I know everyone says it really doesn't matter, but I've narrowed it down to a few states that would be relevant. I've considered initial/ renewal/ reciprocal registration fees, CEU's, where I might be stamping documents in the future, etc, but I was also curious if there are any legal reasons to pick one state/jurisdiction over another. I thought I've heard talks of not being able to call yourself an RA in a state you're not licensed - is this true? If so should I just pick the state I reside in so I don't have to say "Yeah I'm an architect, but not in this state!" Thanks in advance.
RA is an unnecessary and redundant description. Pick the location you reside in (or expect to work primarily in).
Feb 9, 21 10:48 am ·
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caramelhighrise
Thanks, I probably should have just said Architect. Haven't seen anyone use RA in a long time.
Feb 9, 21 10:56 am ·
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caramelhighrise
And to take it a step further it's my understanding that adding NCARB to business cards, signatures, etc rather than Architect would be safer than using the A-word.
You'll be fine calling yourself an architect in person or on your business card even if you're not licensed in a state as long as you're not trying to get work in that state.
I often call the cops on people I hear calling themselves doctors in the line at customs. Where do they get off calling themselves "doctor" when they're obviously not licensed in America?!
Chad - our corporate policy is not to use the A word on our business cards as we are active in many jurisdictions, and from our understanding handing out a card in the wrong state could open up liability. We use NCARB for the same reason stated above.
I worked at a firm that would include the jurisdiction on email signatures and business cards if you indeed carried the A-word on your signature/card. They stopped doing it. I generally think we're too scared of the title police coming to get us for casual usage. Doesn't help that they do indeed go after people for casual usage. Generally though, as long as you're not actively pursuing work in a jurisdiction you aren't licensed in, I don't think it should matter.
Feb 9, 21 3:14 pm ·
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atelier nobody
Believe it or not, this is an issue that has been decided in the courts (no, I don't remember the case citation) - as long as you're licensed in any US State or Territory, calling yourself an Architect is OK anywhere in the US, just don't actually practice in a State you're not licensed in (although even this is less black and white than it first seems).
Feb 9, 21 3:19 pm ·
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Non Sequitur
Ya'll m'ericans are a funny bunch. Although we only have 10 (maybe less) jurisdictions up here, we have unique groupings of cute letters that say which province you're licensed in. (OAA - Ontario, OAQ - Quebec, AAA - Alberta, etc) So you write Architect OAA and you're good to go. No need to dodge the lawyers. Nothing like that in the states?
Feb 9, 21 3:20 pm ·
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Bench
Hey. No matter what you say, i'm not american. Even if i appear to be slowly turning that way.
We simply have our address on our business cards and e-mail and use big A on everything. We also tend to only practice in one state. For our website we identify which states we're licensed in.
Feb 9, 21 5:11 pm ·
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x-jla
It’s so dumb that licensure is a state specific thing.
Not necessarily. One of my supervisors was licensed in Washington DC, but had never lived, nor worked there. He got it because he was working as an architect on government projects overseas. I'm not sure if it mattered which jurisdiction he was licensed in, or if he had to have a DC license. Of course he's not stamping anything anymore so it really doesn't matter, but that's the one he has and maintains.
Feb 9, 21 3:18 pm ·
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atelier nobody
Oh, I realize there are people who do for various reasons - I just don't think there're all that many. When I was following my unorthodox path to licensure, I looked into whether there were any states where I could get licensed sooner than my home state (there were, but I ended up not pursuing it, and ultimately ended up not getting my act together to get licensed here until a number of years after the earliest I would have been eligible).
I've heard most people use their state of residence but I went to college in one state, interned in another, and now live and work on the border of two other states so there's quite a bit of "local" work on either side of the border. So I had to decide between all four.
What would college and internship have to do with anything? If you're not planning on working there, you don't need a license there.
I went to college and interned in a different state than I am licensed in. I haven't even stamped anything so it really doesn't matter what state I'm licensed in (though it is in the state I currently reside in). I've worked on projects all over. Off the top of my head, this month I've worked on projects in 3 different jurisdictions where I am not licensed.
The only question that matters is where you need to be able to stamp documents, and that is all about where you want to work. For your situation, I'd get licensed in whatever jurisdiction has the more stringent requirements on the border where you're working, then apply for reciprocity in the other.
Feb 9, 21 4:19 pm ·
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square.
similar story- i know someone who, though lived and worked in nyc, chose another state because they didn't feel like waiting for the longer and more stringent experience requirements. seemed a little short-sighted to me, but the path of least resistance.
When I was looking into it, Arizona required a year less than California, but they had a specific rule that you couldn't get an Arizona license from out of state if you weren't eligible in your home state - I guess I wasn't the first person to have that idea...
Feb 9, 21 6:23 pm ·
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How did you pick a jurisdiction for your initial NCARB certificate?
I know everyone says it really doesn't matter, but I've narrowed it down to a few states that would be relevant. I've considered initial/ renewal/ reciprocal registration fees, CEU's, where I might be stamping documents in the future, etc, but I was also curious if there are any legal reasons to pick one state/jurisdiction over another. I thought I've heard talks of not being able to call yourself an RA in a state you're not licensed - is this true? If so should I just pick the state I reside in so I don't have to say "Yeah I'm an architect, but not in this state!" Thanks in advance.
RA is an unnecessary and redundant description. Pick the location you reside in (or expect to work primarily in).
Thanks, I probably should have just said Architect. Haven't seen anyone use RA in a long time.
And to take it a step further it's my understanding that adding NCARB to business cards, signatures, etc rather than Architect would be safer than using the A-word.
If you're not licensed do not call yourself an architect.
Understood. My concern is being licensed in one jurisdiction but not another.
then get licensed in all jurisdictions!
lol
You'll be fine calling yourself an architect in person or on your business card even if you're not licensed in a state as long as you're not trying to get work in that state.
I often call the cops on people I hear calling themselves doctors in the line at customs. Where do they get off calling themselves "doctor" when they're obviously not licensed in America?!
Chad - our corporate policy is not to use the A word on our business cards as we are active in many jurisdictions, and from our understanding handing out a card in the wrong state could open up liability. We use NCARB for the same reason stated above.
I am glad that, of all the humans on the planet, we chose the lawyers to decide what is right and wrong.
I worked at a firm that would include the jurisdiction on email signatures and business cards if you indeed carried the A-word on your signature/card. They stopped doing it. I generally think we're too scared of the title police coming to get us for casual usage. Doesn't help that they do indeed go after people for casual usage. Generally though, as long as you're not actively pursuing work in a jurisdiction you aren't licensed in, I don't think it should matter.
Believe it or not, this is an issue that has been decided in the courts (no, I don't remember the case citation) - as long as you're licensed in any US State or Territory, calling yourself an Architect is OK anywhere in the US, just don't actually practice in a State you're not licensed in (although even this is less black and white than it first seems).
Ya'll m'ericans are a funny bunch. Although we only have 10 (maybe less) jurisdictions up here, we have unique groupings of cute letters that say which province you're licensed in. (OAA - Ontario, OAQ - Quebec, AAA - Alberta, etc) So you write Architect OAA and you're good to go. No need to dodge the lawyers. Nothing like that in the states?
Hey. No matter what you say, i'm not american. Even if i appear to be slowly turning that way.
Because mah rights! FREEDOM!
We simply have our address on our business cards and e-mail and use big A on everything. We also tend to only practice in one state. For our website we identify which states we're licensed in.
It’s so dumb that licensure is a state specific thing.
Umm, don't most people start with the jurisdiction they live in?
Not necessarily. One of my supervisors was licensed in Washington DC, but had never lived, nor worked there. He got it because he was working as an architect on government projects overseas. I'm not sure if it mattered which jurisdiction he was licensed in, or if he had to have a DC license. Of course he's not stamping anything anymore so it really doesn't matter, but that's the one he has and maintains.
Oh, I realize there are people who do for various reasons - I just don't think there're all that many. When I was following my unorthodox path to licensure, I looked into whether there were any states where I could get licensed sooner than my home state (there were, but I ended up not pursuing it, and ultimately ended up not getting my act together to get licensed here until a number of years after the earliest I would have been eligible).
fair enough, you did say "most people" ...
I've heard most people use their state of residence but I went to college in one state, interned in another, and now live and work on the border of two other states so there's quite a bit of "local" work on either side of the border. So I had to decide between all four.
What would college and internship have to do with anything? If you're not planning on working there, you don't need a license there.
I went to college and interned in a different state than I am licensed in. I haven't even stamped anything so it really doesn't matter what state I'm licensed in (though it is in the state I currently reside in). I've worked on projects all over. Off the top of my head, this month I've worked on projects in 3 different jurisdictions where I am not licensed.
The only question that matters is where you need to be able to stamp documents, and that is all about where you want to work. For your situation, I'd get licensed in whatever jurisdiction has the more stringent requirements on the border where you're working, then apply for reciprocity in the other.
similar story- i know someone who, though lived and worked in nyc, chose another state because they didn't feel like waiting for the longer and more stringent experience requirements. seemed a little short-sighted to me, but the path of least resistance.
When I was looking into it, Arizona required a year less than California, but they had a specific rule that you couldn't get an Arizona license from out of state if you weren't eligible in your home state - I guess I wasn't the first person to have that idea...
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