The Appraisal Institute encourages its professionals to communicate their achievement in and their commitment to the appraisal profession to their clients, peers and the public. To this end, the Appraisal Institute has created trademarked logos, designations and designation emblems.

The Appraisal Institute has also developed specific usage standards for these marks and for any reference to the Appraisal Institute and/or membership, candidacy and affiliation:

• Appraisal Institute Regulation No. 5 - governs use of designations, logos and emblems
• Trademark Usage Manual - proper trademark usage with examples
• Use of Appraisal Institute Designations, Designation Emblems and Corporate Signature - information on proper references to membership, candidacy and affiliation with examples

Designations

• The membership designations may be used only in conjunction with the name of the individual Member on whom the membership designations have been conferred.
• The membership designations must appear in capital letters and in the same type style and size in which the Member’s name appears.
• The letters in each membership designation must be used without a period or space after each letter.
• If a Designated member holds multiple membership designations, the designations must be separated by a comma, not a hyphen.

Provided that at least one owner, partner, or employee who is a Designated member of the Appraisal Institute and who performs services identified by USPAP for the firm, such firm may include in its promotional materials a statement similar in content to the following:

• “(Name of firm) has as owners, partners or employees (number) individuals who hold the Appraisal Institute’s (fill in) designation, and (number) individuals who hold the Appraisal Institute’s (fill in) designation. Some individuals may hold more than one Appraisal Institute designation.”

Designation Emblems

• Only a Designated member who holds a specific designation may use the associated emblem.
• The trademark mark® must always appear with the designation emblems.
• The designation emblems may not be displayed in conjunction with a firm or in any manner that might be interpreted as referring to any entity other than the individual member.
• The emblems may not be used adjacent to a list of names that includes both Members and Candidates, Practicing Affiliates and non-members.
• The emblems may appear only once on Designated member’s stationery, correspondence, report covers, business cards or marketing materials.
• Designation emblems may not be used in any three-dimensional applications or on gifts, premiums, apparel awards or decals without the written permission of the Appraisal Institute.

Emblems must be exact reproductions of the originals using the official emblem artwork available in electronic format from the Business Tools section of the Appraisal Institute site. The emblems must be reproduced in the official colors of Appraisal Institute Red (PMS 1945 on coated paper or PMS 193 on uncoated paper), black or reversed to white, or silver foil stamp unless written authorization is obtained from the Appraisal Institute national office.

Candidates, Practicing Affiliates and Affiliates

• The terms “Candidate for Designation”, “Practicing Affiliate”, and “Affiliate” may only be used in conjunction with the name of an individual who holds such status
• The terms may not be used in connection with the name, logo or signature of any firm, partnership or corporation.
• The terms may not be abbreviated, referred to as designations, nor included under a heading concerning professional designations or memberships.
• The terms can be used on business cards, letterhead and other publications.

Appraisal Institute Logo (Corporate Signature)

The Appraisal Institute logo, also known as the Appraisal Institute corporate signature, may only be used by the Appraisal Institute, its regions and chapters, or pursuant to a specific license for such use.

Designated members may use the Appraisal Institute logo provided that each of the following five conditions is met:

1. All individuals in the Designated member’s firm who perform services identified by the Appraisal Institute Standards of Professional Practice are Members, Candidates, or Practicing Affiliates in the Appraisal Institute;
2. The logo is not used in a manner that might suggest that the firm is affiliated with the Appraisal Institute;
3. The logo is used only on letterhead, business cards, Web sites or other material specifically permitted by the Appraisal Institute;
4. The trademark mark® must always appear with the Appraisal institute Logo; and
5. The following statement that is most appropriate for the Designated member’s business is included in close proximity to the logo to explain the presence of the logo:

• All of the appraisers in “Smith & Company” are Designated members, Candidates, or Practicing Affiliates in the Appraisal Institute.
• “Smith & Company” requires that all of its appraisers be Designated members, Candidates, or Practicing Affiliates in the Appraisal Institute.

Questions on the use of or reference to designations, emblems, logos and/or membership should be directed to the Professional Practice Department.  Additionally, improper references to membership in the Appraisal Institute or to the Appraisal Institute designations, emblems, logos may constitute violations of the Appraisal Institute trademark rights. Possible violations should be forwarded to the Professional Practice Department. 

Contact us at professionalpractice@appraisalinstitute.org.