Welcome to NCARB
Helping licensure candidates
and architects reach their
career goals.
Free Practice Exams
To ensure that all candidates have access to affordable, high quality study materials, NCARB has created a full-length, fully scored practice exam for each division of the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®).

Licensure Requirements
Use our interactive tool to explore licensing requirements in your home state or any of NCARB’s 55 jurisdictions.
Blogs & Press Releases

Top Four Tips from Recently Licensed Architects to Kick-Start Your 2023 Goals
Check out key takeaways from our recent webinar!

Improve Your Exam Performance With NCARB’s Free Practice Exams
Candidates who use NCARB’s practice exams have seen an average 12% increase in pass rates.

Wanda Dalla Costa: Supporting the Next Generation of Indigenous Architects
Wanda Dalla Costa shares wisdom from nearly 20 years of working with Indigenous communities.

Learn Architecture Best Practices in Indoor Air Quality: New CE Series
Satisfy your continuing education requirement with NCARB’s new CE course.

Explore the FY22 Annual Report
We are excited to release our FY22 Annual Report.

Balancing Family Life and the Architect Registration Examination
Having a hard time juggling daily life while preparing for the ARE? Check out advice and tips from Harpreet Cosgrove.
Start NCARB Record
By creating an NCARB Record, you can keep track of your education, career progress, exam history, and licensing information.
Data & Resources

ARE 5.0 Guidelines
Includes exam policies, scheduling instructions, and more for candidates testing with PSI. Updated September 2022.

AXP Guidelines
This document includes steps to completing the AXP, reporting procedures, experience requirements, and more. Last updated May 2020.

Certification Guidelines
This document outlines the requirements for NCARB certification for U.S., Canadian, and foreign architects. Last updated July 2022.
Earn an NCARB Certificate
With this credential, architects can easily apply for out-of-state licenses, plus access to free continuing education courses.