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NYS Initial Licensure Form 1

esharles

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone in the Archinect community can help clarify something for me. I just fully finished the ARE and AXP (wohoo!), and NCARB emailed me to say they have transferred my record to NYS for initial licensure, and that I am now eligible to file the requisite forms with them.

So I went to the appropriate website for the state "Office of the Professions" and started my "Form 1" for initial licensure in NYS. As a bit of background, I am not licensed anywhere else in the US (this will be my first time ever), I was educated in a NAAB-accredited 5-year B-Arch program in the US, and am pursing a bog standard path via architectural experience in a traditional design office in NYC under partners licensed in NYS).

What I'm confused by is that none of the options available on the form for the type of path I have seem to apply.

I'm pasting the options below:

  1. I'm applying to take the Architect Registration Examination (ARE®) and for initial licensure in New York
  2. I'm applying for a switch in jurisdiction to New York and initial licensure in New York (I have not yet passed the ARE®)
  3. I'm applying for a switch in jurisdiction to New York and initial licensure in New York (I have passed the ARE®)
  4. I'm applying for licensure via NCARB certification (I am licensed in another jurisdiction)
  5. I'm applying for licensure via endorsement (I have been licensed 5 of the last 7 years in the US or Canada and have passed the ARE®)
  6. I'm applying for licensure via endorsement (I have been licensed 5 of the last 7 years in Canada and have not passed the ARE®)
  7. I'm applying for licensure via endorsement, PE no QT (I am licensed by examination taken before 1983 and passed the Professional Examination (PE) but not the Qualifying Test (QT))


  8. As you can see, (1) is not right because I already completed the ARE. (2) is not right because I've passed the ARE and also I'm not "switching " jurisdiction, which to me implies an existing jurisdiction/licensure elsewhere, which I don't have. Same for (3). And everything after (4) just doesn't work.



    I'm going to get in touch with the authorities office tomorrow, but in the interim, can anyone kindly advise? Perhaps you've been through the same thing yourself recently?

    Thank you!


    Some links:

    https://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/...

    https://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/...
 
Jul 11, 22 5:23 pm

So you've passed all of your Architectural Registration Exams (ARE)? 

I'd think it was #1.  

Jul 11, 22 5:42 pm  · 
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esharles

Hi Chad, thanks for responding. Yes, I have passed all six exams, completed AXP, have 5+ years of qualifying experience under an NYS-licensed architect, have a 5-year NAAB-accredited B Arch, and had my record transferred by NCARB to NYS for processing. I was going back and forth between #1 and #3. I didn't think it'd be #1 because I'm not applying to take the ARE -- I already took it. Given this, #3 seemed better, but the word I'm stuck on there is "switch", which seemed to imply existing non-NYS licenses, but maybe this is just careless wording and includes first-timers like me as well. Like I said, I'm getting in touch with them tomorrow, but figured NYS is populous enough that there are Archinecters who would be familiar with the process.

Jul 11, 22 5:53 pm  · 
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t a z

Read later posts, circa early 2021, by Bench and yours truly from this discussion - we were both NYS initial licensure:

https://archinect.com/forum/th...

I filled out an old paper Form 1.  The online form is a more recent development as of COVID times and appears to have slightly different options, but Box 1 looks the most correct.

NYS doesn't know who you are until they receive the Form 1 information and they wont process anything until the payment clears.  Some applicants pre-pay the fee to start taking the AREs while in the process of completing AXP (that's what I did). In that context the Box 1 option makes more sense.

They will also be checking for (3) calendar years of experience under NYS registered entities (there are 2 experience categories). Note that AXP hours even if fully completed may not cover a (3) year duration which is slightly annoying.

They were also very picky about using exact NYS registered firm names as references, which is their perogative (I guess).

Good luck with the waiting!  It's almost the hardest part. 

Jul 11, 22 8:29 pm  · 
1  · 
t a z

P.S.

The hyperlink is buried in the pre-emptive text wall of the online application start page, but the paper Form 1 still exists here if you want to understand the basis for all the online fields: 

http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/arch/arch1.pdf

Jul 11, 22 8:46 pm  · 
1  · 
esharles

Thanks, Taz, that makes sense. I've 5+ years of Category I, so fingers crossed that should cover it. And appreciate the link with the step-by-step. (For forum readers who see this in the future, simply Ctrl+F "NYS" in Taz's link above.)

Jul 12, 22 1:52 am  · 
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esharles

Oh, one more thing. Can you please give some tips about how much detail you included in the "describe experience" portion of listing employers? Are we talking 2-3 short sentences, or did you go into detail over a couple paragraphs with firm size, specific supervisor names, detailed duty list, etc. Also, did you use the "Do you have any other documentation that you would like to upload with your application" portion of the form to add anything?

Jul 12, 22 1:54 am  · 
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esharles

Update -- nevermind, it seems the paper form you had filed does not have these fields, while the new online form does. I'll check with the state when I contact them. Cheers.

Jul 12, 22 2:09 am  · 
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Jacq Arch

good luck ;-)

Jul 12, 22 7:52 am  · 
1  · 
Bench

Yeah - from memory, the options were a bit confusing, but I believe #1 is what you are looking for. It's essentially a default application for your first license.

You can call their NYS ED line if needed, or NCARB too. Its typically a wait to get on the phone, but you can speak with someone in the architecture licensing department and they'll walk you through (its in their interest to get you to fill it out correctly because that person may likely be the one reviewing your application).

Jul 13, 22 6:49 am  · 
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