North Carolina Board of Architecture and Registered Interior Designers


Please Note

We are a service company that can help you file with the North Carolina Board of Architecture and Registered Interior Designers. We are not associated with this nor any other government agency. We offer paid services and software to help you file. You are not required to purchase our service to file - you may file directly with this agency without using our service.


Contact Information

Physical address:
434 Fayetteville St
Suite 2005
Raleigh, NC 27601

Phone: (984) 328-1161

Web: Home Name search
Email: ncba@ncbarch.org

Licenses

We track the following licenses with the North Carolina Board of Architecture and Registered Interior Designers in order to provide compliance services to our clients. As a client, you see this and other Compliance Core™ data in License Manager in-line with your licenses.

A laptop placed on a desk with our License Manager software on display

North Carolina Architect License

Agency:North Carolina Board of Architecture and Registered Interior Designers
Exam Required?Yes

Initial Registration

This section applies to architects that are applying for a license in North Carolina for the first time.

Agency Fee:

$55

How to Apply:
  1. To become eligible to take the Exam for licensure North Carolina, contact NCARB directly.  In order to qualify to take the exam for NC you must have a NAAB accredited degree and an active NCARB record.  NCARB will notify you of your eligibility status and send scores directly to you.
  2. Once you have completed all North Carolina requirements for licensure by exam, contact NCARB and direct them to transmit your completed AXP record to the North Carolina Board of Architecture & Registered Interior Designers for review. North Carolina will also accept candidates via the NCARB Approved IPAL program.
  3. Upon receipt of your completed NCARB AXP, the Board of Architecture will contact you with further instructions.

Reciprocal Registration

This section applies to architects licensed in another state that are looking for reciprocal licensure in North Carolina.

Form:

Application for Licensure by Reciprocity with NCARB Certificate

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$155

Notes:
  • Applicants for licensure via reciprocity must have an NCARB certificate and have a current license in another state.
  • You must contact NCARB separately and have them submit a copy of your certified record to the North Carolina Board of Architecture.

Registration Renewal

This section applies to architects that are already licensed in North Carolina and need to renew their license.

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$55

Due:

Annually by June 30.

North Carolina Certificate of Registration

Agency:North Carolina Board of Architecture and Registered Interior Designers
Law:

NC G.S. § 83A-8

Eligible Entity Types:
  • Professional Corporations
  • Professional Limited Liability Companies
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Yes
Ownership Requirements:

Professional Corporations:

  • At least 2/3 of the shares of ownership must be held by licensed design professionals.
  • At least one officer and director must be licensed as architects in North Carolina.
  • All owners must be natural persons.

Professional Limited Liability Companies:

  • At least 2/3 of the owners must be licensed design professionals.
  • At least one member and manager must be licensed as architects in North Carolina.
  • The firm name must contain the word “Professional LLC or PLLC or P.L.L.C. If the firm name asused in its home State does not have a professional designation you must use a “doing business as” (d/b/a) name
  • All owners must be natural persons.

Initial Registration

This section applies to architectural firms that are applying for a license in North Carolina for the first time. If you already have a license and are looking to renew it, please see the renewal section.

Form:

Application for a Certificate of Registration

Filing Method:

Mail

Agency Fee:

$125

Turnaround:

2-4 business days

Before you Apply:

Domestic Applicants:

  • Ensure that your business entity will meet ownership requirements.

Foreign Applicants:

  • Ensure that your North Carolina entity will meet ownership requirements.
  • Obtain a certificate of good standing from your business entity's home state (to be filed during the foreign qualification process). The certificate cannot be more than 6 months old when filing foreign qualification documents.
How to Apply:

Domestic Applicants:

  1. File the firm licensure part 1 application along with entity formation documents to the North Carolina Board of Architecture.
  2. Once approved you will receive the Board's Certification - file the certification and entity formation documents with the North Carolina Secretary of State - Business Registration Division.
  3. Submit proof of entity formation to the North Carolina Board of Architecture.
  4. Complete the firm licensure part 2 application
  5. Submit approved Secretary of State paperwork to the Board of Architecture, then firm license will be issued.

Foreign Applicants:

  1. File the firm licensure application along with entity formation documents to the North Carolina Board of Architecture.
  2. Once approved you will receive the Board's Certification - file the certification and foreign qualification documents with the North Carolina Secretary of State - Business Registration Division.
  3. Submit proof of foreign qualification to the North Carolina Board of Architecture.
Required Attachments:
  • A copy of the Articles of Incorporation/Organization and any amendments thereto as filed in the firm home State (if foreign)
  • List of officers, managers, directors, or partners of the entity including addresses and license numbers
  • List of shareholders, members/owners, or partners of the entity including addresses and % of ownership
  • List all other employees of the firm who hold a license to practice architecture in any U.S. jurisdiction and are not already listed on the application

Registration Renewal

This section applies to architectural firms that are already licensed in North Carolina and need to renew their license.

Form:

Firm Renewal Form

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$125

Due:

Annually by December 31. Renewals may be filed as early as November 1.

Notes:

Renewal notices are sent by email in November of each year.

Required Attachments:
  • Disclosure of disciplinary actions taken against North Carolina licensees (if applicable)

Amendment

Form:
Agency Fee:

$0

Due:

Within 30 days of the change

Law:

21 NCAC 02 .0201

Notes:

Firms or partnerships must notify the Board of all changes in ownership, association, contact information, email, or physical address.

Reinstatement

Form:

Reinstatement for Professional Corporations and Limited Liability Companies

Agency Fee:

$300

Notes:

2 separate forms (1 for Corporations and 1 for LLC's)

North Carolina Interior Design Firm Registration

Agency:North Carolina Board of Architecture and Registered Interior Designers
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Yes

Initial Registration

Form:

Application for Registered Interior Design Firm

Agency Fee:

$125

Required Attachments:
  • A copy of the firm’s articles of incorporation or Certificate of Authority as filed with the North Carolina Secretary of State or the most recent Annual Report as on file with the North Carolina Secretary of State
  • A list of all Registered Interior Designers employed by the firm, including title and NC Registered Interior Designer Number

Registration Renewal

Form:

Registered Interior Designer Firm Renewal Form

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$125

Due:

Annually by December 31.

North Carolina Interior Designer Registration

Agency:North Carolina Board of Architecture and Registered Interior Designers

Initial Registration

Form:

Application for Registered Interior Designer

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$155

Registration Renewal

Form:

Registered Interior Designer Renewal Form

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$55

Due:

Annually by June 30.

North Carolina Limited Liability Partnership Registration

Agency:North Carolina Board of Architecture and Registered Interior Designers
Eligible Entity Types:
  • Limited Liability Partnership
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Yes
Ownership Requirements:
  • Domestic Limited Liability Partnerships:
    • At least one partner must hold a North Carolina-issued architect license or North Carolina-issued interior designer registration
    • All partners must be natural persons.
  • Foreign Limited Liability Partnerships:
    • At least one partner must hold a North Carolina-issued architect license or North Carolina-issued interior designer registration
    • All partners must be natural persons
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?No

Initial Registration

Form:

Limited Liability Partnership Application

Filing Method:

Mail

Agency Fee:

$0

Required Attachments:
  • Copy of North Carolina Secretary of State Registration 
  • Certificate of Existence or similar document (foreign limited liability partnerships only)

Renewal Not Required

Not required



Limited Liability Partnerships are not required to renew their registration or pay an annual fee as long as they notify the Board of any changes to their registration within 30 days of that change. 

Amendment

Form:
Agency Fee:

$0

Due:

Within 30 days of change

Notes:

Firms or partnerships must notify the Board of all changes in ownership, association, contact information, email, or physical address.

Related Government Agencies

Explore other North Carolina government agencies we can help you stay compliant with:


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