SKN | UAD 3.6 Appraisal Transition Gives Lenders More Time, Extending the Period of Mixed Formats

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are allowing lenders that need additional time to request exceptions to the November 2, 2026 deadline for adopting the UAD 3.6 appraisal format.

Approved lenders can continue submitting new appraisals in the older format through May 19, 2027, meaning agents and buyers may encounter both formats during the transition.

The shift replaces several existing appraisal forms with a flexible Uniform Residential Appraisal Report, changing how property information is organized and presented to lenders and consumers.

The Public Assumption

The November 2 deadline could suggest that every appraisal will immediately appear in the new UAD 3.6 format. The exception process means the transition will instead occur in stages.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced that lenders requiring additional time can request an exception. If approved, those lenders can continue submitting new appraisals using the older format through May 19, 2027.

For agents and buyers, that means receiving an older-format appraisal after November 2 does not automatically indicate a problem. The lender can be contacted to determine which format it is using and whether it has an approved exception.

The Economic Breakdown

UAD 3.6, or Uniform Appraisal Dataset 3.6, replaces several existing appraisal forms with one flexible Uniform Residential Appraisal Report.

The redesigned report is intended to adjust to the characteristics of the property, with sections appearing according to the home’s features. The stated objective is to make property information more consistent and easier to review.

For lenders, the transition also involves technology and workflow changes. Lenders seeking additional time must commit to a plan for completing the transition, including coordination with appraisers and technology vendors.

The timeline creates several distinct stages. The new standards take effect November 2, 2026. Lenders with approved exceptions can continue using the older format during the permitted transition period.

Beginning March 1, 2027, lenders operating under an exception will lose certain automated review functions and specified protections related to appraised value.

By May 20, 2027, all new appraisal submissions must use UAD 3.6. Older reports that were already submitted can still be revised and resubmitted through June 27.

On June 28, 2027, the older format is scheduled to be retired.

The Hidden Picture

The transition creates a temporary operational issue for transactions because different lenders may be working on different timelines.

Lenders that sell loans directly to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac must either meet the November 2 deadline or obtain an exception from the applicable agency. Other lenders must coordinate with the investors that purchase their loans.

That means the appraisal format a buyer encounters can depend partly on the lender and its transition status rather than simply on the date the property is being purchased.

Agents also face a learning curve because information that previously appeared in familiar locations may be organized differently under UAD 3.6. Buyers who have previously purchased homes may likewise find the new report unfamiliar.

The source recommends that agents communicate with lending partners about expected transition dates, review sample UAD 3.6 reports and explain to customers that the appearance of their appraisal may differ from previous transactions.

Florida Realtors is also scheduled to hold a 60-minute CORE education webinar on October 16 at 10 a.m. Eastern to explain the reporting changes.

The agencies have characterized the exception as a one-time policy measure that will not be extended. That makes the transition period temporary rather than a permanent coexistence of the two appraisal systems.

Closing

With lenders moving to UAD 3.6 on different schedules, the immediate question for agents and buyers is not whether an appraisal uses the new format, but whether everyone involved understands which standard applies and when the transition deadline actually affects the transaction.