NCARB website is pretty confusing so It looks like I'm supposed to pay to update my record and then pay for the annual NCARB Certificate on top of that to get reciprocity. Is that the process for me?
Background:
I've been licensed and practicing in Colorado for over 10 years. Never needed to be licensed in other states but now I do.
I had an NCARB record when I was going through my AREs but I actually just went directly through Colorado because it was cheaper and easier.
Attended Univ. of Texas so certified school with a BArch.
Thanks for your advice, if there is another related post feel free to redirect but I did look and the other posts I found didn't fit my situation.
Yes, that's the process. There's the back dues and penalty fees that you have to pay to update your record, and then you have to apply for certification. There's some cap on total back dues and fees - I think it was $2500 when I did this. Then going forward there's the transmittal fee each time you need to send your NCARB record somewhere for reciprocity, and the annual dues in perpetuity.
Take heart: if you've been licensed for 10 years already then you came out ahead by not getting certified right away and paying the NCARB dues each year. The break-even point is around 7-8 years.
Thanks for confirming. If either of you have gone though the certification process recently how long does it take?
((It gives my heart a small pang of joy to know I managed to outsmart NCARB out of even 1 dollar. My main motivation in studying for my exams was not to pay them for the same test 2x just to stick it to NCARB. Passed them all on the first try =))
When I got certified several years ago it took about 2.5 months for certification, and then 2-4 weeks for NCARB to transmit my record, and then the state in which I was applying for reciprocity also took a few months, so total of 6 or 7 months before I was licensed in the 2nd state.
But these days coworkers have gotten NCARB certification within 2 to 4 weeks, and record transmittals sometimes only take a few days now. The states are the big variable: some still take a few months for reciprocity applications, because they only approve them during bi-monthly or quarterly board meetings, while others pretty much rubber stamp them immediately.
Is an NCARB certificate necessary for one-off reciprocity?
Can you not just reinstate your record and pay to have it transmitted?
I can see a certificate might save you some paperwork on the state side (or if pursuing receiprocity in multiple states) but I guess I've never understood the benefit of maintaining an active NCARB certificate if there is no forseen need for reciprocity within 5-10 years.
I am also struggling to see the need to pay the annual fee to maintain an active NCARB record for the same reasons...
If you're going to need to obtain licensure in 5-10 states then NCARB is certainty worth it. Once your account is up to date it's very easy to obtain additional licenses in other states. Literally a click and a fee.
Jul 19, 21 11:37 am ·
·
Fivescore
Whether you can get reciprocity without NCARB certification depends on the state. A few states will do direct comity with some or all other states - meaning as long as you provide verification of the license in the first state, the 2nd state accepts that without needing to receive your NCARB record. But most require direct transmittal of your NCARB record, and NCARB typically will not transmit the record of somebody who is eligible for certification unless they get that certification.
Quick update: Be sure to check back on your profile after getting your record paid up with NCARB. I had missing things holding me up. There were no hours of experience for me (since I just registered with my state) and no High School record...which is odd that they care since I've graduated from an NAAB certified college....but whatever.
If you have to enter all your experience there are about 2000 hours in a year and I've worked 5 years at the same office so I used the BULK SUBMIT form and sent all my hours to a principal at my firm.
Good point, I submitted 5 years in one block and it appears they've approved them all for now. I did put my numbers well over the minimum needed but if I had remembered this I would have made sure they were all 2x the minimum needed.
I've been practicing for 20 years so its really just a paperwork exercise at this point....but hopefully I can keep it as easy as possible.
Update, got my NCARB certification in January. So started in July, found some missing things in August so technically wasn't a complete application until let's say September.
Processing, Sept-Oct-Nov-Dec-1/2 January So call it 4 1/2 Months
Lic. Arch in Colorado - Need advice on process to get NCARB
NCARB website is pretty confusing so It looks like I'm supposed to pay to update my record and then pay for the annual NCARB Certificate on top of that to get reciprocity. Is that the process for me?
Background:
I've been licensed and practicing in Colorado for over 10 years. Never needed to be licensed in other states but now I do.
I had an NCARB record when I was going through my AREs but I actually just went directly through Colorado because it was cheaper and easier.
Attended Univ. of Texas so certified school with a BArch.
Thanks for your advice, if there is another related post feel free to redirect but I did look and the other posts I found didn't fit my situation.
Yes, that's the process. There's the back dues and penalty fees that you have to pay to update your record, and then you have to apply for certification. There's some cap on total back dues and fees - I think it was $2500 when I did this. Then going forward there's the transmittal fee each time you need to send your NCARB record somewhere for reciprocity, and the annual dues in perpetuity.
Take heart: if you've been licensed for 10 years already then you came out ahead by not getting certified right away and paying the NCARB dues each year. The break-even point is around 7-8 years.
Back renewal fees currently capped at $1100; https://www.ncarb.org/fees#Architect%20Record%20Fees
Maybe the $2500 I remember was the back dues + certification application + transmittal.
Thanks for confirming. If either of you have gone though the certification process recently how long does it take?
((It gives my heart a small pang of joy to know I managed to outsmart NCARB out of even 1 dollar. My main motivation in studying for my exams was not to pay them for the same test 2x just to stick it to NCARB. Passed them all on the first try =))
When I got certified several years ago it took about 2.5 months for certification, and then 2-4 weeks for NCARB to transmit my record, and then the state in which I was applying for reciprocity also took a few months, so total of 6 or 7 months before I was licensed in the 2nd state.
But these days coworkers have gotten NCARB certification within 2 to 4 weeks, and record transmittals sometimes only take a few days now. The states are the big variable: some still take a few months for reciprocity applications, because they only approve them during bi-monthly or quarterly board meetings, while others pretty much rubber stamp them immediately.
i just started a new office where they wanted me to have lots of licenses. it probably took about 6 weeks for me to have three new licenses.
Is an NCARB certificate necessary for one-off reciprocity?
Can you not just reinstate your record and pay to have it transmitted?
I can see a certificate might save you some paperwork on the state side (or if pursuing receiprocity in multiple states) but I guess I've never understood the benefit of maintaining an active NCARB certificate if there is no forseen need for reciprocity within 5-10 years.
I am also struggling to see the need to pay the annual fee to maintain an active NCARB record for the same reasons...
Not sure, but I would definitely try. In my case I'm going to need between 5-10 states to cover for the Owner I'm helping to replace.
If you're going to need to obtain licensure in 5-10 states then NCARB is certainty worth it. Once your account is up to date it's very easy to obtain additional licenses in other states. Literally a click and a fee.
Whether you can get reciprocity without NCARB certification depends on the state. A few states will do direct comity with some or all other states - meaning as long as you provide verification of the license in the first state, the 2nd state accepts that without needing to receive your NCARB record. But most require direct transmittal of your NCARB record, and NCARB typically will not transmit the record of somebody who is eligible for certification unless they get that certification.
Good point three. I forgot about about that!
Ah, so that's the rub. Thank you!
NCARB, leeching off of the laziness of bureaucrats and labyrinthine regulations since its inception. Dig in deeper, you cancerous fucks!
Quick update: Be sure to check back on your profile after getting your record paid up with NCARB. I had missing things holding me up. There were no hours of experience for me (since I just registered with my state) and no High School record...which is odd that they care since I've graduated from an NAAB certified college....but whatever.
If you have to enter all your experience there are about 2000 hours in a year and I've worked 5 years at the same office so I used the BULK SUBMIT form and sent all my hours to a principal at my firm.
Just a head's up, these days there's a rolling clock on how far back you can claim full credit for hours.
After 6-8 months you only get half credit for experience submitted.
I guess it's because they want to limit the bulk reporting to no more than 6 mo chunks at a time.
I had to take the half-credit on a large segment of hours for being too far out, but even then it was worth reporting.
Good point, I submitted 5 years in one block and it appears they've approved them all for now. I did put my numbers well over the minimum needed but if I had remembered this I would have made sure they were all 2x the minimum needed.
I've been practicing for 20 years so its really just a paperwork exercise at this point....but hopefully I can keep it as easy as possible.
Update, got my NCARB certification in January. So started in July, found some missing things in August so technically wasn't a complete application until let's say September.
Processing, Sept-Oct-Nov-Dec-1/2 January So call it 4 1/2 Months
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