Architect — License Requirements by State
Designs buildings and oversees construction compliance. Requires a NAAB-accredited degree, AXP experience hours and the ARE (NCARB).
12 of 51 states populated with official data (retrieved 2026-08-20).
By The LicenseFig Editorial Team · independent editorial research project
How to get your Architect license
- Check your state requirements. Open the requirements table for your state on this page — education hours, exam vendor, fees and retake rules.
- Complete pre-license education. Finish the required education hours (or approved equivalent) from an accepted provider.
- Pass the background check. Submit fingerprints and clear the required criminal background check where applicable.
- Register and pass the exam. Register with the exam vendor (PSI, Pearson VUE or Prometric), then pass the national and state portions.
- Pay the license fee. Submit the application and license fee to the state board to receive your license.
- Keep it active. Track renewal dates and continuing-education hours using the License Renewal Calculator.
How much does it cost to get your Architect license?
Costs vary by state. Most charge a modest application or license fee — often between $0 and $120 — and a handful of states also require a small exam fee. A few occupations add pre-license education tuition. See the Fees column in the table below for your state, then compare costs across states with the Exam Cost Compare tool.
| State | Education | Exam | Pass % | Fees | Retake | Reciprocity | Official |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AK | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AZ | — | · $235 | — | — | — | Yes — NCARB Certificate enables licensure by reciprocity | Arizona State Board of Technical Registration ↗ |
| AR | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CA | — | · $235 | — | — | — | Yes — NCARB Certificate enables reciprocity (CA also requires the state CSE exam) | California Architects Board ↗ |
| CO | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| DE | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| DC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| FL | — | · $235 | — | App $50 · Lic $200 | — | Yes — NCARB Certificate enables licensure by reciprocity | Florida Board of Architecture and Interior Design ↗ |
| GA | — | · $235 | — | — | — | Yes — NCARB Certificate enables licensure by reciprocity | Georgia State Board of Architects and Interior Designers ↗ |
| HI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ID | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| IL | — | · $235 | — | — | — | Yes — NCARB Certificate enables licensure by reciprocity | Illinois Architects' Examining Committee (IDFPR) ↗ |
| IN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| IA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| KS | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| KY | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| LA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ME | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MI | — | · $235 | — | — | — | Yes — NCARB Certificate enables licensure by reciprocity | Michigan Board of Architects (LARA) ↗ |
| MN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MS | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MO | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NE | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NH | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NM | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NY | — | · $235 | — | — | — | Yes — NCARB Certificate enables licensure by reciprocity | New York State Board for Architecture ↗ |
| NC | — | · $235 | — | App $50 · Lic $100 | — | Yes — NCARB Certificate enables licensure by reciprocity | North Carolina Board of Architecture ↗ |
| ND | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| OH | — | · $235 | — | — | — | Yes — NCARB Certificate enables licensure by reciprocity | Ohio Architects Board ↗ |
| OK | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| OR | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| PA | — | · $235 | — | — | — | Yes — NCARB Certificate enables licensure by reciprocity | Pennsylvania State Architects Licensure Board ↗ |
| RI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| SC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| SD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| TN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| TX | — | · $235 | — | — | — | Yes — NCARB Certificate enables licensure by reciprocity | Texas Board of Architectural Examiners ↗ |
| UT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| VT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| VA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WA | — | · $235 | — | — | — | Yes — NCARB Certificate enables licensure by reciprocity | Washington State Board of Architecture ↗ |
| WV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WY | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
● Data updated 2026-08-20Data retrieved 2026-08-20 from state boards, PSI, Pearson VUE and CMS. Requirements change — verify with your state board before enrolling or paying. Dash (—) = not published / pending verification.