If a state law requires appraisers to keep workfiles for 10 years after the report is prepared, is this a jurisdictional exception under USPAP?

Jurisdictional exceptions refer to situations where a specific law or regulation overrides a standard established by the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP). In the scenario provided, the requirement for appraisers to keep workfiles for 10 years after the report is prepared does not constitute a jurisdictional exception under USPAP. Instead, it means that appraisers must adhere to the longer record retention period mandated by state law, which can be seen as a legal obligation rather than a contradiction to USPAP standards.

USPAP requires that appraisers retain workfiles for a minimum of five years after the report is delivered, unless a different timeframe is dictated by applicable laws or regulations. Since the state law extends that period to ten years, it does not negate the USPAP requirements but rather complements them. Therefore, this scenario does not create a jurisdictional exception but reinforces the appraiser’s responsibility to comply with state law while still adhering to USPAP’s guidelines.

The other options do not accurately reflect the nature of jurisdictional exceptions as defined in USPAP. An agreement by the appraiser or variations by state do not inherently create exceptions. As such, the state law's requirement enhances compliance rather than contradicting USPAP standards.