The Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) are the generally accepted standards for professional appraisal practice in the United States. USPAP contains standards for all types of appraisal services including real property, personal property, business valuation and mass appraisal. The purpose of USPAP is to promote and maintain a high level of public trust in appraisal practice by establishing requirements for appraisers.

• USPAP was originally written in 1986-1987 by an appraisal profession Ad Hoc Committee and was donated to the Foundation in 1987.
• The Financial Institutions Reform Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) of 1989 cites USPAP as the standard to be enforced by state real estate appraiser regulatory agencies.
• USPAP compliance is also required by professional appraiser associations, client groups and by dozens of federal, state and local agencies.
• USPAP is currently updated every two years.
• USPAP is growing in acceptance throughout the world. Many professional associations in North America, South America, Europe and Asia have accepted USPAP as the standard of practice for their membership.

excerpted from The Appraisal Foundation’s brochure “The ASB and USPAP”.  More information on The Appraisal Foundation can be found at www.appraisalfoundaiton.org,