- Both modules cost $150 each, or $300 for both, at Pearson VUE testing centers.
- Each module has 50 scored questions and a 3-hour-30-minute time limit.
- Standard experience requirement: 4,500 specialized hours over 36+ months, including 1,000 review hours.
- MAI/SRPA members in good standing can skip the comprehensive exam via five qualifying review reports.
Quick Facts Snapshot
This is the condensed reference sheet for the AI-GRS Membership Designation, administered through the Appraisal Institute's standard General Review Comprehensive Examination route. If you need the long-form explanation of any item below, the AI-GRS Study Guide 2026 walks through preparation strategy in detail, and AI-GRS Requirements 2026 covers eligibility mechanics.
Exam Format at a Glance
The exam is delivered at Pearson VUE Professional Testing Centers, closed book, with one permitted financial calculator that must have its memory cleared before and after the session. An optional, ungraded on-screen spreadsheet is available during testing, but it does not replace calculator use.
- Two modules, each with 50 scored multiple-choice questions
- 3 hours 30 minutes allotted per module
- Additional unscored pilot items may appear without notice
- Modules can be scheduled separately within authorized testing windows
- Both modules must be passed to satisfy the examination requirement
Because the two modules are scored and timed independently, totals across "the exam" as a whole (100 scored questions, 7 hours combined) describe the full requirement - not a single sitting. For scheduling logistics and authorized windows, see AI-GRS Exam Dates 2026.
Key Takeaway
Treat each module as its own exam event with its own registration, timing, and pass requirement. Don't assume a single 3.5-hour appointment covers both.
The Two Modules: Domain Cheat Sheet
The AI-GRS examination structure is built around two official modules. A deeper breakdown of subtopics and weighting logic lives in AI-GRS Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 2 Content Areas, but here's the compressed version for quick review.
Domain 1: General Appraisal Concepts
Covers the foundational appraisal principles a reviewer must be able to evaluate in someone else's work product - valuation methodology, data analysis, and applied appraisal theory as it appears in real assignments.
- Recognize correct application of the three approaches to value
- Identify data-support and methodology errors in a completed appraisal
- Understand highest and best use analysis as it affects review conclusions
Domain 2: General Review Theory
Focuses on the reviewer's own role: scope of review, USPAP compliance for review assignments, and how to document and communicate review opinions defensibly.
- Distinguish review types and appropriate scope decisions
- Apply Standards, Fair Housing, and AI Business Practices and Ethics content correctly in review contexts
- Construct sound, well-supported review conclusions and reports
Candidates frequently underestimate Domain 2 because it feels procedural rather than analytical - but review theory questions are where scope-of-work judgment calls get tested most heavily. If you're unsure how tough this gets relative to other appraisal credentials, How Hard Is the AI-GRS Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 addresses that directly.
Fees and Application Costs
Budget for AI-GRS involves several separate line items, not one flat exam fee. Mixing these up is a common source of confusion.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Single module exam fee | $150 USD |
| Both modules together | $300 USD |
| Experience application | $300 USD (separate) |
| Designation application | $100 USD (separate) |
| Active-practicing AI-GRS-only national dues | $710 (plus chapter/regional dues) |
Note that the $300 experience application and $100 designation application are not bundled into the exam fee - they're distinct steps in the overall path. For a complete cost breakdown across the entire candidacy timeline, see AI-GRS Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
Eligibility & Candidacy Requirements
The standard path to AI-GRS runs through formal candidacy. Before you can sit for either module or move toward designation, you need one of the following:
- Certified General Real Property Appraiser status (or equivalent), or
- A bachelor's degree or higher, if you do not hold that certification
Beyond the education/certification threshold, candidates must complete Standards, Fair Housing, and AI Business Practices and Ethics coursework, and pass the Review Theory - General and Review Case Studies - General examinations as part of the broader qualification process. These are requirements set out in the Comprehensive Examination Guidebook (effective January 1, 2023) and the Candidate Policy Manual (effective April 17, 2026). Full eligibility detail, including how equivalencies are evaluated, is covered in AI-GRS Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Experience & Report Requirements
Experience is measured, not assumed. The standard designation route requires:
- 4,500 specialized hours total
- Accumulated over at least 36 months
- Within the preceding 10 years
- Including 1,000 qualifying review hours specifically, as part of experience documentation
Key Takeaway
The 1,000-hour review-specific requirement is embedded inside the 4,500-hour total - it's not an additional 1,000 hours on top. Track your review assignments separately from general appraisal work as you log time.
MAI/SRPA Alternative Route
Current MAI or SRPA members in good standing have a shorter path available. Instead of the full comprehensive examination, they can qualify by submitting five qualifying appraisal review reports. This route exempts them from the comprehensive examination requirement - but it does not exempt the Review Theory - General examination, which still applies regardless of which route a candidate takes.
If you're weighing whether pursuing this designation makes sense given your existing credentials and career goals, Is the AI-GRS Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and AI-GRS Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis lay out the practical tradeoffs, and AI-GRS Jobs covers who actually hires for review-focused appraisal roles.
Continuing Education & Dues
Once designated, AI-GRS holders maintain status through dues and continuing education, both of which have specific structures worth memorizing.
- Active-practicing AI-GRS-only national dues: $710, plus applicable chapter or regional dues
- CE cycles beginning or renewing on or after July 1, 2025: 100 hours over five years, including Standards, Fair Housing, and AI ethics education
- Existing point-based cycles ending in 2025-2029: retain the old 500-point requirement until transition to the new hours-based system
Final-Week Review Plan
In the days before your scheduled module(s), rotate review time between the two domains rather than cramming one and neglecting the other. A basic structure that respects the two-module format:
Domain 1 Review
- Redo missed practice items on the three approaches to value
- Drill highest and best use scenarios
Domain 2 Review
- Rehearse scope-of-review decision trees
- Review Standards, Fair Housing, and AI ethics application points
Mixed Practice
- Full-length timed practice covering both modules
- Confirm calculator memory-clear routine and testing-center logistics
For a fuller walkthrough of week-by-week preparation across a longer study window, see the AI-GRS Study Guide 2026. If you want to gauge readiness against realistic questions before test day, our practice test platform mirrors the two-module, multiple-choice format described above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Each of the two modules contains 50 scored multiple-choice questions, for 100 scored questions total across both. Additional unscored pilot items may also appear.
Yes. Both modules must be passed, but they can be scheduled separately within authorized testing windows rather than in a single appointment.
One permitted financial calculator is allowed, and its memory must be cleared before and after the testing session. An optional, ungraded on-screen spreadsheet is also available.
MAI/SRPA members in good standing can skip the comprehensive examination by submitting five qualifying appraisal review reports, but they must still pass the Review Theory - General examination.
Each module costs $150, or $300 for both together. This is separate from the $300 experience application and the $100 designation application, plus ongoing dues once designated.
For a broader orientation to the credential itself, terminology, and who typically pursues it, see What Is AI-GRS?, AI-GRS Meaning, and AI-GRS Certification. And when you're ready to test your recall against exam-style questions, the full practice exam library is built around this exact two-module structure.
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