50-State Architecture Licensing Compliance Guide
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New York Architecture Industry Licensing

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Licensing requirements for architecture industry firms and individuals in New York.

This page provides an overview of architecture industry licensing in New York 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

New York Architecture Company Licenses

New York Architecture Firm License

Not required



Architecture Firm licensure is not required on the State level in New York.

  • New York does currently license architectural firms, however, firms must follow procedures established by the Education Department when incorporating or foreign qualifying.
More information: New York State Education Department - Office of the Professions - State Board for Architecture
Law:

NY EDN Law § 7307

Eligible Entity Types:
  • Professional Corporations
  • Professional Limited Liability Companies
  • Design Professional Corporations
  • Limited Liability Partnerships
  • Limited Partnerships
  • Partnerships
Ownership Requirements:

Professional Corporations:

  • For domestic PCs, all of the shareholders, officers, and directors must be architects licensed in New York.
  • For foreign PCs, at least one of the shareholders must be a New York licensed architect and all of the shareholders, officers, and directors must be architects licensed in any state.

Professional Limited Liability Companies:

  • For domestic PLLCs, all of the members and managers must be architects licensed in New York.
  • For foreign PLLCs, all of the members and managers must be architects licensed in New York and in their original jurisdiction.

Design Professional Corporations:

  • Greater than 75% of the outstanding shares of stock of the DPC must be owned by design professionals
  • Greater than 75% of the directors must be design professionals
  • Greater than 75% of the of the officers must be design professionals
  • The president, the chairperson of the board of directors and the chief executive officer or officers must be design professionals
  • An ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan), either in part or in its entirety, may not constitute part of the greater than 75% owned by design professionals

Limited Liability Partnerships:

  • All of the partners must be architects licensed in New York.

Limited Partnerships:

  • All of the partners must be architects licensed in New York.

New York Interior Design Firm License

Not required



Interior Design Firm licensure is not required on the State level in New York.

New York does not currently license or register interior design businesses.

New York Landscape Architecture Firm License

Not required



Landscape Architecture Firm licensure is not required on the State level in New York.

  • New York does currently license landscape architectural firms, however, firms must follow procedures established by the Education Department when incorporating or foreign qualifying.
More information: New York State Education Department - Office of the Professions - State Board for Landscape Architecture

Individual Licenses

New York Individual Architecture Licenses

New York Architect License

Agency:New York State Education Department - Office of the Professions - State Board for Architecture
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 New York for the first time.

Instructions:

How do I apply for an initial license and to take the ARE?

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$377

Reciprocal Registration

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

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$377 for most paths; $587 if applying via practical examination

Notes:

Who is eligible to apply for a license via the NCARB Certificate?

  • An architect licensed in a US or Canadian jurisdiction who has passed the ARE and holds the NCARB Certificate.

Who is eligible to apply for a license via endorsement for US and Canadian Architects who Passed the ARE?

  • An architect licensed in a US State or Canadian province who has obtained five years of acceptable professional practice following licensure in a US State or Canadian province within the seven years immediately preceding application and who passed the ARE.

Who is eligible to apply for a license via endorsement for Canadian Architects who did not Pass the ARE?

  • An architect licensed in a Canadian province who has five years of acceptable professional practice following licensure in a Canadian province within the seven years immediately preceding application and who did not pass the ARE.

Who is eligible to apply for a license via endorsement for US Architects who Passed the Professional Examination (PE) before 1983?

  • An architect licensed in a US State who has five years of acceptable professional practice following licensure in a US State within the seven years immediately preceding application and who passed the Professional Examination (PE) in use prior to 1983.

Who is eligible to apply for licensure via the practical examination?

  • An applicant applying for licensure via the practical examination must be:
    • An architect who has been Principal/shareholder/owner of their own lawful architectural firm for 10 years or more outside of New York
    • An architect who has never attempted the ARE or any other licensing examination in use by New York prior to the ARE
    • An architect who is licensed in a country where the practice of architecture is regulated and is similar to that of New York.
    • An architect who is licensed in a country where the title of "Architect" is regulated
    • An architect who is licensed in a country where there is an enforcement system for architects that regulates professional conduct
    • An architect who has a minimum of three building projects that have been completed within their 10 years of lawful practice of their own architectural firm and whose projects were completed within the 15 years immediately preceding their application for licensure 

 

How to Apply:

Applying via NCARB Certificate:

  1. Submit Online Form 1 - Application for Licensure. Indicate on your Form 1 that you are applying for licensure via NCARB Certification.
  2. Pay the licensure and first registration fee of $377
  3. Request that NCARB transmit your NCARB Record to New York State.
  4. ONLY IF FOREIGN EDUCATED: send Form 2 - Certification of Professional Education to your foreign university for them to complete and send back to the Department with all required documentation (New York State does not accept an EESA evaluation).

Applying via Endorsement for US and Canadian Architects who Passed the ARE:

  1. Submit Form 1, New York’s Application for Licensure. Please indicate on your Form 1 that you are applying for a license via endorsement and have passed the ARE
  2. Pay the licensure and first registration fee of $377
  3. Send Form 3 to each jurisdiction in which you are licensed. Form 3 must be submitted directly by the licensing authority to the Department. The board must receive a Form 3 from each jurisdiction in which you are licensed.
  4. Send Form 4E to an architect licensed in the same State or Province who will endorse your experience. Your endorser must submit the Form 4E directly to the Department. The form will not be accepted if submitted by you.

Applying via Endorsement for Canadian Architects who did not Pass the ARE:

  1. Submit Form 1, New York’s Application for Licensure. Please indicate on your Form 1 that you are applying for a license via endorsement and did not pass the ARE
  2. Pay the licensure and first registration fee of $377
  3. Send Form 3 to each jurisdiction in which you are licensed. Form 3 must be submitted directly by the licensing authority to the Department. The board must receive a Form 3 from each jurisdiction in which you are licensed.
  4. Send Form 4E to an architect licensed in the same Province who will endorse your experience. Your endorser must submit the Form 4E directly to the Department. The form will not be accepted if submitted by you.
  5. If you are found to be eligible via this pathway, an invitation with details for a practical examination will be emailed to you.

Applying via Endorsement for US Architects who Passed the Professional Examination (PE) before 1983:

  1. Submit Form 1, New York’s Application for Licensure. Please indicate on your Form 1 that you are applying for a license by endorsement, PE no QT
  2. Pay the licensure and first registration fee of $377
  3. Send Form 3 to each jurisdiction in which you are licensed. Form 3 must be submitted directly by the licensing authority to the New York State Education Department. The board must receive a Form 3 from each jurisdiction in which you are licensed.
  4. Send Form 4E to an architect licensed in the same State who will endorse your experience. Your endorser must submit the Form 4E directly to the Department. The form will not be accepted if submitted by you.

Applying via Practical Examination:

  1. Submit Online Form 1 - Application for Licensure. Indicate on your Form 1 that you are applying for licensure via the practical examination.
  2. Pay the licensure and first registration fee of $587  
  3. Send Form 3 - Verification of Other Professional Licensure/Certification and/or Examination to each jurisdiction in which you are licensed. Form 3 must be submitted directly by the licensing authority to the Department.
  4. Send Form 4P - Attestation of 10 Years of Lawful Practice Outside New York State as Principal/Shareholder/Owner of Firm to three licensed and registered architects who will attest to your lawful practice outside of New York State for the required minimum period of 10 years. These architects must submit the Form 4P directly to the Department. The form will not be accepted if submitted by you. 
  5. If you are found eligible via this pathway, an invitation with details for a practical examination will be emailed to you.

Registration Renewal

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

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$287

Due:

Triennially by the last day of the month prior to the architect's birth month.

New York Interior Designer Certification

Agency:New York State Education Department - Office of the Professions - Interior Design Unit
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$377

Notarize:Not required

Reciprocal Registration

Form:

Online Form 1 and Form 3 - Verification of Other Professional Licensure/Certification

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$210

Due:

Triennially

New York Landscape Architect License

Agency:New York State Education Department - Office of the Professions - State Board for Landscape Architecture
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$294

Notarize:Not required

Reciprocal Registration

Form:

Online Form 1 and Form 3 - Verification of Other Licensure/Certification

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$294

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$224

Due:

Triennially by the end of the month prior to the licensee's month of birth.

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 16, 2023. Complete data last reviewed February 14, 2023.
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