ARE (Architectural Registration Exam) Requirements & Prerequisites
Everything you need to know before registering for the ARE (Architectural Registration Exam), eligibility, cost, format, and what to expect on exam day.
Cost
$235 per division (6 divisions = $1,410 total)
Provider
NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards)
Validity
5-year rolling clock to pass all 6 divisions
Available
USA
Education
Check official exam requirements
Experience
3-5+ years of professional experience typically required
Specific Requirements
- An active NCARB Record. The application fee for licensure candidates is $105 and the annual renewal is $105.
- Exam eligibility granted by a jurisdiction's licensing board, requested through the Exams tab of your NCARB Record. Each jurisdiction sets its own rules, and in most cases testing can begin after you meet the education requirement.
- Acceptance of the ARE Candidate Agreement, which binds you to keep exam content confidential.
- The Architectural Experience Program is required for licensure and runs alongside the exam: 3,740 hours across six experience areas, with about half gained in an architecture firm under a licensed architect (Setting A) and up to 1,860 hours in Setting O.
- Most jurisdictions apply a test activity requirement, so eligibility can expire if you have not attempted a division within a five-year period.
- Testing accommodations must be approved before you schedule an appointment; they cannot be applied retroactively.
Number of Questions
65 items in Practice Management, 75 in Project Management, Programming and Analysis, and Construction and Evaluation, and 100 in Project Planning and Design and Project Development and Documentation. Each division includes 6 to 9 unscored pretest items, so scored items run 59, 68, and 91 respectively.
Duration
Per division. Practice Management: 2 hr 40 min testing, 30 min break, 3 hr 20 min appointment. Project Management, Programming and Analysis, Construction and Evaluation: 3 hr testing, 30 min break, 3 hr 40 min appointment. Project Planning and Design and Project Development and Documentation: 4 hr 5 min testing, 45 min break, 5 hr appointment. Appointment time includes 10 minutes of introductory and exit screens.
Question Format
Multiple choice with three or four response options and one correct answer, Check-all-that-apply, selecting between two and four correct responses from six options with no partial credit, Hotspot, clicking an area or object within a drawing, photograph, diagram, or map, Case study items using all three formats, presented with a scenario and one or two resources
Passing Requirement
NCARB does not publish the cut score. Each division has a cut score representing entry-level competence, set by judgment rather than by a fixed pass percentage, and your total of correctly answered scored items is compared with it. Results are reported as pass or fail. Failing score reports include a scaled score; passing score reports do not.
How It Is Delivered
Computer-based at PSI test centers or through the PSI Proctoring Platform for online delivery. Test center appointments must be scheduled at least 48 hours in advance, online-proctored appointments at least 24 hours in advance.
Languages Offered
English. NCARB offers an ESL accommodation of 20 percent additional testing time, plus a personally supplied printed word-to-word translation dictionary at test centers only.
Visit the official NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards) certification page
Create an account and select your exam
Choose a test center or online proctoring option
Pay the exam fee and schedule your date
- Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo)
- Appointment confirmation email
- For online proctoring: webcam, microphone, clean desk, stable internet
What are the prerequisites for the ARE (Architectural Registration Exam)?
An active NCARB Record. The application fee for licensure candidates is $105 and the annual renewal is $105.. Exam eligibility granted by a jurisdiction's licensing board, requested through the Exams tab of your NCARB Record. Each jurisdiction sets its own rules, and in most cases testing can begin after you meet the education requirement.. Acceptance of the ARE Candidate Agreement, which binds you to keep exam content confidential.. The Architectural Experience Program is required for licensure and runs alongside the exam: 3,740 hours across six experience areas, with about half gained in an architecture firm under a licensed architect (Setting A) and up to 1,860 hours in Setting O.. Most jurisdictions apply a test activity requirement, so eligibility can expire if you have not attempted a division within a five-year period.. Testing accommodations must be approved before you schedule an appointment; they cannot be applied retroactively..
How much does the ARE (Architectural Registration Exam) cost?
The ARE (Architectural Registration Exam) exam costs $235 per division (6 divisions = $1,410 total). This includes the exam fee only, study materials are additional.
How do I register for the ARE (Architectural Registration Exam)?
Visit the official NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards) certification page → Create an account and select your exam → Choose a test center or online proctoring option → Pay the exam fee and schedule your date
What should I bring to the ARE (Architectural Registration Exam)?
Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo). Appointment confirmation email. For online proctoring: webcam, microphone, clean desk, stable internet.
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