50-State Architecture Licensing Compliance Guide
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North Carolina Architecture Industry Licensing

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Licensing requirements for architecture industry firms and individuals in North Carolina.

This page provides an overview of architecture industry licensing in North Carolina for individuals and firms. You will find state requirements, application fees, filing instructions, and more. For assistance with licensing, please contact us to learn about our software and managed license services.

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Company Licenses

North Carolina Architecture Company Licenses

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
  • Limited Liability Partnerships
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.

Domestic Limited Liability Partnerships:

  • All partners must hold a North Carolina issued architect license.
  • All partners must be natural persons.

Foreign Limited Liability Partnerships:

  • At least one partner must hold a North Carolina issued architect license.
  • All partners must be natural persons.
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

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:

$75

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:

$100

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:

Address Change for Firms or Architecture Firm Name Change

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:

$250

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
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

Form:

Application for Registered Interior Design Firm

Agency Fee:

$75

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:

$100

Due:

Annually by December 31.

North Carolina Landscape Architecture Organization Certificate of Registration

Agency:North Carolina Board of Landscape Architects
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

Form:

Application For Organization Certificate of Registration or Application For Organization Certificate of Registration - PLLC

Agency Fee:

$100 application fee + $250 certificate fee due after application is approved.

Notarize:Required
Before you Apply:

A domestic entity in this state needs to have an officer, director, and shareholder who are licensed Landscape Architects in North Carolina. A foreign corporation only needs to have individuals licensed as Landscape Architects in North Carolina who are directors and officers.

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$250

Due:

Annually by June 30.

Individual Licenses

North Carolina Individual Architecture Licenses

North Carolina Architect License

Agency:North Carolina Board of Architecture and Registered Interior Designers
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Yes
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

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

Agency Fee:

$50

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:

$150

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:

$50

Due:

Annually by June 30.

North Carolina Interior Designer Registration

Agency:North Carolina Board of Architecture and Registered Interior Designers
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

Form:

Application for Registered Interior Designer

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$150

Registration Renewal

Form:

Registered Interior Designer Renewal Form

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$50

Due:

Annually by June 30.

North Carolina Landscape Architect License

Agency:North Carolina Board of Landscape Architects
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$100

Notarize:Not required

Reciprocal Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$100

How to Apply:
  1. Complete the Individual Application for License through Certemy and submit to the Board
  2. Pay the $100 application fee by check, MasterCard or Visa
  3. Contact CLARB and ask that they transmit your CLARB Council Record to the NC Board or
    1. If you do not have a CLARB Council Record, in addition to the application, you must:
    2. Have (3) Confidential Reference Forms (at least one must be a licensed landscape architect who is familiar with your work, not necessarily a NC licensed LA) submit references to the Board through Certemy.
    3. Have Employer Verification Forms from past and present employers in all related fields submit verification to the Board through Certemy.

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$100

Due:

Annually by June 30.

Learn about architecture licensing in other states:

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho
Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri
Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania
Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

ARE (Architect Registration Examination) - Assesses candidates for their knowledge, skills, and ability to provide the various services required to be a practicing architect.

AXP (Architectural Experience Program) - NCARB program for architectural internship, a requirement for licensure that occurs after filling the educational requirements.

BEFA (Broadly Experienced Foreign Architect) - An alternative NCARB certification that allows foreign architects to independently practice architecture.

COA (Certificate of Authorization) - The most common name of the registration required for firms to practice architecture in a given state.

Design Firm - Architectural firm registration is sometimes grouped with engineering and land surveying on a single “design firm” application form.

NCARB Certification - Licensed architects have the option to become Certificate holders to signify that they have met national standards established by U.S. licensing boards for protecting public health, safety, and welfare. Certification also facilitates reciprocal registration in all 54 jurisdictions, 11 Canadian jurisdictions, and can be used to support an application for licensure in other countries.

Reciprocity - This is when a licensed architect in one state can provide documentation (often a NCARB certificate) to more easily apply for licensure in another jurisdiction.

State Board - Often referred to as the State Architects Licensure Board or Board of Architects, an individual state’s board serves as the regulatory authority for architects. The board qualifies and licenses individuals seeking architectural licensure. The board is responsible for preserving the public health, safety, and welfare of individuals who occupy built environments.

National Architecture Accrediting Board
NAAB establishes criteria for and accredits professional architecture degree programs in the United States.

The American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS)
AIAS is an independent, student-run group that promotes excellence in architecture education, training, and practice.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA)
AIA is a voluntary professional organization for architects providing advocacy, information, and community.

The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA)
ACSA represents architectural education programs across the globe.

The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB)
NCARB is the national organization representing the state registration boards.

Revised March 22, 2023. Complete data last reviewed February 14, 2023.
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