California State Licensing
License Renewal
California architect licenses expire at midnight on the last day of the licensee's birth month in odd-numbered years and must be renewed every two years.
Steps to Renewing Your License
- Completing a continuing education course on disabled access as required by Senate Bill 1608.
- Completing and signing the License Renewal Application
- Paying the $200 license renewal fee
For more detailed information and all the forms necessary to renew, please contact the CAB.
Mandatory Continuing Education on Disabled Access Requirements
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill (SB) 1608 (Chapter 549, Statutes of 2008) on September 29, 2008, requiring all California architects to complete mandatory continuing education courses on disabled access requirements as a condition of license renewal. The bill also requires licensees to provide documentation from the course provider to the California Architects Board (Board) with the renewal application. The bill was sponsored by the California Chamber of Commerce, trial lawyers association, and most disabled access groups. Below are details on the requirement.
The Basic Requirements
SB 1608 requires that architects, as part of the license renewal requirements:
- Certify on the license renewal application that s/he has completed the required coursework.
- Provide documentation with the renewal application from the course provider indicating the course title, subjects covered, name of provider and trainer or educator, date of completion, number of hours completed, and a statement about the trainer or educator's knowledge and experience background.
On completion of an AIASCV program, you will receive required paperwork to submit with your renewal application. If not attending an AIASCV program, submit the completed Coursework Provider Documentation Form with your renewal application. Other documentation containing the required information will also be accepted in lieu of the reporting form.
How Many Hours Do I Need?
The amount of coursework hours required to renew a license will be phased in, eventually requiring five hours every renewal cycle (two years) for all licensees. Three factors are used to determine how much coursework is required:
- License expiration date
- Submittal date of completed renewal application and payment to the Board
- Actual effective date of the license renewal
| Birth Month (License Renewal) |
# of Hours Needed |
| January - May 2009 |
0 hours |
| June - November 2009 |
1 hour |
| December 2009 |
2.5 hours |
| 2011 and beyond |
5 hours |
Eligibility for Licensure
Once a license candidate has fulfilled all the necessary requirements, he or she is eligible to receive a license to practice architecture in California. A summary of those requirements are as follows:
- 8 years of post-secondary education and/or work experience as evaluated by the CAB (including at least one year of work experience under the direct supervision of an architect licensed in a U.S. jurisdiction or two years of work experience under the direct supervision of an architect registered in a Canadian province)
- Completion of the Comprehensive Intern Development Program (CIDP) and the Intern Development Program (IDP)
- Successful completion of the Architect Registration Examination (ARE)
- Successful completion of the California Supplemental Examination (CSE)
Beginning the Licensure Process
To become a candidate for licensure, individuals must first submit to the CAB an Application for Eligibility Evaluation to establish eligibility to take the ARE. Candidates are eligible to begin taking the ARE following completion of five years of educational and/or work experience equivalents and enrolling in the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards' (NCARB) Intern Development Program.
Candidates apply to the CAB for ARE eligibility by submitting the following:
- Completed Application for Eligibility Evaluation
- $100 eligibility review fee
- Employment Verification Form(s) and/or school transcripts submitted directly from the school
For more information about the examination process, go to the ARE page on this site or visit www.cab.ca.gov/candidates/are
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