IDP generally takes 3-5 years. The minimum theoretical amount of time you could take to finish IDP would be 2 years, 9 months. But that's all but impossible in reality. Most people are closer to the 5 year end. Add another 2-5+ years for getting licensed.

4arch, are you saying that it takes 3-5 years for idp then an additional 2-5 years for the test taking/licensing process?


side note, i have about 2.5 yrs+ experience and expect to be done with idp in may-ish. (so your 3-5 is pretty accurate.)

I also think it depends on the office you work in and what state you live in. I am just over the halfway point for IDP because I worked a lot of overtime. And I plan on starting my exams soon because I live in a state that allows you to take them before completing IDP.

yeah. ga doesn't allow you to test before idp is done. should be done by may- so about two years after i graduated.

Yes. At least in states where IDP and ARE testing cannot go on simultaneously.

Even if you blast through the ARE pretty fast, the wait times for paperwork to go through on both ends of the process will eat up 3-6+ months - a few months from when you finish IDP until you get permission to start testing plus a few months after you pass all the ARE divisions to get the license in hand.

work under a licensed architect...thats the key. doesnt really matter if you learn anything just as long as you get the forms filled and written off

johnny,

it sounds like you're talking about cheating the system by just having someone sign off on IDP forms whether the person has the required experience or not.

frankly, if an intern asked me to do that, I'd flat out refuse and explain why it's so dangerous/stupid/unethical. if he/she persisted in asking for the cheat, I wouldn't hesitate to report him or her to NCARB. if I knew of another architect who was just signing off on an intern's forms without proper documentation of hours worked I'd report the architect to the state board of ethics and report the intern to NCARB as well.

why would someone who's already licensed want to put their career on the line just to let some kid get licensed a couple years earlier than he otherwise would have?

I've been stuck at 95% of IDP for the past year. just waiting for the last 50 units of CA/CDs - sucks to be in an office that doesn't build. This is my 6th year of IDP, started just before grad school, Now I've climbed up beyond the responsibilities that IDP credits you for...

If I have the money in the fall, I'll start concurrent testing for California Registration. yeah, then I need to deal with CA supplemental IDP. oh well.

Which states allow you to test without having finished IDP?

Just sounds like it would be the best to get a headstart on getting licensed..

California is the best known state that allows concurrent testing. there is a move at NCARB to make this the rule, not the exception

I've got 6 months left for my IDP hours. I've been been working for 2 years. I have been able to quickly go through my hours because of two factors. My first year included a lot of overtime which helped rack up my credits. Also, the majority of my time was spent working at a 3 person residential firm that covers all aspects of the profession (SD, DD, CD, CA, BIDS, etc.).

4arch,

if your an itern/employee working in a firm work in what ever 'section' of idp there is, you can be 'putting in the hours' but that doesn't mean that your actually 'learning anything'

Massachusetts allows concurrent IDP/ARE, thankfully.

here's a state-by-state breakdown of IDP/ARE sequencing: (not sure how current the list is)

http://www.ncarb.org/are/idp_are_rules.asp

johnny,

you may be right, though I think in the course of a 5600 hour internship you'd have to learn something.