The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) has implemented updates to the Architectural Experience Program (AXP) to align the program with the?NCARB Competency Standard for Architects, effective Nov. 18, 2025. The updates, which are described below, include launching a new experience reporting policy, updating each of the six experience area descriptions, and expanding opportunities to gain experience through professional development courses. All changes are reflected in the AXP Guidelines.
These changes represent the next phase in NCARB’s Pathways to Practice effort, which seeks to expand licensure access to individuals of all backgrounds. They follow the October 2024 release of the NCARB Competency Standard for Architects, a framing document that establishes 16 knowledge areas, skills, abilities, and behaviors—called competencies—necessary at the point of initial licensure as an architect. These updates to the experience program better reflect the competencies necessary at the point of initial licensure, while addressing common administrative challenges faced by candidates on the path to licensure, such as the experience program’s old reporting requirement and limited opportunities for professional development courses.
Updates to the Experience Program
The updates to the AXP are effective as of November 18, 2025. These changes include:
- Replacing the five-year reporting requirement with a new reporting policy: Under the old requirement, candidates were required to report all experience within eight months of earning it for 100% credit, and within five years for 50% credit. Under the new policy, candidates are able to earn 100% credit for experience up to a year old. Experience older than one year is worth 75% credit, with no limitation on how old that experience can be.
- Refreshed descriptions of each of the program’s six experience areas: The 96 tasks identified within the current AXP experience area descriptions have been removed; instead, each experience area reflects appropriate capabilities described in the Competency Standard for Architects.
- Expanding the opportunities through which candidates can gain experience for completing professional development courses: Previously, candidates were only able to earn experience for continuing education (CE) by completing Health, Safety, and Welfare (HSW) courses that were approved by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and then submitting an AIA transcript—which requires an AIA membership. Under the updated policy, NCARB will accept HSW CE courses approved by AIA, as well as CE courses from other organizations that have been pre-approved by NCARB—ensuring more candidates can take advantage of this opportunity.
The updates to the AXP do not impact the total hours required to complete the program, the hours required under each of the six experience areas, or the overall program structure.
NCARB anticipates that these updates will positively impact the AXP progress of many candidates. No candidate will lose AXP credit as part of these updates. In fact, many candidates are receiving additional AXP credit as hours previously reported for 50 percent credit are being increased to 75 percent credit or 100 percent credit as appropriate.
Expanding Licensure Access
In addition to informing updates to NCARB’s programs, the?NCARB Competency Standard for Architects?will shape NCARB’s Pathways to Practice effort. Launched in 2023, Pathways to Practice seeks to expand licensure access to individuals of all backgrounds by creating a more flexible licensure model outside of the traditional combination of education, experience, and examination.
NCARB will use the competencies defined in the?Competency Standard?to envision new pathways—and refresh traditional pathways—to become an architect, including expanded options for individuals who don’t hold a degree from a program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).
For more information, visit www.ncarb.org/pathways.
