Who We Are
To understand the role of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), it’s important to establish that NCARB does not regulate licensure—your individual state licensing boards do.
Licenses to practice architecture are issued by your jurisdiction’s licensing board. Those licensing boards make up NCARB’s membership, and we work with them to create national standards and programs for the profession. As a nonprofit organization, NCARB develops and administers national programs for candidates pursuing architectural licensure and architects pursuing reciprocity.
What We Do
NCARB’s programs and services are designed to support the pursuit, achievement, and ongoing maintenance of architectural licensure.
NCARB developed the Architectural Experience Program® (AXP®) to provide licensure candidates with the framework to guide them through earning and reporting real-world experience and building competency in the skills needed to practice architecture. The Architect Registration Examination ® (ARE®) is a multi-divisional exam used to assess candidates’ knowledge and skills regarding the practice of architecture. Newly licensed architects or longstanding practitioners can expand their practice and access free continuing education, leadership opportunities, and more with the NCARB Certificate. Our programs and services work to guide education and practice within the architecture profession at each stage of a practitioner’s career.
We collaborate with our volunteer committees—made up of practicing architects, public members, executives from U.S. licensing boards, collateral representatives, and licensure candidates—to ensure that emerging professionals are competent and equipped with the skills to be successful practitioners and to uphold the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
The work of our hundreds of volunteers leads to the development of the programs and policies required to become an architect in the United States. The work from these groups also informs our resources that are designed to guide and support licensure candidates at every stage of their career‚ including free practice exams for candidates preparing to take the Architect Registration Examination®.
NCARB supports our member licensing boards in adopting our programs and adapting them to fit the needs of their individual jurisdiction. We also work with our boards to advocate for reasonable regulation in their jurisdiction, encourage standardized paths to licensure and reciprocity, and ensure that the regulation of architecture is aligned with modern practice.
In addition, NCARB collaborates with our partner organizations to develop resources that encourage and support greater accessibility and diversity along the path to licensure, bridging the gaps seen among licensure candidates from underrepresented groups. Learn more about our joint Baseline on Belonging study conducted in partnership with the National Organization of Minority Architects and our joint action plan.
NCARB Resources
NCARB’s members, volunteers, staff, and community are dedicated to guiding professionals along the path to licensure, providing key data about the profession, and protecting the public's health, safety, and welfare. From program guidelines and study resources to data reports and free continuing education courses, we continuously develop new ways to guide you at each stage of your career. Check out our full suite of refreshed resources and data publications to keep your career going.
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