Architects can pursue work international through our Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) between NCARB and the Architects Registration Board (ARB).

Note: If you are an architect from the United Kingdom seeking reciprocal licensure in the United States, check with ARB before starting the process with NCARB.

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Want reciprocal licensure across the U.S. and abroad, access to free continuing education, use of the NCARB credential in your title, and more benefits? Apply for the NCARB Certificate.

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Qualifications

To be eligible for reciprocal licensure under this agreement, you must:

  • Hold a valid license/registration in good standing from your home licensing authority.
  • Participating licensing boards may have jurisdiction-specific requirements.
  • Have the right to work in the locality in which you are seeking licensure (typically granted through a visa or other work immigration route).
  • Hold an active Certificate from NCARB or ARB.

The agreement requires U.S. architects to be certified through the standard path to NCARB certification, which includes:

  • Holding a degree from a National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) or Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB) accredited architecture program.
  • Completing NCARB’s experience program.
  • Passing NCARB’s national licensing examination.
  • Holding an active license in a U.S. jurisdiction.

Note: Architects granted the NCARB Certificate through the Foreign Architect Path or the Education Alternative are not eligible for licensure under this agreement. 

How to Pursue Licensure in the U.K.

If you are a U.S. architect seeking licensure in the United Kingdom, follow the steps below.

  1. Confirm Eligibility—Review the requirements above and confirm you meet the eligibility requirements.
  2. Contact NCARB—Once you confirm you’re eligible for licensure through the MRA, contact NCARB online or at 202-879-0520. NCARB’s Customer Relations team will review your NCARB Record, double-check that you meet the eligibility requirements, and transmit your Record to ARB for their review—you will be charged NCARB's transmittal fee.
  3. Complete Application Process With ARB—After your NCARB Record has been shared with ARB, you will need to complete their application process. You should expect to submit a CV, complete a brief interview, and take an assessment. ARB offers several resources to help applicants better understand the assessment process. If you have questions while completing ARB’s application process, you should contact ARB for guidance. At this point, you will be required to pay ARB the U.K. Adaptation Assessment fee of £2950.00.
  4. Right to Work—To conduct business in the United Kingdom, you must be granted the right to work there. Neither NCARB nor ARB can provide you with the right to work. You must reach out to the U.K.’s Home Office for permission to work in the United Kingdom, typically granted under a visa or other work immigration route.

How to Pursue Licensure in the U.S.

If you are a U.K. architect seeking licensure in the United States, please check with ARB. Then, follow the steps below.

  1. Confirm Eligibility—Review the requirements above and confirm you meet the eligibility requirements. Verify that the U.S. jurisdiction where you’re seeking licensure participates in the agreement and make sure you are able to meet any jurisdiction-specific requirements.
  2. Complete Application Process With ARB—Start your ARB application. Your application form should be returned by email to info@arb.org.uk. ARB will be in contact with your next steps. 
  3. Contact NCARB—After obtaining the ARB Certificate, you must set up an NCARB Record. To do this, you must pay NCARB a fee, and you will need to upload your ARB Certificate (see example). Once your payment is made, NCARB will issue you an NCARB Record number. NCARB will then review your credentials and issue you an NCARB Certificate. 
  4. Right to Work—To conduct business in the United States, you must be granted the right to work there. Neither NCARB nor ARB can provide you with the right to work. 

Fees

U.K. Architects:

  • ARB will need to issue you a certificate, which costs £120.00. You will need to maintain an active ARB certificate to have your record transmitted to a U.S. jurisdiction. 
  • U.K. architects will need to establish an NCARB Record and pay a $3,500 USD application fee to NCARB. If the U.K. architect has already established an NCARB Record, the application fee the architect has already paid will be deducted from the $3,500 USD application fee and the architect will be responsible for the balance of the fee—contact NCARB at www.ncarb.org/contact for more information about the balance of your application fee. 
  • U.K. architects will also need to pay a transmittal fee to have their NCARB Record sent to the U.S. jurisdiction where they are seeking licensure and will need to pay additional licensure fees to the relevant jurisdiction. Jurisdictional licensure fees vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and are set by the jurisdiction

U.S. Architects:

  • You will need to pay the Record transmittal fee to have your Record transmitted to ARB. Contact NCARB online or at 202-879-0520 to initiate the transmittal process.
  • After your Record is transmitted, you will be required to pay ARB the U.K. Adaptation Assessment fee of £2950.00.

To learn more about this agreement and the requirements for NCARB certification, read the Certification Guidelines.