Licensure is evolving. As part of our Pathways to Practice initiative, NCARB is in the middle of reimagining the path to earning an architecture license—including the exam and experience program. To ensure the future of licensure is flexible and fair, NCARB is gathering feedback from the next generation of architects on the changes we’re considering. Take our short survey to share your perspective on the potential evolution of the requirements for earning an architecture license.
Whether you’ve been working in architecture for years or are just beginning to consider a career in architecture, NCARB’s Future of Architectural Licensure survey will allow you to shape the development of the programs and services designed to measure your ability to practice architecture safely and independently.
We anticipate that this survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. Survey responses are due by the end of the day on February 13, 2026.
About the Survey
Earning a license is an important step in your architecture career. The current process of earning a license typically involves earning a degree from a program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), documenting professional experience, and passing a national licensing exam.
Through our Pathways to Practice initiative, NCARB is exploring opportunities to create a more flexible, modular licensure process, allowing candidates to choose a licensure path that best suits their individual career progress and education background.
By offering multiple pathways to initial licensure, NCARB can reduce the social and financial impediments attached to a single path, ensure that individuals of all professional and educational backgrounds are able to pursue a career in architecture, and establish consistent standards for initial licensure regardless of the level of education one has obtained.
Your responses to this survey will be used to better understand how potential policies and programs could impact the next generation of architects.