Appraisals of boards of directors are now well established and viewed as important contributors to the effectiveness of boards. Because board appraisal practices vary between companies and the benefits of an appraisal will only be obtained where an appropriate practice is followed, there is significant interest in the board appraisal practices adopted by companies. The authors first outline the benefits and challenges of board appraisals and identify the key features of an effective board appraisal. They then present the results of their study of how board appraisals are conducted in Australia in relation to large and small listed companies and compare the findings with the board appraisal practices of US Fortune 100 companies.