FAIR Launch Draft
Appraisal Report vs Certificate: What Is the Difference
A certificate is typically the concise summary output, while the report contains full supporting methodology and evidence.
- Use full reports for defensibility and technical review.
- Use certificates for concise communication where accepted.
- Keep purpose labels explicit to avoid insurance/tax misapplication.
- Can I send only a certificate? Some stakeholders still require the full report.
- Can CPAs use only the certificate? Usually no, they need detailed support.
- Why keep both files? They serve different review and communication needs.