Passing the ARE Gets You a State License - the NCARB Certificate Gets You 55 More
After completing all six ARE divisions, meeting the AXP experience requirements, and satisfying your initial state's education requirements, you receive a license to practice architecture in one state. That license is valid only in that state. To practice in additional states - and over a career spanning decades, most architects end up needing at least a few additional state licenses - you need either to go through each state's individual licensing process or to use the NCARB Certificate as a streamlined reciprocity tool. The NCARB Certificate is the single most effective investment for enabling multi-state practice flexibility, and obtaining it shortly after initial licensure (when your records are current and verified) is standard professional practice for architects who anticipate any future interstate practice.
What the NCARB Certificate Is
The NCARB Certificate is a credential issued by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) confirming that the holder has met NCARB's model requirements for education, experience (AXP), and examination (ARE). It is separate from your state license - you can be licensed without being NCARB-certified (if you have not applied for the certificate) and you can be NCARB-certified without being licensed in any specific state (though in practice, the certificate is typically obtained after initial licensure). The certificate is stored in your NCARB Record and requires annual maintenance (renewal fee) to remain active.
How to Apply
After receiving your initial license: confirm that all your NCARB Record credentials are complete and verified (transcripts, AXP hours, ARE scores); apply for the NCARB Certificate through the NCARB Record portal; pay the certificate fee (approximately $250 as of recent pricing, though fees change); NCARB reviews the application and, if all requirements are met, issues the certificate. The review process typically takes a few weeks. Once issued, the certificate is noted in your NCARB Record and referenced in any reciprocal license applications you submit to other state boards.
Using the Certificate for Reciprocal Licensure
When you need a license in a new state: contact that state's licensing board to determine their specific requirements for reciprocal applicants with an active NCARB Certificate; submit the state application along with your NCARB Certificate number and any state-specific requirements (some states require proof of liability insurance, some require a state law examination); the state board verifies the certificate with NCARB and issues the license. This process is dramatically faster and simpler than submitting all original credentials directly to the state - the NCARB Certificate is the state board's assurance that your credentials have already been verified by NCARB.
Key Points
- NCARB Certificate: confirms NCARB's model requirements for education, experience, and ARE are met.
- Separate from state license: you can be licensed without it, but the certificate enables rapid multi-state licensure.
- Annual maintenance: renewal fee required each year to keep the certificate active.
- Reciprocal licensure: submit NCARB Certificate to target state; state verifies and issues license without re-reviewing all credentials.
- Get it early: obtain the certificate shortly after initial licensure, when all records are current and verified.
AREprep's ARE Overview content covers the complete path from initial eligibility through the ARE, initial licensure, NCARB certification, and reciprocal multi-state licensure - giving ARE candidates the full professional licensing roadmap they need to understand not just the exam, but the entire career arc from candidate to licensed architect practicing across multiple jurisdictions.
Study Smarter on AREprep
AREprep covers all six ARE 5.0 divisions with flashcards and practice exams aligned to the NCARB exam guides.