Professional Ethics

The Society is diligent in its efforts to strengthen and uphold its Principles of Appraisal Practice and Code of Ethics (the code of conduct to which all members must subscribe) and in its collaboration with other organizations to promote the importance of ethics and professionalism in business.

ASA

View/Download: The ASA Principles of Appraisal Practice and Code of Ethics

ASA is diligent in its efforts to ensure ethical practices and procedures on the part of its members. The Society has developed a mechanism for the enforcement of its Code of Ethics whereby clients, volunteers, members, staff, or other stakeholders may file an official, written complaint if they feel a violation by an ASA member has occurred.

Violations fall under six categories:

  1. Deviations from good appraisal practice
  2. Failure to fulfill obligations and responsibilities
  3. Unprofessional conduct, including harassment (whether sexual or of another nature), discrimination, and other conduct that a reasonable person would find to be intimidating, hostile, offensive, coercive, or threatening.
  4. Unethical conduct
  5. Conviction in any judicial tribunal of a) any felony or b) any misdemeanor for which the maximum penalty is three (3) years in jail or more regardless of the actual sentence imposed or c) any misdemeanor involving honesty or veracity, i.e., involving theft or false statement regardless of the actual sentence imposed.
  6. Any unlawful, illegal or immoral conduct (even if not convicted in a judicial tribunal) which would bring disrepute to the appraisal profession or to the American Society of Appraisers.

To file a complaint, please complete this Ethics Infractions form.

Amendment
In January 2026, ASA's Board of Governors amended the Principles of Appraisal Practice and Code of Ethics to: 

(1) Sections 7.4 and 8.1: clarify expectations on appraiser signatures on appraisal reports - regardless of the standard(s) followed, the report must contain a signature from the appraiser who performed the appraisal. 

(2) Section 9: add language to provide examples and clarification on "unprofessional conduct."

 

International Ethics Standards Coalition (IESC)

View/download: International Ethics Standards

ASA and more than 100 property professional bodies worldwide make up the International Ethics Standards Coalition (IESC), who believe that creating a universally applicable set of ethics values will help assert the role of ethics and help ensure greater professionalism. The group has published the first set of ethics principle for professionals working in land, property, construction, infrastructure, and related professions.