Licensing Advisor Update
Happy August, Licensure Candidates! This summer has absolutely flown by, and its already time for internships to wind down and students to head back to school. While we’ve been busy with onboarding, project work, site visits, and mentorship, NCARB has also been hard at work revamping several of their programs, including the Licensing Advisor Community.
The mission of the Licensing Advisor program will stay exactly the same: to create a network of volunteers who help students, licensure candidates, and architects navigate the steps to initial and reciprocal licensure. Licensing Advisors will still be focused on helping their community access accurate information and connect with NCARB resources. Students, licensure candidates, architects, or other professionals who support individuals navigating the licensure process can all still be Licensing advisors, and you don’t need to be a licensed architect to participate.
The biggest change to the program will be the implementation of two levels of Licensing advisors: Architect Licensing Advisors, and Senior Architect Licensing Advisors.
Architect Licensing Advisors
This could be seen as the more “entry level” option, but these volunteers have most of the benefits and less of the time commitment than their counterparts. Architect Licensing Advisors will be required to complete an onboarding training, as well as 8 hours of additional training every 12 months. They must also hold one outreach event within their organization every 12 months, but are only obligated to support candidates during the academic year. This option adds flexibility for students, faculty, or administrators who want to participate in the program, but who may not be able to commit to always being available. Licensing Advisors can elect to share their contact information publicly in the Licensing Advisor Lookup tool, but it is not a requirement.
Senior Architect Licensing Advisors
The Senior Advisor position requires greater time commitment and more outreach, but comes with some added benefits. Senior Advisors must also complete the onboarding training with 12 additional hours of training every 12 months. They are also required to hold outreach events – 3 every 12 months with two of those events outside the organization they represent, and must also be available to support candidates year-round. They must also list their contact information in the Licensing Advisor Lookup tool. Fortunately, the increased time commitment of Senior Advisors will be financially supported by NCARB. Mileage and parking for outreach events 60 miles or greater from the Advisor’s primary location will be reimbursable, and Senior Advisors will receive funding to attend the bi-annual Licensing Advisor Summit. All Advisors are welcome and encouraged to attend the Summit, of course, and NCARB is already planning events for 2027.
Another big change to the program is that Licensing Advisors will no longer be appointed – anyone can volunteer and serve in the role. NCARB does require confirmation from the organization you wish to represent, a process which you must initiate. Terms for both positions renew every two years on a rolling basis, and both must fulfill the requirements outlined by NCARB in order to remain active.
These changes go into effect on September 1, and the updates will make it possible for more people to become Advisors and contribute to the community. NCARB will provide more resources and support for Advisors and Candidates, wherever they are on their licensure path. If you are interested in learning more about the Licensing Advisor Community, or have questions about these changes, please reach out to me or to NCARB. You can also find more information on their website: https://www.ncarb.org/become-architect/basics/architect-licensing-advisors-community
As always, your questions about AXP, the AREs, or NCARB in general are always welcome and encouraged.
Gina Robinson, AIA
Architect Licensing Advisor – Virginia