(1) Except as otherwise provided for in this section, it shall be unlawful for anyone to engage in real estate appraisal activity in this state without first obtaining one (1) of the three (3) real estate appraiser licenses as provided in this chapter.

(a) Any person who is engaged in real estate appraisal activity on July 1, 1990, shall continue through June 30, 1991, to be subject to the provisions of the Real Estate Brokers License Law of 1954, but, thereafter, all real estate appraisal activity shall be governed by and licensed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. However, if the United States Congress or the Appraisal Subcommittee of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council extends the effective date for the use of certified or licensed appraisers in federally related transactions, then the above date of June 30, 1991, shall be extended to the date immediately preceding such extended effective date. In addition, if such Appraisal Subcommittee waives any requirement relating to certification or licensing of persons to perform appraisals in Mississippi, then such waiver shall also be effective in Mississippi under the Real Estate Appraiser Licensing and Certification Act and such requirement shall be waived by the Real Estate Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board until the waiver is terminated by the Appraisal Subcommittee. The Mississippi Real Estate Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board shall waive or modify statutory minimum requirements for hours of courses of study and provide by regulation for applicants who desire to do so to challenge the examinations, or one or some of them, by taking an examination on such courses without actually taking such courses, if such waivers or modifications are allowed or allowable under law or regulations adopted and promulgated by the United States Congress or the Appraisal Subcommittee of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council.

(b) The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to any director, officer or salaried employee of commercial banks, savings banks, credit unions, and savings and loan associations, when engaged in appraisal or evaluation activities for and on behalf of such financial institution unless there is a fee charged for the appraisal or evaluation; provided that a federal statute, rule or regulation does not require such appraisal or evaluation activities to be performed by a state licensed appraiser.

(c) This section shall not be construed to apply to individuals who do not render significant professional assistance in arriving at a real estate appraisal analysis, opinion or conclusion. Examples of the type of assistance which are not considered “significant professional assistance” under this section include the following: (i) assistance in obtaining the data upon which the appraisal is based; (ii) assistance in the physical preparation of the appraisal report (such as taking photographs, preparing charts, maps or graphs, or typing or printing the report); and (iii) any other assistance that does not directly involve the exercise of judgment in arriving at the analysis, opinions or conclusions concerning real estate or real property set forth in the appraisal report.

(2) The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to:

(a) Any state, county, or municipal public officers or their salaried employees while performing their duties as such;

(b) The employees of private firms engaged pursuant to Section 27-35-165(2)(a) who perform work under the direction of the county tax assessor; or

(c) Private consultants hired pursuant to Section 27-35-165(2)(b) and all personnel employed or otherwise engaged by private consultants to appraise property who perform work under the direction of the county tax assessor.

(3) No license shall be issued under the provisions of this chapter to a corporation, partnership, firm or group.

(4) The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to individuals performing timber cruises, valuation on timberland real estate appraisals for nonfederally related transactions.

(5) The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to real estate licensees who are on active status and who perform a broker price opinion pursuant to Section 73-35-4.