The Architect Registration Examination (ARE) is the professional licensure examination adopted by the 50 states of the United States, the District of Columbia, and four U.S. territories (Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). The exam is also accepted by 11 provincial and territorial architectural associations for architectural registration in Canada. The ARE assesses candidates on the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for providing services in the practice of architecture.
The ARE is developed and maintained by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). The current version of the exam, ARE 5.0, features six divisions that are organized around the progression of a typical architecture project and current practice and are aligned to the experience areas of the Architectural Experience Program (AXP).[1]