SB3235 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 18759 AAS 32202 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB3235

Introduced 2/2/2026, by Sen. Bill Cunningham

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

225 ILCS 458/1-10
225 ILCS 458/5-5

Amends the Real Estate Appraiser Licensing Act of 2002. Provides that it is unlawful for a person to act as a data collector without a license issued under the Act. Provides that "data collector" means a person who is hired by an appraisal management company or mortgage lender to inspect and collect data and pictures of a specific tract of real estate for the appraisal management company or mortgage lender with the intent of the data and information, which will be provided to an appraiser for the sole basis of preparation of an appraisal, to support a mortgage on the real estate.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Real Estate Appraiser Licensing Act of 2002 is amended by changing Sections 1-10 and 5-5 as follows:

(225 ILCS 458/1-10)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2027)

Sec. 1-10. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:

"Accredited college or university, junior college, or community college" means a college or university, junior college, or community college that is approved or accredited by the Board of Higher Education, a regional or national accreditation association, or by an accrediting agency that is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education.

"Address of record" means the designated street address, which may not be a post office box, recorded by the Department in the applicant's or licensee's application file or license file as maintained by the Department.

"Applicant" means a person who applies to the Department for a license under this Act.

"Appraisal" means (noun) the act or process of developing an opinion of value; an opinion of value (adjective) of or pertaining to appraising and related functions, such as appraisal practice or appraisal services.

"Appraisal assignment" means a valuation service provided pursuant to an agreement between an appraiser and a client.

"Appraisal firm" means an appraisal entity that is 100% owned and controlled by a person or persons licensed in Illinois as a certified general real estate appraiser or a certified residential real estate appraiser. "Appraisal firm" does not include an appraisal management company.

"Appraisal management company" means any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, sole proprietorship, subsidiary, unit, or other business entity that directly or indirectly: (1) provides appraisal management services to creditors or secondary mortgage market participants, including affiliates; (2) provides appraisal management services in connection with valuing the consumer's principal dwelling as security for a consumer credit transaction (including consumer credit transactions incorporated into securitizations); and (3) any appraisal management company that, within a given 12-month period, oversees an appraiser panel of 16 or more State-certified appraisers in Illinois or 25 or more State-certified or State-licensed appraisers in 2 or more jurisdictions. "Appraisal management company" includes a hybrid entity.

"Appraisal practice" means valuation services performed by an individual acting as an appraiser, including, but not limited to, appraisal or appraisal review.

"Appraisal qualification board (AQB)" means the independent board of the Appraisal Foundation, which, under the provisions of Title XI of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989, establishes the minimum education, experience, and examination requirements for real property appraisers to obtain a state certification or license.

"Appraisal report" means any communication, written or oral, of an appraisal or appraisal review that is transmitted to a client upon completion of an assignment.

"Appraisal review" means the act or process of developing and communicating an opinion about the quality of another appraiser's work that was performed as part of an appraisal, appraisal review, or appraisal assignment.

"Appraisal Subcommittee" means the Appraisal Subcommittee of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council as established by Title XI.

"Appraiser" means a person who performs real estate or real property appraisals competently and in a manner that is independent, impartial, and objective.

"Appraiser panel" means a network, list, or roster of licensed or certified appraisers approved by the appraisal management company or by the end-user client to perform appraisals as independent contractors for the appraisal management company. "Appraiser panel" includes both appraisers accepted by an appraisal management company for consideration for future appraisal assignments and appraisers engaged by an appraisal management company to perform one or more appraisals. For the purposes of determining the size of an appraiser panel, only independent contractors of hybrid entities shall be counted towards the appraiser panel.

"Associate real estate trainee appraiser" means an entry-level appraiser who holds a license of this classification under this Act with restrictions as to the scope of practice in accordance with this Act.

"Automated valuation model" means an automated system that is used to derive a property value through the use of available property records and various analytic methodologies such as comparable sales prices, home characteristics, and price changes.

"Board" means the Real Estate Appraisal Administration and Disciplinary Board.

"Broker price opinion" means an estimate or analysis of the probable selling price of a particular interest in real estate, which may provide a varying level of detail about the property's condition, market, and neighborhood and information on comparable sales. The activities of a real estate broker or managing broker engaging in the ordinary course of business as a broker, as defined in this Section, shall not be considered a broker price opinion if no compensation is paid to the broker or managing broker, other than compensation based upon the sale or rental of real estate.

"Classroom hour" means 50 minutes of instruction out of each 60-minute segment of coursework.

"Client" means the party or parties who engage an appraiser by employment or contract in a specific appraisal assignment.

"Comparative market analysis" is an analysis or opinion regarding pricing, marketing, or financial aspects relating to a specified interest or interests in real estate that may be based upon an analysis of comparative market data, the expertise of the real estate broker or managing broker, and such other factors as the broker or managing broker may deem appropriate in developing or preparing such analysis or opinion. The activities of a real estate broker or managing broker engaging in the ordinary course of business as a broker, as defined in this Section, shall not be considered a comparative market analysis if no compensation is paid to the broker or managing broker, other than compensation based upon the sale or rental of real estate.

"Coordinator" means the Real Estate Appraisal Coordinator created in Section 25-15.

"Data collector" means a person who is hired by an appraisal management company or mortgage lender to inspect and collect data and pictures of a specific tract of real estate for the appraisal management company or mortgage lender with the intent of the data and information, which will be provided to an appraiser for the sole basis of preparation of an appraisal, to support a mortgage on the real estate.

"Department" means the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

"Email address of record" means the designated email address recorded by the Department in the applicant's application file or the licensee's license file maintained by the Department.

"Evaluation" means a valuation permitted by the appraisal regulations of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council and its federal agencies for transactions that qualify for the appraisal threshold exemption, business loan exemption, or subsequent transaction exemption.

"Federal financial institutions regulatory agencies" means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the National Credit Union Administration.

"Federally related transaction" means any real estate-related financial transaction in which a federal financial institutions regulatory agency engages in, contracts for, or regulates and requires the services of an appraiser.

"Financial institution" means any bank, savings bank, savings and loan association, credit union, mortgage broker, mortgage banker, licensee under the Consumer Installment Loan Act or the Sales Finance Agency Act, or a corporate fiduciary, subsidiary, affiliate, parent company, or holding company of any such licensee, or any institution involved in real estate financing that is regulated by state or federal law.

"Hybrid entity" means an appraisal management company that hires an appraiser as an employee to perform an appraisal and engages an independent contractor to perform an appraisal.

"License" means the privilege conferred by the Department to a person that has fulfilled all requirements prerequisite to any type of licensure under this Act.

"Licensee" means any person licensed under this Act.

"Multi-state licensing system" means a web-based platform that allows an applicant to submit the application or license renewal application to the Department online.

"Person" means an individual, entity, sole proprietorship, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, and joint venture, foreign or domestic, except that when the context otherwise requires, the term may refer to more than one individual or other described entity.

"Real estate" means an identified parcel or tract of land, including any improvements.

"Real estate related financial transaction" means any transaction involving:

(1) the sale, lease, purchase, investment in, or exchange of real property, including interests in property or the financing thereof;

(2) the refinancing of real property or interests in real property; and

(3) the use of real property or interest in property as security for a loan or investment, including mortgage backed securities.

"Real property" means the interests, benefits, and rights inherent in the ownership of real estate.

"Secretary" means the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation or the Secretary's designee.

"State certified general real estate appraiser" means an appraiser who holds a license of this classification under this Act and such classification applies to the appraisal of all types of real property without restrictions as to the scope of practice.

"State certified residential real estate appraiser" means an appraiser who holds a license of this classification under this Act and such classification applies to the appraisal of one to 4 units of residential real property without regard to transaction value or complexity, but with restrictions as to the scope of practice in a federally related transaction in accordance with Title XI, the provisions of USPAP, criteria established by the AQB, and further defined by rule.

"Supervising appraiser" means either (i) an appraiser who holds a valid license under this Act as either a State certified general real estate appraiser or a State certified residential real estate appraiser, who co-signs an appraisal report for an associate real estate trainee appraiser or (ii) a State certified general real estate appraiser who holds a valid license under this Act who co-signs an appraisal report for a State certified residential real estate appraiser on properties other than one to 4 units of residential real property without regard to transaction value or complexity.

"Title XI" means Title XI of the federal Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989.

"USPAP" means the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice as promulgated by the Appraisal Standards Board pursuant to Title XI and by rule.

"Valuation services" means services pertaining to aspects of property value.

(Source: P.A. 102-20, eff. 1-1-22; 102-687, eff. 12-17-21; 102-970, eff. 5-27-22; 103-236, eff. 1-1-24.)

(225 ILCS 458/5-5)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2027)

Sec. 5-5. Necessity of license; use of title; exemptions.

(a) It is unlawful for a person to (i) act, offer services, or advertise services as a State certified general real estate appraiser, State certified residential real estate appraiser, or associate real estate trainee appraiser, (ii) develop a real estate appraisal, (iii) practice as a real estate appraiser, or (iv) advertise as a real estate appraiser, or (v) act as a data collector without a license issued under this Act. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class 4 felony for any subsequent offense.

(a-5) It is unlawful for a person, unless registered as an appraisal management company, to solicit clients or enter into an appraisal engagement with clients without either a certified residential real estate appraiser license or a certified general real estate appraiser license issued under this Act. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class 4 felony for any subsequent offense.

(b) It is unlawful for a person, other than a person who holds a valid license issued pursuant to this Act as a State certified general real estate appraiser, a State certified residential real estate appraiser, or an associate real estate trainee appraiser to use these titles or any other title, designation, or abbreviation likely to create the impression that the person is licensed as a real estate appraiser pursuant to this Act. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class 4 felony for any subsequent offense.

(c) This Act does not apply to a person who holds a valid license as a real estate broker or managing broker pursuant to the Real Estate License Act of 2000 who prepares or provides a broker price opinion or comparative market analysis in compliance with Section 10-45 of the Real Estate License Act of 2000.

(d) Nothing in this Act shall preclude a State certified general real estate appraiser, a State certified residential real estate appraiser, or an associate real estate trainee appraiser from rendering appraisals for or on behalf of a partnership, association, corporation, firm, or group. However, no State appraisal license or certification shall be issued under this Act to a partnership, association, corporation, firm, or group.

(e) This Act does not apply to a county assessor, township assessor, multi-township assessor, county supervisor of assessments, or any deputy or employee of any county assessor, township assessor, multi-township assessor, or county supervisor of assessments in performance of respective duties in accordance with the provisions of the Property Tax Code.

(e-5) For the purposes of this Act, valuation waivers may be prepared by a licensed appraiser notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, and the following types of valuations are not appraisals and may not be represented to be appraisals, and a license is not required under this Act to perform such valuations if the valuations are performed by (1) an employee of the Illinois Department of Transportation who has completed a minimum of 45 hours of course work in real estate appraisal, including the principles of real estate appraisals, appraisal of partial acquisitions, easement valuation, reviewing appraisals in eminent domain, appraisal for federal aid highway programs, and appraisal review for federal aid highway programs and has at least 2 years' experience in a field closely related to real estate; (2) a county engineer who is a registered professional engineer under the Professional Engineering Practice Act of 1989; (3) an employee of a municipality who has (i) completed a minimum of 45 hours of coursework in real estate appraisal, including the principles of real estate appraisals, appraisal of partial acquisitions, easement valuation, reviewing appraisals in eminent domain, appraisal for federal aid highway programs, and appraisal review for federal aid highway programs and (ii) has either 2 years' experience in a field clearly related to real estate or has completed 20 hours of additional coursework that is sufficient for a person to complete waiver valuations as approved by the Federal Highway Administration; or (4) a municipal engineer who has completed coursework that is sufficient for waiver valuations to be approved by the Federal Highway Administration and who is a registered professional engineer under the Professional Engineering Act of 1989, under the following circumstances:

(A) a valuation waiver in an amount not to exceed $20,000 prepared pursuant to the federal Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, or prepared pursuant to the federal Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition for Federal and Federally-Assisted Programs regulations and which is performed by (1) an employee of the Illinois Department of Transportation and co-signed, with a license number affixed, by another employee of the Illinois Department of Transportation who is a registered professional engineer under the Professional Engineering Practice Act of 1989 or (2) an employee of a municipality and co-signed with a license number affixed by a county or municipal engineer who is a registered professional engineer under the Professional Engineering Practice Act of 1989; and

(B) a valuation waiver in an amount not to exceed $20,000 prepared pursuant to the federal Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, or prepared pursuant to the federal Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition for Federal and Federally-Assisted Programs regulations and which is performed by a county or municipal engineer who is employed by a county or municipality and is a registered professional engineer under the Professional Engineering Practice Act of 1989. The valuation shall include the county or municipal engineer's signature and license number.

Nothing in this subsection (e-5) shall be construed to allow the State of Illinois, a political subdivision thereof, or any public body to acquire real estate by eminent domain in any manner other than provided for in the Eminent Domain Act.

(f) A State real estate appraisal certification or license is not required under this Act for any person, partnership, association, or corporation that performs appraisals of property owned by that person, partnership, association, or corporation for the sole use of that person, partnership, association, or corporation.

Any person who is certified or licensed under this Act and who performs any of the activities set forth in this subsection (f) must comply with the provisions of this Act. A person who violates this subsection (f) is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class 4 felony for any subsequent offense.

(g) This Act does not apply to an employee, officer, director, or member of a credit or loan committee of a financial institution or any other person engaged by a financial institution when performing an evaluation of real property for the sole use of the financial institution in a transaction for which the financial institution would not be required to use the services of a State licensed or State certified appraiser pursuant to federal regulations adopted under Title XI of the federal Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989.

(h) This Act does not apply to the procurement of an automated valuation model.

(Source: P.A. 102-20, eff. 1-1-22.)