Licensing Requirements
- Requirements for Licensure as an Architect:
- By Endorsement (Already Licensed in Another Jurisdiction)
- By Graduation, Experience And Examination
- By Experience And Examination
- By Transfer
of Grades (Already Passed All Divisions of the ARE)
- Experience Requirements for Licensure
- Company
Registration and Continuing Education
- Overview of Colorado's Requirements
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Background of the Licensure Process
- The Route to Licensure
Requirements for Licensure as an Architect
Endorsement Licensure as an Architect (Already Licensed in Another Jurisdiction):
12-25-314(3) Must be licensed in good standing in another jurisdiction. Qualifications must be substantially equivalent to those currently required of new applicants. May apply directly to Colorado or with a National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) Council Record - refer to the directions in the application.
Licensure as an Architect by Graduation, Experience and Examination:
12-25-314(1)(a)(I)(A) Graduate with a professional degree from a program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) and have three years of practical experience of the type and time required by Board Rule 4.5
12-25-314(1)(a)(I)(B) Graduate with a four-year architecture or environmental design degree, or other equivalent education as defined in Board Rule 4.5 and have five years of practical experience of the type and time required by Board Rule 4.5.
Licensure as an Architect by Experience and Examination:
12-25-314(1)(a)(II) or (III) Must have ten years of practical experience of the type and time required by Board Rule 4.5, of which education may be a part according to Board Rule 4.5.
Licensure as an Architect by Transfer of Grades (Already Passed all Divisions of the ARE):
If you have passed all divisions of the ARE but are not yet licensed in another jurisdiction, you may apply to transfer your grades to Colorado. To be eligible, you must meet all of Colorado's licensing requirements - see above - and you must provide verification of passing the exams from another jurisdiction or from NCARB.
Experience Requirements for Licensure
Please note that the experience necessary for licensure in Colorado as required in Board Rule 4.5 may be gained directly OR through the NCARB Intern Development Program (IDP). The Colorado Board recognizes, but currently does not require, successful completion of NCARB's IDP as meeting the requirements to take the ARE. However, effective January 1, 2011, the Colorado experience requirements mirror the NCARB IDP training requirements (refer to Board Rule 4.4.1). Please be aware that, unlike Colorado, many states require completion of IDP for licensure and may not award endorsement or reciprocity licensure without it. Information about IDP and states that require it is available from NCARB at www.ncarb.org.
Note: Effective January 1, 2014, NCARB’s IDP will be required of all Colorado applicants for original licensure.
An Overview of Colorado's Requirements
Please refer to Board Rule 4.5.
Company Registration and Continuing Education
Colorado has
no requirements for companies to become registered or "authorized"
with its Board in order to provide architecture in the state. However,
there are provisions in the law regarding the use of "Architect"
in the company name. Refer to section 12-25-304,
C.R.S. for the specific requirements. Please check with the
Colorado Secretary of State for any other requirements in order
to do business in Colorado at www.sos.state.co.us.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Application and Licensure Process
Q: Am
I required to have any other qualifications if I've completed the
NCARB Intern Development Program (IDP)?
A: The Colorado Board recognizes, but does not require, successful
completion of NCARB's IDP as meeting the requirements to take the
ARE. Therefore, if you've completed IDP, you have met the experience
requirements required for licensure in Colorado and the last step
would be to take the ARE. Once you have successfully completed the
ARE, you would be ready for licensure in Colorado. When we receive
your IDP information and your ARE scores from NCARB, we will contact
you with the appropriate application for you to fill out to complete
the licensure process. Be advised that it can take several weeks
for NCARB to send the information to the Colorado Board.
Note: Effective January 1, 2014, NCARB’s IDP will be required of all Colorado applicants for original licensure.
Q: Do
I have to go through NCARB and IDP to get my experience verified?
A: No, IDP is not required now. However, you must have an NCARB File Number in order to take the ARE. You may apply directly to the Colorado Board without going through the entire NCARB IDP process; however, all applicants are required to apply online at www.ncarb.org to set up a NCARB record and obtain a NCARB file number. In addition, you must meet the Colorado experience requirements pursuant to the NCARB IDP training requirements (refer to Board Rule 4.4.1). Be aware that many states require completion of IDP for licensure and may not award endorsement or reciprocity licensure without it. Information about IDP and states that require it is available from NCARB’s website. If you decide to apply directly to the Colorado Board, complete the Application Material for Original License by Examination.
Q: What
do I do now if I've gone through the NCARB IDP and passed the ARE?
A: Once we receive your IDP information and your ARE scores
from NCARB, we will contact you with the appropriate application
for you to fill out to complete the licensure process. Be advised
that it can take several weeks for NCARB to send the information
to the Colorado Board.
Q: If
I've gone through the NCARB IDP, do I have to take the ARE through
NCARB, too?
A: No, you may apply to take the ARE directly through the
Colorado Board. However, it may be more convenient to continue through
the exam process with NCARB, which you may do if you have an NAAB
accredited degree in architecture. Then, NCARB will send your IDP
record and your exam scores to the Colorado Board after you've passed
the entire ARE. If you choose to take the ARE through Colorado rather
than NCARB, you will need to complete the Application
Material for Original License by Examination and have your NCARB
IDP record sent to the Colorado Board. Be advised that it can take several
months for NCARB to send your IDP information to the Colorado Board.
Q: Do
I have to fill out an application if I have an NCARB Council Record?
A: Yes, however, the process is streamlined with the NCARB Council
Record. Please refer to the Application
for Original License by Endorsement.
Q: If
I have taken and passed some of the divisions of the ARE, can I
apply to finish out the licensing process in Colorado and how would
I do that?
A: Yes, you may apply to Colorado to transfer the portions of the
ARE that you have passed and to complete the licensing process in
Colorado. You would need to complete and submit the Application
for Original License by Examination.
A: Yes, however, prior to January 1, 2011 Colorado did not allow early eligibility to take the exam if you took the exam(s) in a state that allowed early eligibility, any exams taken prior to January 1, 2011 and prior to completing all of Colorado's education and experience requirements will not be accepted by the Colorado Board. If you took the exam after obtaining your education and experience, you would need to complete and submit the Application for Licensure by Transfer of Grades.
Q: What
process do I follow or form do I fill out if I need special examination
accommodations?
A: If you require examination administration accommodations that
comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, please
fill out the ADA
Examination Accommodation Request Form.
Background of the Licensure Process
Architectural licensure boards use a combination of education and experience requirements and written examinations to determine whether a candidate should be licensed.
Regulators of the architecture profession often use the metaphor of a three-legged stool to describe the requirements for licensure. Each leg forms an important component to the minimum competency of the entry-level architect. The three legs are education, experience, and examination.
When reviewing these requirements, one must realize they are part of a whole, and the requirements in one area typically affect the requirements in another. For example, licensing examination pass rates should never be looked at in a vacuum. The requirements for being eligible to take the examination can predetermine or significantly impact an examination pass rate. All states administer the national written examination, the Architect Registration Examination (A.R.E.). Some states' pass rates are significantly higher than others, even though the examinations are the same and they are graded the same by NCARB. This is partly because, while all jurisdictions require candidates to have completed a minimum of eight years of education and/or work experience and pass the A.R.E. as conditions for licensure, some states set markedly different requirements for eligibility for the examination. Some jurisdictions require that a candidate have a minimum of eight years of education and experience to be eligible to take the written examination, while other jurisdictions require all candidates to have an accredited professional architectural degree. Most jurisdictions, unlike Colorado, require all candidates to have completed the nationally administered Intern Development Program (IDP), a detailed, structured internship, to meet their experience requirements.
Note: Effective January 1, 2014, NCARB’s IDP will be required of all Colorado applicants for original licensure.
Basis of
the Educational and Experience Requirements
Before schools of architecture were established, professionals took
on apprentices and taught them the rudiments and refinements of
architectural practice. This was the classic mentorship method of
learning architecture. As the demands on the principal architect
increased, the time available for on-the-job teaching waned. Architects
urged the creation of schools expressly for educating and training
future architects.
The schools grew in number and size and filled the need for formal
education. But the fledgling architect was not yet ready to become
a licensed architect until completion of a practical training period.
The professional was still asked to provide opportunities for graduates
to acquire first-hand exposure to the real life complexities of
practice and to learn how to apply the knowledge, skills, and abilities
acquired in school. Thus, the internship process was developed,
culminating in the formalized Intern Development Program (IDP).
Overview of National Licensing Requirements
Individual licensing boards determine the education and experience
necessary to become licensed in their jurisdictions. All U.S. member
boards have a five-year education requirement, based on the five-year
accredited professional degree model. Most boards require a professional
degree from a NAAB-accredited program, but some, including Colorado,
allow other equivalent education or experience to meet the five-year
education requirement.
Similarly, all U.S. licensing boards have a minimum three-year experience
requirement. Only through three years of training can a person receive
the minimum exposure to the various aspects of architectural practice
necessary to practice competently. These education and content requirements
resulted in the creation of the three-year Intern Development Program
(IDP). IDP requires training in specified areas and settings. Many jurisdictions require IDP for licensure. Those jurisdictions
that do not require IDP, including Colorado currently, also require three
years of practical training before licensure. Colorado’s current experience requirements mirror the IDP experience criteria.
The uniform acceptance of the five-year education requirement and
three-year experience requirement not only helps ensure the minimal
competence of architectural candidates but also facilitates interstate
and international practice.
The Colorado Board does not accredit any educational institutions
or programs. The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB)
is the only accrediting body for professional degree programs in
architecture in the U.S. NAAB accredits the professional programs
within the schools, not the schools themselves. Most states, not
including Colorado, and NCARB now require a NAAB-accredited degree
to become licensed and/or certified.
Colorado's Requirements
Colorado's requirements to take the A.R.E. differ somewhat from
most states because the statute allows individuals to qualify with
experience in lieu of a combined education and experience program.
The Colorado statute is also unique in that it allows for a wide
range of education options that individuals may have in order to
qualify for licensure. The Board's requirements to qualify for examination
are based on a diversified practical experience program that is
designed to ensure that candidates have a broad variety of diversified
experience in the architectural environment. The experience requirements
may be met through IDP or by directly complying with the Board's
requirements in Board Rule 4.5 which mirror the IDP criteria. Please refer to Board Rule 4.4.1.
The experience credits are measured in training hours. Experience can be gained in an array of settings. The total number of training hours required depend on the education that a candidate has earned. For example, less training hours are required of a candidate with a higher-level education base.
Each candidate is required to have experience in the training categories that are determined by the Colorado Board and mirror the IDP criteria. Each category is composed of a number of specific activities. Of the total number of training hours required of a candidate, there are a minimum number of training hours required in each category and in each activity. Descriptions of each activity are established by the Board and provided to the candidates.
Colorado's requirements are set forth in the Board's Rules (please see Board Rule 4.5) and have been adopted pursuant to the statutory rule-making requirements.
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