An individual who has earned an appraisal designation from a professional appraiser organization, or has met minimum education and experience requirements in the subject matter in which he or she issues appraisals. A qualified appraiser performs appraisals on a regular basis, and receives compensation for his or her work. The professional must not be prohibited from practicing before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Qualified appraisers are required by the IRS to appraise any piece of property valued at $5,000 or more on which a taxpayer requests a tax deduction. Because qualified appraisers are more experienced and knowledgeable about a particular type of property, the IRS uses them in order to ensure that the taxpayer is not overstating the value of the donated property. A qualified appraiser must perform an appraisal based on generally accepted appraisal standards.