UAD 3.6 is here.
Be the expert your agents call.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are replacing every legacy appraisal form with a single, dynamic report. The mandate starts November 2, 2026, and some lenders have a temporary exception into 2027. Here is the originator's playbook, plus a ready-to-share guide for your real estate partners.
2026
What UAD 3.6 actually is
The Uniform Appraisal Dataset is the GSE standard for how appraisal data is structured and delivered to the Uniform Collateral Data Portal (UCDP). Version 3.6 is the first full redesign in over a decade, and it touches your order, your file, and your borrower's expectations.
From forms to one flexible report
The static forms are being retired. In their place is a single dynamic Uniform Residential Appraisal Report (URAR) that expands or contracts based on property type, loan type and scope of work.
Data-driven, not narrative
Built on MISMO v3.6 standards, the report captures far more granular, machine-readable detail, more than 1,500 data points per property by one state regulator's count, with comments placed next to the data they explain.
Same standards, new paperwork
A licensed appraiser still determines value using the same professional standards. What changes is the structure, the data fields, and how everything reaches the GSEs.
The rollout timeline
Both formats are valid right now. Your job during the transition is to know which one each file needs, and to be ready before your lenders move. Some lenders have a temporary exception that runs into 2027, so confirm each lender's date.
We are here
Lender exception
Lender exception
Watch
What changes for you
UAD 3.6 starts the moment you place the order. Here is where the new format touches your day-to-day, and where files get delayed if you are not ready.
| The old way | Under UAD 3.6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Order placement | A form was chosen by property type; some details filled in later. | The report is built from your order. Provide complete, accurate property and assignment details up front or incomplete orders cause delays. The engagement letter now tells the appraiser which format (UAD 2.6 or 3.6) to use and the level of inspection, since a form number no longer signals either one. |
| The report | Different forms for single-family, condo, co-op, manufactured, exterior-only, etc. | One dynamic URAR that adapts to the property, loan and scope. No form numbers, no General Addendum. |
| Delivery to UCDP | A single PDF/XML submission. | A ZIP package : an XML data file, a human-readable PDF, and a folder of property images. |
| Revisions and mixed formats | One format, so a revision was just a resubmission. | UCDP does not accept mixed formats under the same file . A report first submitted in UAD 2.6 stays in UAD 2.6 when revised, even after the mandate date. A new report on the same loan must be UAD 3.6 unless your lender has an exception. |
| Your tech stack | Standard UCDP delivery. | Your LOS, AMC and appraisal vendors must be UAD 3.6-verified, and ULDD Phase 5 updates are required for UCDP submission. |
| At the property | Broad descriptions and general commentary. | More time on site and more granular data. Appraisers may request more information from you, the agent or the borrower. |
| The value | Appraiser judgment. | No change. Same standards, same process; only the reporting is modernized. |
Your readiness checklist
Work through these before your lenders move to UAD 3.6 so the transition is invisible to your borrowers and referral partners.
Get your real estate partners ready
Agents who understand UAD 3.6 stop blaming the lender when an appraisal takes longer or asks for more detail. Position yourself as their guide. Here is what to say, and a one-page handout you can send today.
- "The appraisal format is changing, but it does not change your seller's home value, only how it is reported."
- "You may see different report formats deal to deal. Some lenders switch on November 2, and some have extra time into spring 2027. That is normal during the transition."
- "Appraisers are collecting more detail, so they may spend more time at the property and ask for more information."
- "If the appraiser requests property info, getting it back fast keeps the file moving. This is where you make a real difference."
- "If your deal is close to November 2, tell me early. I will confirm which format your lender is using before the contract is written."
- "Long term, more structured data should mean fewer revision delays. We are getting ahead of it together."
The sheet below is written for agents, not insiders. Print it for an open-house packet, attach it to an email, or hand it out at your next office meeting.
Email it to an agentFrequently asked questions
Does UAD 3.6 change my client's home value?
No. A licensed appraiser still determines value using the same professional standards. UAD 3.6 modernizes how the data is collected, structured and reported, not how value is reached.
When does it become mandatory?
November 2, 2026 for new appraisals submitted to UCDP on conventional loans sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. The date is based on when the report is first submitted, not the application date. Lenders that cannot meet it can request a one-time temporary exception to keep submitting new UAD 2.6 reports through May 19, 2027. UAD 3.6 is mandatory for everyone on May 20, 2027.
Is there an extension, and do I need to request it?
It is a temporary policy exception, and only lenders that sell loans directly to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac request it. Brokers do not. If your lender buys loans from brokers and sells them to the GSEs, it must either make sure every broker delivers UAD 3.6 appraisals or request the exception itself. Ask each lender whether it requested one so you know which format to order.
What happens to UAD 2.6 appraisals after November 2?
A new UAD 2.6 report submitted to UCDP after the mandate date is rejected, unless the lender has an approved exception. Revisions to reports first submitted in UAD 2.6 before November 2 can continue in UAD 2.6. Starting March 1, 2027, loans backed by UAD 2.6 reports under an exception lose collateral representation and warranty relief for value. UAD 2.6 retires on June 28, 2027.
Which forms are going away?
The static forms, including the 1004, 1073, 1025, 2055, 1075 and the condo, co-op, manufactured-home, exterior-only and hybrid variants, are replaced by a single dynamic URAR.
Will this slow down my closings?
During the transition you may see more time spent at the property and occasional requests for additional information. Placing complete orders and responding quickly keeps files moving. Long term, more structured data is expected to reduce revision cycles.
Do FHA, VA and USDA loans use UAD 3.6 now?
The November 2 date applies to conventional loans sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. FHA has announced its move to UAD 3.6 and set up an implementation resource center in its EAD portal, but reports differ on when FHA deliveries begin, so confirm the current status with FHA before you quote a date. VA and USDA have not published adoption timelines.
What is the single most important thing I should do?
Ask each of your lenders, in writing, which appraisal format they will accept and when that changes. Then make sure your AMC, appraisal vendors and LOS are UAD 3.6-ready, and start placing orders with complete property and assignment details. The report is built from your order, so accuracy up front prevents delays.
