2023 New York Laws › RPT - Real Property Tax › Article 3 - Taxable Real Property and Standard of Assessment › Title 3 - Assessors and Assessor Training in Cities With a Population of Five Million or More › 354 - Certification of Assessors.

§  354.  Certification  of  assessors.  1. Any person appointed to the
office of chief or inferior assessor or city assessor shall be certified
by the commissioner pursuant to this section within a maximum  of  three
years  after  he  or  she  commences  his or her appointment or by April
first, two thousand nine whichever date is later, unless he or  she  has
been   previously   certified   by  the  commissioner  and  his  or  her
certification has not expired.
2. An assessor shall be certified upon successful  completion  of  the
basic  course  of training and such examinations as may be prescribed by
the commissioner. The basic course of training shall  be  prescribed  by
the  commissioner  based upon one or more general characteristics of the
assessing units as the commissioner shall determine.
3. (a) An assessor may be certified by the commissioner if such person
satisfies  the  minimum  qualification  standards  established  by   the
commissioner  for  assessors  and  passes  a  comprehensive  examination
conducted by the commissioner. The commissioner shall  annually  conduct
examinations  for  such purpose. Examinations shall be of such character
as to  fairly  test  and  determine  knowledge,  skills,  and  abilities
necessary  to  perform  the duties of assessor with respect to appraisal
and assessment procedures, applicable laws, rules, and  regulations  and
the  size  and  complexity  of  assessing  units. The number of courses,
course credit hours and their complexity shall be no  greater  than  the
requirements  established  for  other  jurisdictions under section three
hundred eighteen of this article. When applicable the  basic  course  of
training  and  examinations  shall  be  consistently  similar  to  other
jurisdictions throughout the state.
(b) The commissioner may, in its discretion, waive any of the  courses
of  training  or  may certify without examination any assessor, provided
that such person is:
(i) an active member of the institute of assessing officers of the New
York state assessor's  association  or  is  a  member  of  the  American
institute of real estate appraisers; or
(ii)  designated as a senior real property appraiser by the society of
real estate appraisers; or
(iii) designated a certified assessment  evaluator  or  an  accredited
assessment  evaluator  by  the  international  association  of assessing
officers.
4. Notwithstanding the provisions of this  subdivision  or  any  other
law,  the  travel and other actual and necessary expenses incurred by an
assessor, in satisfactorily completing courses of training  as  required
by  this  title or as approved by the commissioner, including continuing
education   courses   prescribed   by   the   commissioner   which   are
satisfactorily  completed  by any assessor, shall be a state charge upon
audit by the comptroller. Candidates for certification as  eligible  for
the position of assessor, other than assessors, shall be charged for the
cost  of training materials and shall be responsible for all other costs
incurred by them in connection with such training.
5. In a city subject to this title, the travel and  other  actual  and
necessary  expenses  incurred  by  appraisal  personnel  employed in the
office of such assessor in attending courses of training as required  by
this subdivision shall be a state charge upon audit by the comptroller.
6. To the extent funds are appropriated, all payments pursuant to this
section shall be made from the local assistance account.