To take the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®), you must be made eligible to test by one of the 55 U.S. licensing boards. You can request exam eligibility from any licensing board—whether it’s the jurisdiction where you live or simply where you meet the eligibility requirements. The jurisdiction that grants your eligibilities is known as your “testing jurisdiction.”

For licensure purposes, your testing jurisdiction is also the jurisdiction where you are seeking initial licensure. Once you complete the requirements for initial licensure, NCARB will transmit your Record to that licensing board as part of your application for your initial license.

You do not need to be physically located in the jurisdiction that granted your eligibilities when taking the exam.

If you need to change your testing jurisdiction—or the jurisdiction where you are seeking initial licensure—you now can do so through your NCARB Record. Here’s how to start the process of updating your testing jurisdiction:

  1. Log in to My NCARB and navigate to the Exams tab in your NCARB Record
  2. On the ARE Overview page, select “Switch My Testing Jurisdiction”
  3. You will be asked to verify your Record information and read several disclaimers about switching jurisdictions—once you have reviewed the information, select “Continue” at the bottom of the page
  4. Select your new testing jurisdiction from the dropdown menu and follow the prompts to complete the process

Keep in mind, each jurisdiction sets its own rules regarding when you are eligible to take the ARE; in most cases, you can begin testing after completing your jurisdiction’s education requirement. Based on the jurisdiction you select and your individual licensure progress, you will see one of the following outcomes:

  • If you meet the requirements in your new jurisdiction and they use NCARB’s automated system, NCARB will automatically close your eligibilities in your old jurisdiction and open them in your new jurisdiction. Most jurisdictions use NCARB’s automated system.
  • If you meet the requirements in your new jurisdiction, but they manually review eligibility applications, NCARB will begin the process of switching your testing jurisdiction and submit your Record to your new jurisdiction for review. This process may take several days, and you may need to contact your new jurisdiction for more detailed instructions. You will be alerted in My NCARB if this situation applies to you.
  • If you don’t meet the requirements in your new jurisdiction, you will be prompted to contact NCARB’s Customer Relations team for guidance. To avoid this issue, be sure to explore your desired jurisdiction’s requirements before requesting eligibility.

Note: You can’t change your testing jurisdiction if you have exam appointments scheduled. To proceed with changing your jurisdiction, you’ll need to either cancel your existing appointments or wait until you have taken your scheduled divisions.

Once your testing jurisdiction has been successfully updated, you’ll receive a confirmation email from NCARB letting you know that you can begin scheduling exam divisions. Please do not schedule any new exam appointments until you receive a confirmation email from NCARB with the correct testing jurisdiction listed.

Have questions about switching your testing jurisdiction? Contact us.