NAA Designations & Classes

Certified Auctioneers Institute (CAI)
The professional designation awarded to practicing auctioneers who meet the experiential, educational and ethical standards set by the NAA Education Institute. In order to be granted the CAI designation, auctioneer scholars must have been practicing full-time auctioneers for at least two year (prior to attending the institute), attend all three years of CAI with more than 120 classroom hours, complete all special projects and complete 24 hours of continuing education every three years.
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Accredited Auctioneer Real Estate (AARE)
The professional designation awarded by the NAA Education Institute to provide you with the real estate auction trends, tools, and tactics to meet your strategic goals and incorporate the latest technologies. You will learn how different real estate auction models work, how to market real estate effectively, how to overcome objections, and improve execution of any auction type. You will be set up for greater auction success, protection from legal issues, and becoming the go-to real estate auction professional in your market. To be designated with the AARE, candidates are required to complete 24 classroom hours, submit a detailed written auction summary report and proof of at least 10 real estate auctions and be licensed as a real estate agent in their state. To maintain the designation 24 hours of CE every three years and annual designation fees are required. 
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Auction Marketing Management (AMM)
A professional designation awarded by the NAA Education Institute designed to take your business to a marketing level beyond a simple website to implementing effective targeted marketing strategies using various channels. You will learn how to improve marketing campaigns, digital ads, audience targeting, brand identity and search engine optimization (SEO), as well as manage your reputation, conduct data-based market research and effectively utilize dynamic digital tools. To attain the AMM designation, candidates are required to complete 20 classroom hours and complete a marketing project summary report based on knowledge gained from the course. To maintain the designation, 24 hours of CE during the three year CE cycle and annual designation fees are required.
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Benefit Auction Specialist (BAS)
A professional designation awarded by the NAA Education Institute designed to teach you the advanced benefits of in-person, virtual, and hybrid fundraising or benefit auction events; client consultation skills and practices; and best practices for conducting a successful benefit auction and fundraising event to enhance revenue and engage the audience. You will learn marketing and communication methods, business development and management tips, and how to determine your value and charge for it. To achieve the BAS designation, candidates are required to complete 24 classroom hours, provide a detailed auction summary report and proof of completing 6 fundraising or benefit auction events. To maintain the designation, annual designation fees are required as well as 24 hours CE during the three year CE cycle.  
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Contract Auction Specialist (CAS)
Awarded by the NAA Education Institute to help Contract Auctioneers learn successful practices to treat the work they do as a business. This two-day course covers marketing, sales, professionalism, and money management including the tax and insurance implications of working for yourself. To achieve the CAS designation attendees must complete the course in its entirety, and submit four evaluations from a contract auction.
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Certified Estate Specialist (CES)
A professional designation awarded by the NAA Education Institute designed to teach you how to recognize the various needs of your client, the comprehensive and complex process of estate liquidation, how to market and sell the assets, and how you can best profit from providing exemplary estate and transitional services. You’ll walk away able to communicate the value of your full-service offerings and increase your recurring clientele. To achieve the CES designation, candidates are required to complete 24 classroom hours, provide a detailed auction summary report and proof of completing 4 transitional transactions. To maintain the designation, annual designation fees are required as well as 24 hours CE during the three year CE cycle.
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Graduate Personal Property Appraiser (GPPA)
The professional designation awarded by the NAA Education Institute designed to give auctioneers both more skill and acumen in appraising personal property and also another potential revenue stream as a professional appraiser. You will learn to appraise all types of personal property, from art to antiques, heavy equipment to general household goods, vehicles to collectibles. The class teaches you to appraise according to USPAP (Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice). To be designated with the GPPA, candidates are required to complete 40 classroom hours, a detailed written appraisal report and proof of at least two affidavits of appraisals. This designation also requires annual dues and 24 hours of continuing education every three years.
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Master Personal Property Appraiser (MPPA)
A professional designation awarded by the NAA Education Institute to help professional auctioneers learn the responsibilities of appraising assets. Designees are taught to conduct a complete and appropriate appraisal, as well as taught to know the various factors that affect the value of appraised items. MPPA designees specialize in one or more of the following areas: antiques & estates, plant machinery & equipment, construction & agricultural equipment or small business valuation. In order to be granted an MPPA designation, the auctioneer must already be credentialed with the GPPA.
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CAI Next
As a designation holder of the most advanced auctioneer designation - CAI - your continued professional development and networking tie directly to your business development opportunities. Join this two-day, advanced education event during CAI week at Indiana University in Bloomington. Offered ONLY to current CAI holders and only every five years, CAI Next provides advanced auction professionals with advanced learning and networking opportunities. Reunite with your elite CAI community, walk away with advanced insights and invaluable networking, and encourage current CAI students and new graduates on their own CAI journeys!  
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AMM Next
Must have a current AMM Designation or have previously attended the AMM class to attend. You are already using “Auction Marketing Management” (AMM) techniques to advance your auction business. Now it’s time to dig deeper into advanced marketing management and digital prospecting. If you hold your AMM designation, attendance in this class will count as 12 classroom hours of the 24 continuing education hours required every three years to maintain your designation.
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Interpersonal Communications for Auction Professionals (ICAP)
Interpersonal communication is the process by which people exchange information, feelings, and meaning through verbal and non-verbal messages. The two-day class will provide participants an opportunity to enhance their interpersonal communications skills with techniques and opportunities for insight and self-awareness through educational, situational and practical exercises. Proper use and knowledge of these skills will positively affect your negotiations with clients, presentation skills, auctioneering and competition strategies.
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Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP)
The Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) is the generally recognized ethical and performance standards for the appraisal profession in the United States. USPAP is updated every two years so that appraisers have the information they need to deliver unbiased and thoughtful opinions of value.

To become a personal property appraiser in the United States, appraisers must take the 15-Hour National USPAP Course (or its equivalent). This is also a requirement to earn your GPPA designation. After taking the 15-Hour National USPAP Course, personal property appraisers must take the 7-Hour National USPAP Update Course (or its equivalent) once every two calendar years. This is also a requirement to maintain your GPPA or MPPA designation.
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