In 2025 and 2026, NCARB updated the Architectural Experience Program® (AXP®) and Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®) to align with the NCARB Competency Standard for Architects. These updates focused on making minor changes to the AXP’s experience areas and ARE’s exam objectives to better reflect the competencies defined in the Competency Standard.

Currently working on the AXP and/or ARE? Don’t worry.

The updates to the AXP and ARE did not affect the current AXP experience areas or ARE divisions, and you’ll retain full credit for all your existing AXP hours and passed ARE divisions. If you have ARE 5.0 credits from passed ARE 4.0 divisions, those credits were not impacted by the 2026 updates.

AXP Changes 

NCARB launched several changes to the AXP in November 2025. The structure of the AXP remained the same, including the six experience areas and the requirement to gain and document 3,740 hours of experience. 

  1. Refreshed descriptions of each of the program’s six experience areas: The description of each AXP experience area was updated to reflect appropriate capabilities described in the Competency Standard for Architects. The minimum required hours per experience area were not impacted. Note: AXP Portfolio applicants must still associate exhibits with the AXP’s 96 tasks. 
     
  2. Replacing the five-year reporting requirement with a new reporting policy: Under the new reporting policy, candidates may earn 100% credit for experience up to a year old. Experience older than one year is worth 75% credit, with no limitation on how old that experience can be. This change was applied to previously reported experience as well as new experience reports, and many candidates received additional AXP credit. Learn more. 
     
  3. Updating the process through which candidates can gain experience for completing professional development courses: NCARB has expanded the “Setting O: Continuing Education for HSW” opportunity that allows candidates to gain experience for completing continuing education (CE) programs that qualify for HSW. Under the updated requirements, NCARB accepts CE courses covering HSW subjects when they are reported on transcripts provided by pre-approved organizations. This now includes NCARB’s entire library of continuing education courses.

ARE Changes 

In addition, NCARB launched minor updates to the ARE on April 27, 2026. These updates focused on minor adjustments to some exam objectives and formatting adjustments to case studies. The changes did not impact the ARE’s overall division structure, number of items per division, or testing time per division.

  1. Exam Objective Adjustments: NCARB made minor adjustments to 12 of the 91 exam objectives identified in the ARE 5.0 Guidelines. These adjustments were limited to small clarifying updates and, in some cases, narrowing the competency expectations assessed in the exam to align with the Competency Standard. Learn more.
     
  2. Refreshed Case Studies: The format of the exam’s case studies was also refined to make case studies more efficient for candidates. Case studies now feature fewer total resources and fewer items per individual case study—reducing exam loading times as well as time spent reviewing case study resources during the exam. Candidates can still expect to see the same total number of case study items per exam division.