national examination. Schedule it only after your education is confirmed, because a passing exam does not help if your education does not meet the Board's requirements.

Step 3: Complete the Qualifying Course

Trainees and appraisers upgrading to a new level need the 8-hour qualifying course, and it ends with a test. Choose a provider that the Board recognizes, and keep the completion certificate with your application records. Ask the provider in writing whether the course is approved for Mississippi, because a course that is approved in another state may not count here.

Step 4: Find a Supervisor If You Start as a Trainee

A trainee needs a certified appraiser to supervise the work. The supervisor is responsible for the trainee's appraisals, so choose someone whose work you respect and whose schedule allows real review time. Keep a written log of every assignment, the supervisor's review, and the hours logged.

Ask the Board for the current supervisor requirements and the experience log format before you sign any supervision arrangement. A supervisor who does not meet the Board's criteria can put your experience hours at risk.

Step 5: Submit Your Appraiser Application to the Board

Download the current application packet from the Board's website. Fill out every field, attach your supporting documents, and submit the application through the method the Board specifies. Incomplete applications are the most common cause of delays, so check each page before you send it.

Application and exam fees are set by the Board and by the testing provider. This guide does not state those figures because we do not have a confirmed amount for them. Check the current fee schedule with the Board before you budget for them.

Step 6: Form Your Business Entity

Mississippi does not issue a general business license. Registering your company with the Secretary of State is a registration, not a license. Most small appraisal firms form a limited liability company (LLC), and the process is straightforward:

1. Check the name. The name must contain the words limited liability company or the abbreviation L.L.C. or LLC. It must be distinguishable on the Secretary of State's records from other registered entities and from any reserved name. You can reserve a name for 180 days for a $25 fee.
2. File the Certificate of Formation (Form F0100). The filing fee is $50. File it through the Secretary of State's online portal at corp.sos.ms.gov. Online filings paid for at submission are usually approved immediately, and filings that need staff review are normally returned filed within 24 hours.
3. Name a registered agent. Your registered agent must be a Mississippi resident individual or an entity authorized to do business in Mississippi, with a physical Mississippi street address. A commercial agent must file a listing statement with the Secretary of State for $100 and must accept or decline the appointment within 14 days. A noncommercial agent does not register with the state, but you must have their permission before you list them.
4. Calendar the annual report. The LLC annual report (Form F0108) has no fee, but it is required. It is due April 15 each year and must be filed online. It can be filed on or after January 1. Missing it can lead to administrative dissolution.

If you form a corporation instead, the Articles of Incorporation (Form F0001) carry a $50 filing fee, and the corporate annual report (Form F0008) is $25, due April 15 for profit corporations. Corporate tax rules are different from LLC tax rules, so compare the two with your CPA. An LLC taxed as a partnership does not pay the corporate franchise tax, while an LLC that elects corporate taxation does.

Step 7: Register a Fictitious Name If You Need One

If you will operate under a name other than your LLC's legal name, such as a trade name for your appraisal service, you need a fictitious (assumed) business name registration. This is filed with the Secretary of State, not the county. The Fictitious Business Name Registration (Form F0070) costs $25. Search the Secretary of State's business records before you commit to a name, and do not start marketing under a name you have not registered.

Step 8: Get Your City Privilege License

Mississippi has no single statewide business license, so the local layer matters. Every city, town, and village issues its own privilege license under Miss. Code 27-17. Counties license only businesses located outside municipalities. In practice, if your office is inside city limits, the city is the agency to call. If you work from a home office in unincorporated territory, ask the county whether it requires a license.

Privilege license fees vary by city, and the fee schedule can change, so we do not list them here. Call the city clerk or the business licensing office and ask for the current fee, the renewal date, and whether a home-based appraiser must register.

Step 9: Register Your Tax Accounts

Get a federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS before you open a business bank account or hire anyone. The EIN is free. Then register with the Mississippi Department of Revenue for any tax account that applies to you.

A sales tax permit is a tax registration, not a license, and there is no fee for it. It applies to businesses making retail sales. Whether any part of your appraisal work or related products is taxable is a question for your CPA. If a sale is taxable, the Mississippi state sales tax rate is 7%, and there is no county add-on. Cities add their own levies only in Jackson and Tupelo, so check the city where you operate.

If you hire employees or trainees, Mississippi has no state minimum wage law, so federal wage rules govern pay. Confirm your payroll obligations with your CPA.

Step 10: Register an AMC If You Will Manage Appraisers

An appraisal management company manages appraisers and orders appraisals, often for lenders. If your model does that work, you may need AMC registration with the Board. Confirm whether your model triggers the requirement before you pay for a surety bond.

The Board's AMC application packet sets out the requirements. For registration, the Board's published terms include:

• A $1,500 registration fee.
• A $20,000 surety bond on the Board's form. The bond runs for one year and is renewed annually. The bond premium is charged by the surety company, so get a quote early and ask what the premium will be each year.
• A Designated Officer who is a controlling person of the company. Choose this person carefully, because the Board's application treats the role as a real responsibility, not a title on a form.

Do not hire appraisers or sign lender contracts until your AMC registration is in place, and confirm the current packet with the Board before you submit.

Step 11: Keep Your Continuing Education and Renewals Current

Renewal is where many appraisers lose their license. Starting January 1, 2026, renewing appraisers must complete the 7-hour National Valuation Bias and Fair Housing Laws and Regulations course. Upgrades and trainees follow the 8-hour qualifying course with a test, as described in Step 3.

Keep every continuing education certificate. The Board receives certificates by email, so confirm that the Board has the correct email address on file and that your certificates arrive. Check the renewal date with the Board and set a reminder 90 days before it.

Costs at a Glance

The table below lists the costs confirmed so far. Where a figure is not confirmed, the table tells you where to confirm it.

Item	Amount	Paid to	Notes
LLC Certificate of Formation (Form F0100)	$50	Secretary of State	Filed online at corp.sos.ms.gov
LLC annual report (Form F0108)	$0	Secretary of State	Due April 15 each year
Name reservation	$25	Secretary of State	Holds the name for 180 days
Fictitious business name (Form F0070)	$25	Secretary of State	Only if you use a name other than the LLC name
Commercial registered agent listing	$100	Secretary of State	Only if you use a commercial agent
AMC registration fee	$1,500	Board	Only if you manage appraisers
AMC surety bond	$20,000 bond amount	Surety company	One year, renewed annually; premium varies, get a quote
Appraiser application and exam fees	Confirm with the Board	Board and testing provider	Not stated here
Qualifying course	Confirm with the provider	Course provider	8 hours with a test
City privilege license	Confirm with the city	City	Varies by city; county applies only outside municipalities

What Results to Expect

Once your appraiser license is issued, you may be able to accept assignments within the scope of your level. A licensed appraiser who works under a strong supervisor, keeps clean records, and renews on time is in a better position to build a steady client base. Timelines vary with the Board's processing schedule, your education progress, and your local market, so plan for a longer runway than you expect. Nothing in this guide guarantees a license date, a client count, or income. Treat the steps as a way to reduce avoidable delays, not as a promise of results.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming an AMC registration is required without checking. Confirm your business model with the Board first. Registering when you do not need to wastes the $1,500 fee and the bond premium.
• Working as a trainee without a qualified supervisor. Experience hours without proper supervision may not count toward your upgrade.
• Using an outdated education checklist. AQB criteria change. Confirm current requirements with the Board before you enroll.
• Filing a fictitious name with the county. The fictitious business name registration is filed with the Secretary of State.
• Assuming a county license covers city work. If your office is inside city limits, the city issues the privilege license.
• Missing the April 15 annual report. The report has no fee, but failure to file can lead to administrative dissolution.
• Skipping the 2026 renewal course. Renewing appraisers need the 7-hour National Valuation Bias and Fair Housing Laws and Regulations course starting January 1, 2026.
• Naming an unqualified Designated Officer. The Designated Officer must be a controlling person of the AMC.

Practical Tips

• Start with the Board, then form the entity. Your license decisions, including whether you need AMC registration, can change the structure you choose.
• Build one compliance calendar. Put April 15, the license renewal date, the continuing education deadline, and the bond renewal date on the same calendar, with reminders 90 days out.
• Get the bond quote early. The premium is set by the surety company, and it can take time to compare quotes and underwriting requirements.
• Keep your records in one place. Store education certificates, supervision logs, filing receipts, and Board correspondence together. Several agencies may ask for the same documents.
• Use free advising. The Mississippi Small Business Development Center Network has 19 locations statewide and can help with planning. Visit mississippisbdc.org.
• Verify your entity name before you order signage. Search the Secretary of State business search to confirm availability and status.

Putting It Together

A sensible order for most new appraisal businesses is: confirm your license level and education with the Board, complete the qualifying course if needed, secure a supervisor if you are a trainee, submit your application, form your LLC, register any fictitious name, obtain your city privilege license, register your tax accounts, and apply for AMC registration only if your model requires it. Keep your renewal and annual report dates on one calendar from the first day.

For the official forms and current fees, go to the Mississippi Secretary of State Business Services page for entity filings and the Mississippi Department of Revenue site for tax registrations. For appraiser licensing, AMC registration, and continuing education, contact the Mississippi Real Estate Appraisal Board directly.

Disclaimer: This article is informational content about Mississippi business formation and appraiser licensing. It is not legal, tax, or professional licensing advice. Requirements, fees, and deadlines change, so confirm each one with the agency before you act. For complex situations, including entity structure, tax treatment, and AMC obligations, consult a qualified attorney or CPA.