The AXP provides a framework to guide you through earning and recording your professional experience. The program covers everything from site design to project management and prepares you to practice architecture independently. Learn more about the six experience areas that comprise the AXP—and NCARB's requirements for completing each area—below. Want to understand the basics of the AXP? Learn how to get started.
Experience Areas
The Architectural Experience Program® (AXP®) identifies 96 key tasks that fall into six practice areas. To demonstrate your ability to perform those tasks, you’ll need to report a total of 3,740 hours across the six areas in your NCARB Record. You can start reporting any experience gained after you have graduated from high school (or the equivalent).
| Experience Area | Required Hours | Tasks |
|---|---|---|
| Practice Management | 160 | 16 |
| Project Management | 360 | 32 |
| Programming & Analysis | 260 | 18 |
| Project Planning & Design | 1,080 | 17 |
| Project Development & Documentation | 1,520 | 7 |
| Construction & Evaluation | 360 | 6 |
| Total Hours | 3,740 | 96 |
Each experience area aligns with an Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®) 5.0 division, so you can use the AXP to guide your professional growth and exam strategy.
Record Your Experience Hours in My NCARB
To record experience hours, you'll need to establish an NCARB Record. Once you've created your Record, you can track your hours and your AXP supervisor will approve them.
The 96 tasks are designed to span several phases of your early career—some are simpler and can be completed right away, while others may require skills and experience that are developed over time. Work with your AXP supervisor to create a strategy to complete the AXP.
Remember: Each jurisdiction sets its own requirements for initial licensure, and some require additional experience. Check our licensing requirements tool to explore your jurisdiction’s requirements.
How to Earn Experience
To qualify for the AXP, your work must fall under one of two experience settings. These settings define the type of organization, the work performed, and who verifies your experience. Half of your documented experience (1,860 hours) must be gained while employed by an architecture firm legally practicing architecture and under the supervision of an architect who is licensed in the United States or Canada—this is experience setting A. Up to 1,860 hours can be reported under Setting O, which can be performed outside an architecture firm.
- Setting A: Work performed in an architecture firm
- Setting O: Experience that can be performed outside an architecture firm
See the AXP Guidelines for a detailed explanation of the requirements for each experience opportunity.
Additional AXP Reporting Options
If you are completing the AXP through the portfolio method rather than hourly reporting, you will need to upload exhibits demonstrating competency in all 96 AXP tasks.
If you are completing the Foreign Architect Path to Certification, there are no time limitations when documenting your AXP hours. As an architect, any qualifying experience will count toward the AXP—regardless of when you earned it.
