ISA — International Society of Appraisers

The International Society of Appraisers, abbreviated ISA, is a national professional organization headquartered in suburban Chicago with members across the United States and Canada. ISA's curriculum is structured around three specialty tracks, allowing the appraiser to declare and credentialize a primary area of practice — antiques and residential contents (ARC), fine art (FA), or gems and jewelry (GJ).

ISA's two principal designations are ISA Accredited Member (ISA AM) and ISA Certified Appraiser of Personal Property (ISA CAPP). The CAPP is the senior credential.

The Designations

ISA AM and ISA CAPP.

ISA Accredited Member

The first ISA designation. Requires completion of ISA's Core Course of Appraisal Studies, current USPAP standing, a discipline-specific specialty course, examinations, and submission of a sample appraisal report for review.

CAPP

ISA Certified Appraiser of Personal Property

The senior ISA designation. Requires the AM credentials plus additional documented experience, an appraisal report submitted for senior peer review, and demonstrated active practice. The CAPP designation is the most rigorous personal-property credential ISA awards.

Specialty Tracks

ISA Antiques & Residential Contents (ARC), Fine Art (FA), and Gems & Jewelry (GJ). Many ISA members hold designations in more than one specialty over the course of their career.

Continuing Education

ISA requires documented continuing-education hours each renewal cycle, beyond the underlying USPAP update obligation. The organization publishes its current CE requirement on the official site.

How They're Earned

The path to ISA membership.

15-Hour USPAP

Federal compliance baseline; required prior to ISA designation work.

Core Course of Appraisal Studies

ISA's foundational course covering valuation theory, the three approaches to value, market analysis, ethics, and report writing. Required for every ISA designation candidate regardless of specialty.

Specialty Course

The discipline-specific course corresponding to the candidate's chosen specialty (ARC, FA, or GJ). Each specialty course includes deep training in market structure, comparable selection, and condition reporting for that property type.

Examinations

Both the Core Course and the Specialty Course conclude with proctored examinations.

Submit Sample Report

Candidates submit a complete sample appraisal report to ISA for review. Reports must demonstrate USPAP compliance, methodological competence, and proper documentation of comparables.

Build to CAPP

The senior ISA Certified Appraiser of Personal Property designation requires substantial additional documented experience and a senior-level peer-reviewed appraisal report.

Why It Qualifies Under IRS Standards

Specialty depth.

ISA's specialty-track structure makes the organization particularly well-suited to property types that the IRS scrutinizes most heavily. Antiques and residential contents — frequently donated as estate-wide gifts — and gems and jewelry — where market values shift quickly and documentation is critical — both benefit from the depth of training ISA provides.

An ISA AM or ISA CAPP appraisal, prepared in USPAP-compliant form, satisfies the federal qualified-appraiser standard under Treasury Regulation §1.170A-17.

Specialty Match. An auditor reviewing a Form 8283 will look for a specialty match between the appraiser's declared specialty and the type of property being valued. ISA's three-track structure makes that match easy to verify.

Public Roster. ISA publishes a searchable directory of designated members at isa-appraisers.org, allowing donors and donee charities to confirm standing in seconds.

Learn More from the Source

International Society of Appraisers.

For current course schedules, exam dates, specialty-track requirements, and the searchable directory of designated members, visit the official site.

isa-appraisers.org

Find an ISA appraiser: isa-appraisers.org/find-an-appraiser

Accredited Member & Certified Appraiser of Personal Property.