Section 853 - Licenses; examination; fees(a) No person shall directly or indirectly act or hold himself out as an appraiser unless such person has first secured a license from the commissioner in accordance with the provisions of this act.(b) Except as otherwise provided in section 8 of this act, no person shall be granted an appraiser's license unless he shall first establish his qualifications therefor and shall take and pass an examination for appraisers. An applicant for such examination shall be at least eighteen years of age; shall be a resident of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or a resident of any other state or country which permits residents of this Commonwealth to act as appraisers in such other state or country; shall be trustworthy; and shall otherwise establish to the satisfaction of the commissioner that he has had experience or special education or training with reference to the business of the appraising of physical damages to motor vehicles of sufficient duration and extent reasonably necessary to make him competent to fulfill the responsibilities of an appraiser.
Applications for an examination as appraiser shall be made to the commissioner upon forms prescribed and furnished by him and shall be accompanied by the proper fee. Applicants shall provide the commissioner with such information concerning his identity and personal history, and such other information as shall be necessary to establish his qualifications to take the examination.
(c) The commissioner shall prepare and make available to applicants a manual or instructions setting forth in general terms the subject matter to be covered in the examinations.(d) The examination for licensure which shall be given under the supervision of the commissioner shall consist of a written examination that shall include the act of appraising one or more damaged motor vehicles and shall be supplemented by an oral examination. At the discretion of the commissioner an oral examination in lieu of the aforesaid written examination may be given but only for reason of an applicant's physical handicap. An oral examination shall include the act of appraising one or more damaged motor vehicles. They shall be given at reasonable times and places within the Commonwealth. Any applicant who fails to pass such examination shall not be eligible to retake an examination for thirty days from the date of such failure.(e) The fee to be paid to the commissioner by an applicant for an appraiser's license shall be ten dollars ($10) at the time the application is made and ten dollars ($10) annually for the renewal thereof. In the event of failure to pass the examination, the fee of ten dollars ($10) shall not be returnable.(f) The commissioner shall prescribe the form of the appraiser's license and it shall contain:(1) The name of the appraiser.(2) The address of the appraiser's place of business.(3) Date of issuance and expiration date of license.(4) Any other information which the commissioner determines is necessary.(g) The commissioner shall issue an appraiser's license to every person who applies therefor, pays the proper fee, passes the required examinations and otherwise is found by the commissioner to possess the necessary qualifications for licensure under this act.1972, Dec. 29, P.L. 1713, No. 367, § 3, effective 1/1/1973.