During the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards' (NCARB) 2024 Annual Business Meeting in Chicago, delegates representing 53 of the Council’s 55 Member Boards, which oversee the practice of architecture in their individual jurisdictions, voted on seven resolutions.
[Resolution 2024-01] [Resolution 2024-02] [Resolution 2024-03] [Resolution 2024-04] [Resolution 2024-05] [Resolution 2024-06] [Resolution 2024-07]
Resolution 2024-01: Omnibus Sunset of Resolutions in Conflict With Current Council Policies (1960-79)
Passed 52-1
RESOLVED, that the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards sunsets the following resolutions, the full texts of which are attached hereto as Appendix A:
- Resolution 1975-23: Lateral Forces
- Resolution 1973-01: Adherence to Accepted Actions
- Resolution 1972-10: Approval for Board of Directors to Join in Council
- Resolution 1971-08: Board Resolution on Firm Names
- Resolution 1962-01: Annual Meeting Agenda
- Resolution 1961-13: Engineer and Architect Registration Laws
- Resolution 1961-14: Service on NCARB Committees
- Resolution 1960-08: Collateral Attendance at NCARB Conventions
FURTHERED RESOLVED, that upon the approval of the foregoing resolution by a majority of the Council Member Boards, such resolution will become effective July 1, 2024.
Resolution 2024-02: Omnibus Sunset of Remaining Resolutions in Conflict With Current Council Policies (Pre-1960)
Passed 53-0
RESOLVED, that all policies and resolutions passed before 1960 related to finances, records, processes, experience, NCARB Certification, continuing education, membership, related organizations/professions, and other miscellaneous topics that are not incorporated in current official NCARB documents, including, without limitation, the NCARB Bylaws, Certification Guidelines, Model Law and Regulations, Model Rules of Conduct, and official NCARB Board of Directors policies hereby are rescinded and otherwise deemed inactive. Without limiting the generality of this resolution, this resolution expressly rescinds all resolutions passed before 1960.
FURTHERED RESOLVED, that upon the approval of the foregoing resolution by a majority of the Council Member Boards, such resolution will become effective July 1, 2024.
Resolution 2024-03: New Mutual Recognition Agreement with the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia (AACA) and the New Zealand Registered Architects Board (NZRAB)
Passed 52-1
RESOLVED, that the existing Mutual Recognition Arrangement between the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), representing the 55 architectural registration boards of the United States, the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia (AACA), representing Australia, and the New Zealand Registered Architects Board (NZRAB), representing New Zealand, be terminated as of the effective date of the new Mutual Recognition Agreement, and the new Mutual Recognition Agreement be and hereby is ratified and approved as published in Appendix B in these resolutions.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that upon the approval of this resolution by a majority of the Council Member Boards, the new Mutual Recognition Agreement will become effective no earlier than 60 calendar days after the execution of the Agreement.
NCARB Model Law and Regulations Amendment – Examination Eligibility Updates
Passed 41-11
RESOLVED, that NCARB Model Law and Regulations be revised as indicated below:
R301.1 Education [excerpt below, no change to this section]
1. An Applicant shall complete an Approved Educational Program, or its equivalent as described herein, to obtain an initial License …
R301.2 Experience [excerpt below, no change to this section]
An Applicant shall successfully complete the Approved Experience Program to obtain an initial License …
R301.3 Examination [excerpt below, recommended changes as noted]
1. An Applicant shall pass the Approved Examination in accordance with the NCARB standards current at the time the Applicant took the Approved Examination to obtain an initial License….
2. To qualify for the Approved Examination, and without eliminating or modifying any requirements for obtaining initial Licensure, an Applicant shall present satisfactory evidence to the Board of that the Applicant has, at minimum, achieved one of the following:
(a) An architecture degree from an Approved Education Program; or
(b) Active enrollment in a NCARB-accepted Integrated Path to Architectural Licensure (IPAL) option within an Approved Educational Program.
(a) Graduation from a state or federally regulated high school; or
(b) Completion of a state or federally recognized high school equivalency program. …”
FURTHER RESOLVED, that upon the approval of the changes by an absolute majority vote of the Council Member Boards, such changes will become effective July 1, 2024.
Resolution 2024-05: NCARB Bylaws Amendment – Update to Certificate Requirement for Board of Director Positions
Passed 39-13
RESOLVED that NCARB Bylaws Article VII, Section 2.A be revised as indicated below:
“A. A candidate for election to any Director position shall, at the time such person is nominated:
(i) be a citizen of the United States; and
(ii) have served at least two (2) years as a member of a Member Board (and in the case of a candidate for Public Director, this service must have been as a consumer or public member); or, in the case of a candidate for the position of Member Board Executive Director, have served at least two (2) years as an Executive Director; or, in the case of a candidate for an At-Large Director position, have served at least two (2) years as a member of a Member Board or as an NCARB Volunteer; and.
(iii) in the case of candidates who are architects, hold an active NCARB Certificate.”
FURTHER RESOLVED, that NCARB Bylaws Article VII, Sections 2.D, 2.E, 2.F, and 2.G be revised as indicated below:
"D. A candidate for election as the Secretary/Treasurer shall have served at least two years on the Board of Directors during the five years prior to election as Secretary/Treasurer and, if an architect, hold an active NCARB Certificate at the time of election.
E. A candidate for election as the Vice President shall have served at least two years on the Board of Directors during the five years prior to election as Vice President and, if an architect, hold an active NCARB Certificate at the time of election.
F. An individual shall qualify to serve as the President during the one-year period immediately following their term as Vice President and, if an architect, hold an active NCARB Certificate at the time of election or succession to office, as applicable.
G. An individual shall qualify to serve as the Immediate Past President during the one-year period immediately following their term as President and, if an architect, hold an active NCARB Certificate at the time of succession to office.”
FURTHER RESOLVED, that upon the approval of this resolution by at least 37 votes of the Council Member Boards, such changes will become effective July 1, 2024.
Resolution 2024-06: Tri-National Mutual Recognition Agreement for International Practice – Amendment
Passed 50-1-1
RESOLVED, that the Second Amendment to the Tri-National Mutual Recognition Agreement for International Practice between the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), Comité Mexicano para la Práctica Internacional de la Arquitectura (COMPIAR) comprising the Federación de Colegios de Arquitectos de la República Mexicana (FCARM) and the Acreditadora Nacional de Programas de Arquitectura y del Espacio Habitable(ANPADEH) and the Asociación de Instituciones de Enseñanza de la Arquitectura de la República Mexicana (ASINEA); and the Regulatory Organizations of Canada (ROAC), be and hereby is ratified and approved as published in Appendix C in these resolutions.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that upon the approval of this resolution by a majority of the Council Member Boards, the amended Agreement will become effective no earlier than 60 calendar days after the execution of the Amendment.
Resolution 2024-07: NCARB Bylaws Amendment – NCARB Regions
Failed 22-29-1
FURTHER RESOLVED, that, effective as of the commencement of the 2025 Annual Business Meeting (the “Realignment Date”), Article VII-The Board of Directors, Section 1 in the NCARB Bylaws be revised as follows:
“SECTION 1. Membership. The Board of Directors shall be comprised of the Elected Officers of the Council, one Regional Director from each Region, twothree At-Large Directors, one Member Board Executive Director, and one Public Director.”
RESOLVED, that, effective as of the Realignment Date, Article VI-Regions, Sections 1 and 2 in the NCARB Bylaws be revised, and Section 3 be added as indicated below:
“SECTION 1. Purpose. In order to foster closer communication between Member Boards and the Council, as well as among Member Boards, and further to foster the development of future leaders and assist the Council in achieving its stated purpose, sixfive geographical Regions comprising, in the aggregate, all the Member Boards are hereby established. Each Member Board shall be required to be a member of its Region.
SECTION 2. Membership. The membership of the Regions is established as follows:
REGION 1—New England Conference: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont.
REGION 2—Middle-Atlantic Conference: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia.
REGION 3—Southern Conference: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virgin Islands.
REGION 4—Mid-Central Conference: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin.
REGION 5—Central States Conference: Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wyoming.
REGION 6—Western Conference: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, Utah, Washington.
Western Region: Alaska, Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, Utah, Washington
Plains & Mountain Region: Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wyoming
Mid-Central Region: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin
Northeastern Region: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont
Southeastern Region: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
SECTION 3. Reevaluation. The membership of the Regions shall be evaluated by the Board of Directors, or a committee or task force charged by the Board of Directors, for equity between Regions related to the number of Member Boards, Member Board Member distribution, architect population, and any other substantive need determined by the Board or such committee or task force every 10 years following the Realignment Date. The Board may evaluate region membership more often if there is a substantive need such as, but not limited to, the removal or addition of Member Boards.”
FURTHER RESOLVED, that, effective as of the Realignment Date, the current NCARB Regions (“Current Regions”) be replaced with new regions (“Realigned Regions”) consistent with the foregoing resolution;
FURTHER RESOLVED, that, effective immediately, the Board of Directors will charge the Regional Leadership Committee with developing model region bylaws, which model region bylaws shall be designed to provide consistency among the Realigned Regions while also identifying provisions that may be customized by region; and
FURTHER RESOLVED, that, effective as of the Realignment Date, the model region bylaws, as approved by the Board of Directors, shall be the initial bylaws of each Realigned Region, and thereafter each Realigned Region may act to customize their respective bylaws in accordance with the provisions of such bylaws; and
FURTHER RESOLVED, that, the monetary assets of each Current Region as of the Realignment Date shall be calculated based on an equal division amongst their Member Boards and that amount is to be transferred to each Member Board’s Realigned Region; and
FURTHER RESOLVED, that Article XV-Transition in the NCARB Bylaws be amended as stated in Appendix E; and
FURTHER RESOLVED, that upon the approval of the resolutions by a two-thirds vote (37) of the Council Member Boards, such resolutions will become effective as of the adjournment of the 2024 Annual Business Meeting or as directed in this resolution.
