Remote Work Is Now a Permanent Part of Architectural Practice
The post-pandemic shift to remote and hybrid work has changed how architecture firms operate, and it has created genuine questions for AXP candidates about how to document experience hours when they are not in a traditional office environment. NCARB has clarified its AXP policies around remote work, and understanding these policies is practical knowledge that directly affects how candidates plan and document their licensure experience. This is especially relevant for recent graduates who joined firms during or after 2020, when remote work became standard practice at many firms.
Does Remote Work Qualify for AXP Credit?
Yes. NCARB’s AXP rules do not require experience to be earned in a physical office. What matters is the nature of the work, not where it is performed. If a task qualifies for AXP credit when performed at the office - developing construction documents, coordinating with consultants, reviewing submittals, or participating in client meetings - it qualifies equally when performed remotely. The AXP is organized around experience in professional tasks, not presence in a specific location.
Supervisor Requirements for Remote AXP
Remote work creates potential complications with supervisor verification. AXP requires that an IDP (AXP) supervisor be a licensed architect who can review and verify the candidate’s reported experience hours. For remote workers, this means the supervisor must still be able to observe, review, and verify the quality of the work being reported. This typically requires regular video calls or screen-sharing sessions, reviewing deliverables, and maintaining the same quality of oversight they would provide in an office setting. NCARB does not require daily in-person contact but does require meaningful professional oversight.
If a candidate works remotely for a firm without a local licensed architect supervisor, they may be able to designate a supervisor in another location who reviews their work digitally. The supervisor must be licensed in any US jurisdiction and must be able to meaningfully evaluate the candidate’s competency in the reported experience areas.
Earning Hours in All Six Experience Areas Remotely
The six AXP experience areas were defined around tasks that can be performed remotely: Practice Management (business correspondence, proposals, contracts), Project Management (schedules, budgets, consultant coordination), Programming and Analysis (research, site analysis, programming documents), Project Planning and Design (schematic design, presentations), Project Development and Documentation (construction documents, specifications, BIM coordination), and Construction and Evaluation (CA services, submittals, RFI review). Remote workers may find it easiest to accumulate hours in documentation and project management tasks; CA hours may require site visits that cannot be done remotely, though submittal review and RFI response can be handled from any location.
Key Points for AXP Candidates Working Remotely
- Remote work qualifies for AXP hours based on the task performed, not the location where it is performed.
- Supervisor oversight is still required - digital review, video meetings, and deliverable review satisfy the oversight requirement.
- Construction Administration hours from site visits cannot be earned remotely, but most CA administrative tasks (RFIs, submittals) can.
- NCARB’s reporting platform (the NCARB Record) works the same for remote workers as for in-office workers.
- Candidates should confirm their supervisor arrangement meets NCARB’s requirements before beginning remote AXP documentation to avoid rejected hours later.
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