264 CMR, § 6.02 - Mandatory License Identification

(1) Every holder of a license or certificate issued by the Board, including persons holding temporary and trainee licenses, shall place his or her certificate or license number adjacent to or immediately below the title of the license held by the individual when used in an appraisal report, a contract or other appraisal instrument, as mandated by M.G.L. c. 112, § 186. The titles to be used by licensed real estate appraisers shall be written in the following manner:

(a) Massachusetts Certified General Real Estate Appraisal #_________or MA C.G.R.E. Appraiser #________or MA CGREA #___________or MACG #_____________;

(b) Massachusetts Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser #______or MA C.R.R.E. Appraiser #________or MA CGREA #___________or MACR #_____________;

(c) Massachusetts Licensed Real Estate Appraiser #______or MA L.A.R.E. Appraiser #________or MA SLREA #___________or MASL #_____________;

(d) Massachusetts Trainee Licensed Real Estate Appraiser #______or MA Trainee R.E. Appraiser #________or MA TRREA #___________;

(e) Massachusetts Temporary Real Estate Appraiser, Level (CG, CR, LA), #______or MA Temp. R.E. Appraiser, Level (CG, CR, LA), #_________ or MA TEMPCG #___________or MA TEMPCR #_____________; or MA TEMPLA #___________;

(2) "State" may be used in place of "Massachusetts" or "MA".

(3) Signatures.

(a) An electronic or digitized signature shall be protected by a personal identification number or other such mechanism that ensures the use of the signature is always under the personal and sole control of the appraiser.

(b) An appraiser must take reasonable steps to prevent unauthorized access to his or her electronic or digitized signature or any signature of any media such as a signature stamp

(c) An appraiser may not affix a signature of another appraiser to any Appraisal Report or document in connection with an Appraisal Assignment without specific authorization in accordance with 264 CMR 6.02(3)(f).

(d) When a signature is provided in an electronic, digitized or other media format on an Appraisal Report or on any document in connection with an Appraisal Assignment it shall be presumed to have been affixed by the signing appraiser. Any action arising from the Appraisal Assignment shall be pursued by the Board against the appraiser whose signature appears on the report and certification.

(e) Failing to maintain sole personal control of an electronic or digitized signature or provided in or in any other media format, shall be grounds for discipline by the Board.

(f) An appraiser may authorize another to sign or affix his or her signature to an Appraisal Report and certification or any other document in connection with an Appraisal Assignment when:

1. the person placing the signature is clearly identified by name in the report.

2. the Appraisal Report contains language in the certification or in another prominent place in the report, that states the appraiser did not personally sign the report or affix the signature and authorized another person, specifically cited by name, to do so;

3. the appraiser has given written authorization specific to the assignment to the individual signing for the appraiser;

4. the written authorization is included in the workfile and made available to the client; and

5. such an authorization is allowed by the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.

(g) When an appraiser authorizes another to affix his or her signature to an Appraisal Report and certification, the appraiser granting such authority is fully responsible for all elements of the certification, the assignment results, and for the contents of the appraisal report.

Notes

264 CMR, § 6.02

Amended by Mass Register Issue 1323, eff. 10/7/2016.