State architecture license (registered architect)
Granted by state architecture licensing boards, not by a national exam alone. Most jurisdictions require a degree from a NAAB-accredited program; 17 jurisdictions offer additional pathways for applicants with other (or no) college degrees (NCARB).
How to get licensed
Most jurisdictions require a degree from a NAAB-accredited program; 17 jurisdictions offer additional pathways for applicants with other (or no) college degrees (NCARB).
- High school diploma
- NAAB-accredited degree: 5-year B.Arch, or a pre-professional degree + M.Arch (or another pathway in 17 jurisdictions)
- Open an NCARB Record
- AXP: 3,740 documented hours
- ARE 5.0: six divisions (most jurisdictions let you start before the AXP is finished)
- Any extra state requirement (experience or a supplemental exam)Exam
- NCARB Record transmitted to the state board, then the state licenseLicense
The exams
National bodies write the exams; the state board decides who is licensed. NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards): runs the Architectural Experience Program (AXP) and the Architect Registration Examination (ARE), keeps candidates' NCARB Records; issues no licenses; NAAB (National Architectural Accrediting Board): accredits B.Arch, M.Arch and D.Arch programs.
- Architect Registration Examination (ARE 5.0)Required by all 55 U.S. jurisdictions. Six divisions, scheduled separately, with content that aligns to the AXP's experience areas.
NCARB
Earn Your Architecture LicenseNational Council of Architectural Registration Boards- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- ARE question typesEvery division mixes multiple-choice, check-all-that-apply and hotspot items with case studies; each item is worth one point, with no partial credit, and each appointment includes 30 to 45 minutes of break time.
NCARB
ARE 5.0 Question TypesNational Council of Architectural Registration Boards- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- ARE fees$263 per division ($1,578 for all six); retakes $263. The NCARB Record costs $105 to open and $105 a year to renew.
NCARB
FeesNational Council of Architectural Registration Boards- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- State supplemental exam (some states)Some boards require additional experience or a location-specific supplemental exam before licensure, such as the California Supplemental Examination (CSE).
NCARB
Earn Your Architecture LicenseNational Council of Architectural Registration Boards- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
State rules and other states
Each of the 55 U.S. jurisdictions sets its own requirements for licensure, and some require more experience or a supplemental exam. A licensed architect can seek a reciprocal license in another state; all jurisdictions accept the NCARB Certificate.
What 3 state boards publish
| State | What the board asks for | Exam | Fee | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Texas Board of Architectural Examiners (TBAE) | Registration by examination under TBAE Rules 1.21 and 1.23. Create a TBAE account only if you have or are completing a NAAB-accredited degree; $100 application fee, proof of legal status and a fingerprint-based criminal history check. TBAE offers an ARE grant to residents who meet income criteria and have passed at least 2 divisions. TBAEArchitects: Registration by ExaminationTexas Board of Architectural Examiners
| |||
| California California Architects Board (CAB) | At least 18 (or a high school graduate); all ARE divisions; the California Supplemental Examination (CSE); the AXP (or Canada's IAP); and 8 years of architectural training and education combined (education credit or extra AXP hours), under Business and Professions Code s. 5552. CABBecoming a Licensed ArchitectCalifornia Architects Board
| |||
| New York NYSED Office of the Professions | At least 21, good moral character, and education plus experience totalling at least 12 units (a NAAB degree counts up to 9; a NAAB degree is not required). Initial applicants document the AXP and pass the ARE. Licensure fee $377 (Form 1). NYSED OPGeneral Requirements for ArchitectureNew York State Education Department, Office of the Professions
| |||
Each row is copied from that board's own page and cites it. A dash means the board page we read did not state it. Other states have their own rules: check the board where you will work, or open the state pages.
Good to know
Not always required
- Working in an architecture firm before licensure (AXP experience is earned under a licensed architect); you may not call yourself an architect until licensed (NCARB).
Changes to watch
- NCARB updated the ARE on 27 April 2026 (12 of 91 objectives adjusted, case studies shortened) and the AXP in November 2025 (experience up to a year old earns full credit, older experience 75%).
- NCARB plans new licensure pathways, including for people without a NAAB degree; no changes before 2027 at the earliest.