I completed and documented my 3 year internship commitment with IDP. 1.5 years of the internship was at a large firm, the other 1.5 years at a smaller firm. NCARB submitted my IDP credentials to the New York State Licensing Board to allow me to begin ARE exams.
I thought the story was over….but
I recently received a call from New York state saying that, although IDP recognized my work at both firms, New York State does not recognize the 1.5 years of experience at the small firm. The reason given was that only one of the two principles of the firm is a licensed architect the other is not. Therefore the firm does not operate a lawful architectural practice according to the state board.
Seems more than a little funny…..
Has anyone else had a similar experience in New York or elsewhere? If so what action were you able to take to circumvent this issue? Was anything successful or do I have to recoup my 1.5 years at a “legal” firm? I find it incredibly frustrating that IDP would string me along for a year and a half only to be told by my state board that I am SOL.
I request that this not turn into a general IDP/Licensing complaint thread. I could go on for hours about that but I am sure there are other forums for that.
Thanks.
Bloopox
Apr 19, 07 10:09 am
This isn't really a case of IDP/NCARB "stringing you along". It's an instance of a difference between NCARB's and a state board's rules. All NCARB cares about in this case is that you were supervised by a US-licensed architect and meet all their other rules about training settings, durations, etc. But NY state's internship requirements are a little different than NCARB's (in addition to this issue of meeting the state's requirements for a legal partnership, NY also has more stringent rules about some other things, such as work completed while a student, than NCARB does.)
The laws about partnerships and corporations and such vary widely from state to state. In some states a non-licensed person can't be a partner in an architecture firm, while in some other states 33% or even 50% of partners can be unlicensed, and in a few states an architecture firm can be owned entirely by non-architects as long as it employs architects...
NCARB doesn't care about any of that for IDP purposes, but some state boards do.
One way you could get around this in a somewhat convoluted way would be to get licensed through another state, then apply for reciprocity in NY. This would be very expensive and time consuming.
Another option might be to start testing through another state (like Texas) that allows testing before full completion of IDP, while you finish another 18 months of internship in NY. But check with the NY board before you do that, as some state boards (PA and OR are two) don't allow those who test before completion of IDP to get their initial licenses in those states. I don't know what NY's policy is on that.
Ms Beary
Apr 19, 07 10:41 am
you should be able to get some of your experience from a non-architect company. for instance you can get idp by working for an engineer, interior designer, contractor, etc. Did you look into this? Maybe you can get some of the credit.
Bloopox
Apr 19, 07 10:52 am
He can get 100% credit for this from NCARB, because he was supervised by an architect. But NY's position on this is that this is an illegal partnership and as such they won't grant any internship credit (which is a little ridiculous because if the one licensed architect were practicing alone then it would be fine...) This is a NY-specific problem, not an NCARB/IDP thing.
sammyboy77
Apr 19, 07 12:59 pm
Bloopox is correct. I was falsely under the impression that IDP regularized requirements across all state boards to the effect that once one has completed IDP, being cleared to test is a mere formality.
I am wondering if anyone has had any luck qualifying work or experience under category J of the NY State Board:
Category J:
One unit of credit for each year of diversified experience in appropriate work related to architecture
Maximum credit granted: 5 units
This may include work in the following:
* an engineer's office
* a government agency related to architectural practice
* a contractor's office (or field)
* a related design discipline, e.g., landscape architecture
* teaching required courses in an NAAB-accredited architectural program (credit is based on the proportion of a full teaching load).
* conducting or participating in structured research on architectural problems, culminating in a report, subject to Board approval. Supplementary documentation required.
weAREtheSTONES
Apr 19, 07 2:06 pm
IDP sux ass - just found out last week that my 1st 1-1/2 yrs of working in an architectural firm do not count towardsIDP - its only 136 credits but still i wanna snap someones neck...and Solar Decathlon does not count towards professional and community service because i was getting credits for school while i was building the house...such horseshit!!! - i would love to have the exact person who came up w/ IDP - oooohhh man i would ...i cant even say what id do!!!
-on a brighter note i found out yesterday that in california u dont need to be a licensed architect to renovate a home...you could design/build up to 10,000 sq.ft. of residental construction w/out a license...i have a side job ive been working on and i went to an Architect to get him to look it over and he said that he didnt need to do this he said i could .....:-)
morfo
Apr 20, 07 2:06 am
I had similar but somewhat difference experience. I have fulfilled my IDP requirement with my summer internships before I graduated but New York State required the 3 years of experience speicifically counted only after graduation. So I have to wait for another half year before I can take my exam.
hassanraza1
Jul 3, 16 4:28 pm
sammyboy77 i have similar question regarding Catagory J work experience. i just started working with an engineering firm in long island , NY. the owner is PE, but he has RA full time employee in firm who is gonna be my supervisor on day to day operation. This PE firm provieds all of PE and RA sevices. expediting, zoaning and building codes, designing , renovation and to new construction.
My question is does working for this firm satisfie all of NYS requirment. or do i have to work under a direct supervision of the RA firm. which i did worked one of RA firm from 2013- 2014. and sent in my application to the NYS. and they told me the company is not current therefore. the hours i had accepted by the Ncarb were no good. Please advise.
Best Regards
Hassan Raza
BulgarBlogger
Jul 4, 16 11:13 am
Maximum credit granted: 12 units. If your experience to be considered in Category I occurred while working for an architectural firm located in New York or for an out of state entity offering architectural services in New York, please be advised that only certain entities that have current filings may lawfully offer architectural services in New York. These include:
Sole proprietorship, where the sole proprietor is a registered architect in New York
Professional partnership, where all Partners are registered architects in New York
Professional Service Corporation (PC)
Design Professional Service Corporation (DPC)
Professional Service Limited Liability Company (PLLC)
I completed and documented my 3 year internship commitment with IDP. 1.5 years of the internship was at a large firm, the other 1.5 years at a smaller firm. NCARB submitted my IDP credentials to the New York State Licensing Board to allow me to begin ARE exams.
I thought the story was over….but
I recently received a call from New York state saying that, although IDP recognized my work at both firms, New York State does not recognize the 1.5 years of experience at the small firm. The reason given was that only one of the two principles of the firm is a licensed architect the other is not. Therefore the firm does not operate a lawful architectural practice according to the state board.
Seems more than a little funny…..
Has anyone else had a similar experience in New York or elsewhere? If so what action were you able to take to circumvent this issue? Was anything successful or do I have to recoup my 1.5 years at a “legal” firm? I find it incredibly frustrating that IDP would string me along for a year and a half only to be told by my state board that I am SOL.
I request that this not turn into a general IDP/Licensing complaint thread. I could go on for hours about that but I am sure there are other forums for that.
Thanks.
This isn't really a case of IDP/NCARB "stringing you along". It's an instance of a difference between NCARB's and a state board's rules. All NCARB cares about in this case is that you were supervised by a US-licensed architect and meet all their other rules about training settings, durations, etc. But NY state's internship requirements are a little different than NCARB's (in addition to this issue of meeting the state's requirements for a legal partnership, NY also has more stringent rules about some other things, such as work completed while a student, than NCARB does.)
The laws about partnerships and corporations and such vary widely from state to state. In some states a non-licensed person can't be a partner in an architecture firm, while in some other states 33% or even 50% of partners can be unlicensed, and in a few states an architecture firm can be owned entirely by non-architects as long as it employs architects...
NCARB doesn't care about any of that for IDP purposes, but some state boards do.
One way you could get around this in a somewhat convoluted way would be to get licensed through another state, then apply for reciprocity in NY. This would be very expensive and time consuming.
Another option might be to start testing through another state (like Texas) that allows testing before full completion of IDP, while you finish another 18 months of internship in NY. But check with the NY board before you do that, as some state boards (PA and OR are two) don't allow those who test before completion of IDP to get their initial licenses in those states. I don't know what NY's policy is on that.
you should be able to get some of your experience from a non-architect company. for instance you can get idp by working for an engineer, interior designer, contractor, etc. Did you look into this? Maybe you can get some of the credit.
He can get 100% credit for this from NCARB, because he was supervised by an architect. But NY's position on this is that this is an illegal partnership and as such they won't grant any internship credit (which is a little ridiculous because if the one licensed architect were practicing alone then it would be fine...) This is a NY-specific problem, not an NCARB/IDP thing.
Bloopox is correct. I was falsely under the impression that IDP regularized requirements across all state boards to the effect that once one has completed IDP, being cleared to test is a mere formality.
I am wondering if anyone has had any luck qualifying work or experience under category J of the NY State Board:
Category J:
One unit of credit for each year of diversified experience in appropriate work related to architecture
Maximum credit granted: 5 units
This may include work in the following:
* an engineer's office
* a government agency related to architectural practice
* a contractor's office (or field)
* a related design discipline, e.g., landscape architecture
* teaching required courses in an NAAB-accredited architectural program (credit is based on the proportion of a full teaching load).
* conducting or participating in structured research on architectural problems, culminating in a report, subject to Board approval. Supplementary documentation required.
IDP sux ass - just found out last week that my 1st 1-1/2 yrs of working in an architectural firm do not count towardsIDP - its only 136 credits but still i wanna snap someones neck...and Solar Decathlon does not count towards professional and community service because i was getting credits for school while i was building the house...such horseshit!!! - i would love to have the exact person who came up w/ IDP - oooohhh man i would ...i cant even say what id do!!!
-on a brighter note i found out yesterday that in california u dont need to be a licensed architect to renovate a home...you could design/build up to 10,000 sq.ft. of residental construction w/out a license...i have a side job ive been working on and i went to an Architect to get him to look it over and he said that he didnt need to do this he said i could .....:-)
I had similar but somewhat difference experience. I have fulfilled my IDP requirement with my summer internships before I graduated but New York State required the 3 years of experience speicifically counted only after graduation. So I have to wait for another half year before I can take my exam.
sammyboy77 i have similar question regarding Catagory J work experience. i just started working with an engineering firm in long island , NY. the owner is PE, but he has RA full time employee in firm who is gonna be my supervisor on day to day operation. This PE firm provieds all of PE and RA sevices. expediting, zoaning and building codes, designing , renovation and to new construction.
My question is does working for this firm satisfie all of NYS requirment. or do i have to work under a direct supervision of the RA firm. which i did worked one of RA firm from 2013- 2014. and sent in my application to the NYS. and they told me the company is not current therefore. the hours i had accepted by the Ncarb were no good. Please advise.
Best Regards
Hassan Raza
Maximum credit granted: 12 units. If your experience to be considered in Category I occurred while working for an architectural firm located in New York or for an out of state entity offering architectural services in New York, please be advised that only certain entities that have current filings may lawfully offer architectural services in New York. These include:
In other words, you most likely worked for an LLC