Glossary

Scope of Work Rule

The USPAP rule requiring an appraiser to identify the problem to be solved and then determine and disclose the research and analysis necessary to produce a credible result for that specific assignment, rather than applying a fixed checklist to every engagement.

The Scope of Work Rule replaced USPAP's older 'Departure Provision' in 2006, shifting the standard from a rigid baseline-plus-exceptions model to an affirmative disclosure requirement: the appraiser must determine what work is needed given the intended use, intended users, type and definition of value, effective date, and assignment conditions, then disclose that scope so a user can judge whether it was adequate. This is why two appraisals of comparable properties can differ substantially in depth — a restricted-use appraisal for internal portfolio monitoring may rely on far less market research than an appraisal report supporting a large syndicated loan — without either one being noncompliant, provided the scope was reasonable for its stated purpose and disclosed. The rule places real professional risk on the appraiser: understating necessary scope to save time or fee is a common source of appraisal review findings and E&O claims, since credibility, not minimalism, is the rule's actual test.