Certified Minnesota Assessor (CMA)

A person assisting the assessor of a taxing jurisdiction in making exemption, classification, or valuation decisions must obtain a Certified Minnesota Assessor (CMA) license within three years of being hired. During that time, you may work only under the supervision of a licensed assessor.

• CMA Requirements – Learn about required courses and work experience to get a Certified Minnesota Assessor license.
• Best Practices Memo – The Board of Assessors has developed a brief overview of best practices recommendations for new assessors, including training requirements and resources available.

Applying for a CMA License

The CMA application is located on the Assessors Licensing System. You need to either sign in or create an account to access the application. 

You must also provide the following when you apply:

• Trainee Exposure Checklist: This checklist is used to track the assessment experience required to become a licensed assessor. 
  • The checklist must be signed by either a licensed supervisor or county assessor.
  • The checklist is a required document when submitting a CMA application and can be uploaded to the employment record.
• Employment Verification Letter: This letter verifies your start date and a brief description of your job duties.
  • The letter must be signed by either a licensed supervisor or county assessor.
  • Note: If you submitted a letter from the same employer with your trainee registration, you do not need to submit it again. 

CMA applications are not required to be reviewed by the board for approval and will be approved as soon as they are reviewed by the board's program administrator.

Types of CMA License

There are two levels of Certified Minnesota Assessor license: CMA and CMA-IQ (Income Qualified). CMA-IQs complete additional courses and may appraise commercial properties. 

Note: If you do not have an active license, you may not make subjective decisions as part of the assessment process. 

The Assessor Accreditation law was changed during the 2017 legislative session. This change affects assessors who are licensed as a Certified Minnesota Assessor (CMA). For details, see Assessor Accreditation Deadline.