To look up a Claremont appraiser, open the California Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers (BREA) appraiser search, enter the license number or the last name, and open the record. Confirm that the name and number match the person who will sign your report, that the license level fits the property, and that the status reads Active, then check whether any disciplinary documents are linked. It takes a few minutes and needs no account.
This walkthrough goes field by field through the search and the record, using this practice's own license as the example. It is part of the choosing an appraiser in Claremont series.
What is BREA, and why start there?
BREA is the state agency that licenses real estate appraisers in California and registers appraisal management companies. Its record is the source: the federal ASC National Registry carries what the state reports, so when the two disagree, BREA is the current word. Start with BREA, then use the ASC National Registry walkthrough as the second check.
Step 1: Open the appraiser search
The search lives at BREA's online services, under the appraiser search. The direct page is the BREA appraiser license search. BREA says results include current licensees, those whose license expired within the last eight years, and prior licensees whose status is restricted, suspended, surrendered or revoked, or whose right to renew was revoked. It says the information is typically updated daily.
Step 2: Search by license number if you have it
A license number is the most precise search. California appraisers usually show it with a level prefix, as in BREA No. AR003877. The search field asks for the six digits, in the format shown on the form (012345), so for that license you would enter 003877.
If you do not have the number, ask for it before you order. A licensed appraiser expects the question and should answer it without hesitation.
Step 3: Or search by name and narrow it down
The form also takes a first and last name, a company name, a mailing city, a mailing ZIP code and a county. Two dropdowns help narrow the results:
- License Level: AT, AL, AR or AG, or all levels.
- License Status: Active, Expired, Restricted, Revoked, Surrendered, Suspended, Right to Renew License Revoked, and a temporary status tied to BREA's temporary practice permits, or all statuses.
Keep in mind that the city, ZIP and county fields come from the licensee's mailing address on file with the Bureau. They do not describe where an appraiser works or which areas the appraiser knows. A Claremont mailing city is not proof of Claremont competency, and a mailing address elsewhere does not rule it out. If a common surname returns a long list, add the license level and status before guessing.
Step 4: Read the results table
Each result row shows the license number, name, company, address, city, state, ZIP, county and phone on file. Find the row whose name and number match the person you are hiring, not just the firm name, and open the record.
Step 5: Read the license record
The record repeats the contact details on file and adds the fields that matter:
- License Number and License Level. The level is the scope of practice: what the appraiser may appraise.
- License Status. Active is what you want to see.
- License term dates for the current license.
- License History, a table of the license type, status and term for each period. BREA notes this on-screen history is unofficial; a formal letter of license history can be requested from the Bureau.
- Course History, the continuing education courses on file, shown from January 1, 2013 onward.
What you are confirming is the person, the number, the level and the status. The company name and mailing address on a record are simply what the licensee filed with the Bureau.
What do the license levels mean?
BREA issues four levels, each with its own education, experience and scope of practice set by the AQB, the Appraiser Qualifications Board of The Appraisal Foundation, and by California requirements:
- AT, Trainee: any property the supervising appraiser is qualified to appraise, so check the supervisor's license too.
- AL, Licensed Residential: residential work within the limits set by the federal rule BREA cites and the AQB criteria.
- AR, Certified Residential: residential work under the same federal rule and AQB criteria, with a broader scope than AL for one-to-four unit homes.
- AG, Certified General: all types of real estate regardless of transaction value or complexity.
The guide to BREA license levels for Claremont homeowners explains the differences in full.
Where does disciplinary history show?
BREA says licensees with published disciplinary actions show a link to the documents in the compliance section of their search result, with accessible versions under ADA Documents. No link there means no published action on that record. For anything further, request the formal license history from BREA, and check the ASC entry, which reports active disciplinary actions that limit an appraiser's ability to appraise.
A worked example: AR003877
Search 003877 and you reach the record for Gordon Hall, California Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser, BREA No. AR003877. The record shows license number 003877 at level AR, the Certified Residential level. Read the status yourself on the BREA license record rather than taking a website's word for it, this one included. The same record should agree with the ASC National Registry entry.
What the BREA search cannot tell you
A license record confirms that a person may appraise. It does not show whether that person knows the difference between a Village Craftsman near the Colleges and a postwar ranch north of Foothill, how they treat a sale across the county line in Upland or Montclair, or whether they keep the fee and the opinion separate. Those are competency and independence questions, covered in how to check a Claremont appraiser and why geographic competency matters more than distance.
Next step
The About page carries the license record and both registry links beside the appraiser's bio, and the Claremont area page describes the pockets this practice works. When you have confirmed the license, order an appraisal or call (909) 324-6122. The fee is set by the scope of the assignment and quoted before work begins, and it does not depend on the value.
Sources
- California Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers, appraiser license search, accessed October 30, 2026
- BREA license record for Gordon Hall, AR003877, accessed October 30, 2026
- BREA Licensing Handbook, Real Estate Appraiser License Levels, accessed October 30, 2026
- Appraisal Subcommittee, National Registry entry for Gordon S. Hall, accessed October 30, 2026
- Appraisal Subcommittee, Frequently Asked Questions, accessed October 30, 2026
Gordon Hall, California Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser, BREA No. AR003877 (lookup: https://www2.brea.ca.gov/breasearch/faces/party/view.xhtml?id=23601). Reports are prepared in conformity with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP). Nothing here is legal or tax advice; admissibility is always the court's decision.
Frequently asked questions
How do I look up an appraiser's license in California?
Open the California Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers (BREA) appraiser search, enter the six-digit license number or the last name, and open the matching record. Confirm the name, number, license level and an Active status, and check whether any disciplinary documents are linked.
What do AT, AL, AR and AG mean on a BREA record?
They are the four BREA license levels: AT is Trainee, AL is Licensed Residential, AR is Certified Residential and AG is Certified General. The level sets the scope of practice, meaning which properties the appraiser may appraise.
Does the city on a BREA record show where the appraiser works?
No. The city, ZIP code and county on a BREA record come from the mailing address the licensee filed with the Bureau. They do not show where the appraiser works or which local markets the appraiser knows, so ask about that separately.
Where can I see whether an appraiser has been disciplined?
On the BREA search, licensees with published disciplinary actions show a link to the documents in the compliance section of their result. The federal ASC National Registry also reports active disciplinary actions that limit an appraiser's ability to appraise, and BREA can provide a formal letter of license history.
