I'm currently a licensed architect working at a big ol corporate firm who is considering a job change to a related field. I do want to maintain my licensure in case I decide to go back to a more typical architecture job in the future. My question is do I maintain my state licensure or just NCARB or both (I currently have both, paid for by current job)? I would think that it would be more important to maintain the state licensure but wanted to ask the hive mind.
And related: continuing ed. I've always had access to a bunch of lunch and learns in my current office. New digs would mean I'm on my own for continuing education. Do people end up paying for CES courses or attending events? Or do you find that there is enough free online stuff that this is a non-issue?
NCARB for sure, and I'd do both to be safe. Some states allow you to switch to "inactive" status, which might be something to consider; check with your state board.
There are tons of free CEU courses available online, so I wouldn't worry about that. I got my initial license in late December, with the catch that I had to earn a full year's worth of CEU credits before midnight on New Years Eve. I was able to do it over a few days without spending a dime.
There is definitely enough online stuff as to not make it an issue, but you should check with your state. I believe some states, like New York, require that a certain number of hours be completed in-person.
If you're active in the AIA (which you should be if you're moving to a peripheral field), you'll get through the hours in no time (the AIA continuing-ed requirement is generally stricter than the state's).
I've been in this situation too and definitely recommend maintaining NCARB and at least one state license. NCARB is very expensive to reinstate later if you let it lapse. The states can also be quite expensive, and depending on the state you can be subject to whatever changes to regulations happen in the interim. One of the states in which I'm currently licensed requires retesting for anyone who hasn't been licensed in any state in the last three years, if they want to apply for or reinstate a license.
I let one of my licenses lapse, thinking I'd never have a reason to need it again. It's now 8 years later and I recently looked into re-activating it in order to work on a particular project and found out that to do so now will cost over $2000 (this is for the back years' fees, a reinstatement fee, transmittal of my curreent NCARB record, and the official verifications of good standing from all the other states in which I am currently or have previously been licensed) - far more expensive than getting that license was in the first place - but of course they won't just let me pretend I'm a new applicant.
I agree with others that fulfilling continuing ed online is quite easy and should not cost anything. There is an absolutely endless supply of free courses. It's a little more difficult to satisfy the continuing ed requirements for some other certifications (PMI, LEED with specialty, etc.) - I have ended up paying for some credits for some of these, but never more than $20 or so per credit to date.
May 25, 16 2:37 pm ·
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maintaining licensure while away from architecture
I'm currently a licensed architect working at a big ol corporate firm who is considering a job change to a related field. I do want to maintain my licensure in case I decide to go back to a more typical architecture job in the future. My question is do I maintain my state licensure or just NCARB or both (I currently have both, paid for by current job)? I would think that it would be more important to maintain the state licensure but wanted to ask the hive mind.
And related: continuing ed. I've always had access to a bunch of lunch and learns in my current office. New digs would mean I'm on my own for continuing education. Do people end up paying for CES courses or attending events? Or do you find that there is enough free online stuff that this is a non-issue?
NCARB for sure, and I'd do both to be safe. Some states allow you to switch to "inactive" status, which might be something to consider; check with your state board.
There are tons of free CEU courses available online, so I wouldn't worry about that. I got my initial license in late December, with the catch that I had to earn a full year's worth of CEU credits before midnight on New Years Eve. I was able to do it over a few days without spending a dime.
There is definitely enough online stuff as to not make it an issue, but you should check with your state. I believe some states, like New York, require that a certain number of hours be completed in-person.
If you're active in the AIA (which you should be if you're moving to a peripheral field), you'll get through the hours in no time (the AIA continuing-ed requirement is generally stricter than the state's).
Both. Getting re-licensed is a royal pita and time consuming.
Online stuff is easy....
Arch Record has a site:
https://continuingeducation.bnpmedia.com/
I've been in this situation too and definitely recommend maintaining NCARB and at least one state license. NCARB is very expensive to reinstate later if you let it lapse. The states can also be quite expensive, and depending on the state you can be subject to whatever changes to regulations happen in the interim. One of the states in which I'm currently licensed requires retesting for anyone who hasn't been licensed in any state in the last three years, if they want to apply for or reinstate a license.
I let one of my licenses lapse, thinking I'd never have a reason to need it again. It's now 8 years later and I recently looked into re-activating it in order to work on a particular project and found out that to do so now will cost over $2000 (this is for the back years' fees, a reinstatement fee, transmittal of my curreent NCARB record, and the official verifications of good standing from all the other states in which I am currently or have previously been licensed) - far more expensive than getting that license was in the first place - but of course they won't just let me pretend I'm a new applicant.
I agree with others that fulfilling continuing ed online is quite easy and should not cost anything. There is an absolutely endless supply of free courses. It's a little more difficult to satisfy the continuing ed requirements for some other certifications (PMI, LEED with specialty, etc.) - I have ended up paying for some credits for some of these, but never more than $20 or so per credit to date.
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