Mississippi Education and Certification Program

The Mississippi Education and Certification Program was developed in 1979 as a way for assessors and appraisers to gain legislatively mandated certification. The program is mandated and empowered primarily by three sections of the Mississippi Code of 1972, Annotated: Sections 27-3-52, 27-3-59, and 27-39-329.

Assessors and appraisers make up a specialized profession requiring a high level of competence. The purpose of this program is to continually offer educational opportunities to Mississippi’s assessors and appraisers so they may gain greater expertise and professionalism. The ultimate beneficiaries of this program are the citizens of the state who receive improved services from their state and local governments.

These are the objectives of the program:

1. Develop participant appraisal skills so they can maintain the valuation of property for ad valorem purposes at a current level.
2. Continually maintain and upgrade participant skills, knowledge, and competence.
3. Provide participants a way to acquire greater professionalism in their field through
   a. basic state-required certification;
   b. advanced levels of state-recognized certification; and
   c. internationally recognized
   professional designations.

   Track I

   Certification within Track I is specifically designed to achieve the minimum level required by Section 27-3-52 of the Mississippi Code and includes the level of Certified Appraiser. Annual attendance of the recertification course is required to retain this and all levels of certification.

   To achieve the level of Certified Appraiser in the program, an individual must meet these requirements:

   1. Be admitted to the program as a Mississippi county employee (or other as defined in Section 27-3-52 of the Mississippi Code) who is involved in the valuation or equalization of property for ad valorem tax purposes. County employees can be eligible for certification in one county only.
   2. Successfully complete the Certified Appraiser School. Successful completion is defined as earning a passing score of 70 percent or better.

      OR

   3. Pass a comprehensive examination on a challenge basis (the Challenge Exam) as specified by Mississippi Department of Revenue Rule 3.

Track II

Levels of Certification

Authorized under Section 27-3-52 of the Mississippi Code, Track II levels of certification provide program participants the opportunity to achieve greater professionalism and higher levels of certification with professional designations. Track II contains three levels of certification, each with a unique professional designation—Assessment Evaluator I (AEI), Assessment Evaluator II (AEII), and Mississippi Assessment Evaluator (MAE).

Approval Process

AEI and AEII certification are awarded once the advisory board has approved an applicant’s credentials. For MAE certification, the advisory board’s role is twofold. First, the advisory board admits successful applicants to MAE candidacy. MAE candidacy means the applicant has been approved to proceed to the second and final step in the MAE certification process, the MAE examination.

Additional Compensation Available

Mississippi Code Section 27-3-52 mandates that additional compensation be paid annually to certain holders of Track II levels of certification. The legislature authorized that a total of $6,500 be paid annually to any tax assessor, deputy tax assessor, or tax assessor’s assistant the next fiscal year after receiving MAE certification.

For more information, visit us at  https://gcd.extension.msstate.edu.