Getting Licensed
There are 3 main steps to becoming licensed to practice architecture.
Education – For candidates seeking licensure, a professional degree in architecture from a program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) fulfills the requirement.
Experience – For recent graduates entering the profession, completion of the Intern Development Program (IDP) is required and fulfills the requirement.
Examination – Candidates seeking licensure in California are required to complete the Architectural Registration Examination. In addition to the ARE, the California Architects Board requires the California Supplemental Examination (CSE) for licensure.
Resources for Licensure
National Council of Architecture Registration Boards(NCARB)
What is it? A membership organization of the architectural registration boards of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the three U.S. territories (Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands).
What do they do? NCARB primarily design tools and procedures for jurisdictions their regulation of the path to licensure. These range from internship guidelines to licensing examination to certification for reciprocal licensing.
What do I need to know? NCARB maintains records for it’s 54 member boards. As candidates, we both record our IDP progress and register for exams through our NCARB login.
California Architects Board (CAB)
What is it? The state entity responsible for protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public through the regulation of the practice of architecture in California. The CAB is administered through the Department of Consumer Affairs.
What do they do? The CAB establishes regulations for examination and licensing of the profession of architecture in California. There are approximately 21,000 licensed architects and 11,000 candidates who are in the process of meeting examination and licensure requirements.
What do I need to know? The CAB verifies your eligibility for licensure and grants licenses to practice architecture in the state of California. They also register you to take the CSE.
- The NCARB will notify the CAB within seven to ten days that you passed all divisions of the ARE.
- After completion of IDP, you must request NCARB to transit your IDP Record to the Board.
- Candidates will be mailed a notice of their California Supplemental Examinations (CSE) eligibility status once all required documentation has be received by the CAB and an Application for CSE.
Resources for Interns
Salary Survey
For in depth salary information, visit this website or stop by our office to view the comprehensive salary survey.
ARCHVOICES
This nonprofit, think tank offers insight on architectural education, internship, and licensure.
The Survival Guide to Architectural Internship and Career Development by Grace H. Kim, AIA is published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Becoming an Architect: A Guide to Careers in Design by Lee Waldrep, is also published by Wiley
Architecture Registration Exam (ARE) Exam
ARE Study Group meets meets bi-weekly and has occasional guest speakers on topics regarding licensure exams. This is a support group to get through the licensing process by sharing resources, knowledge, and experiences. There is a 20% Kaplan discount for AIASB associates. Please email info@aiasb.com if you’d like to join.
Study materials:
Brightwood | Kaplan | Ballast | ARE Forum
Thank you Brightwood for sending AIASB ARE Study materials for our Emerging Professionals!
ARE 4.0 to ARE 5.0 Transition
The NCARB transition plan from 4.0 to 5.0 is set to launch in late 2016. NCARB 4.0 will retire on 30 June 2018. Find out more information about the updated credit model HERE
ARE 5.0 Handbook
Click Here for the ARE 5.0 Handbook
Links to AIA National’s ARE Webpage
Click here for the AIA|ARE Prep page
Click here for National’s ARE Resources page
Links to NCARB Sign-In Page
Click Here for the Overview Page
Click Here for licensing information
Ready to Take the Test?
NCARB Feedback On Exams
NCARB receiving feedback video can be found at https://www.ncarb.org/pass-are/are4/start/receiving-your-score
NCARB offers a service called a score verification where an architect at NCARB reviews the candidate’s performance on both their multiple-choice and vignette sections of a division and provides that feedback to the candidate directly. It provides candidates better understanding of their performance:
- For each multiple-choice section of a division, the review helps identify the greatest areas for improvement above and beyond the current level 1, 2 or 3 feedback already provided on the score report.
- For each vignette that candidate had issues with, the review provides insights into the critical issues that caused the candidate to perform anything less than a level 1.
There is a $100 fee to have this manual verification done, but for some candidates, it is certainly a much better option than continuing to pay a full exam fee “just to try again”. The other benefit of a score verification is that it is available to all ARE candidates regardless of which jurisdiction they are testing under. Score verifications are private between the candidate and NCARB and cannot be shared through a third-party, therefore, candidates can contact NCARB Customer Service at 202/879-0520 to begin the review process if they so desire.
Rules About Using Titles
What You Can & Cannot Call Yourself
- In the profession of architecture, you cannot call yourself an architect or provide architecture services unless you are licensed. All states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories require individuals to be licensed (registered) before they may call themselves architects or contract to provide architecture services.
- Currently, unlicensed individuals are simply referred to as “interns” or, though NCARB intends to remove the term “intern” and is working towards finding a suitable replacement term.
- Per the Architects Practice Act, a non-licensed individual is prohibited from using any term confusingly similar to the word architect. This includes referring oneself as an ‘architectural designer’ and using the words architect, architecture, and/or architectural. Associate AIA members may use ‘Associate member of the American Institute of Architects’, ‘Associate AIA’, or ‘Assoc. AIA’. Contact the California Architects Board for further clarification.