The general public supports existing licensing requirements for architects.That's what a recent study commissioned by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) has concluded, according to an NCARB news release. 

The study, conducted for NCARB by Benenson Strategy Group, surveyed 1,000 American voters on a variety of topics, including what value the respondents placed on licensing standards, the distinction between "occupations" and "professions," and other particularities of architectural work. All told, the general public strongly supports licensure for architects, with 89-percent of respondents agreeing that architects should meet rigorous testing standards due to the profession's role in making sure "buildings are safe and structurally sound."

Further, the more respondents learned about the rigor involved in attaining licensure—a process that, as many designers know, includes experience qualifications and continuing education initiatives, as well as the ability to pass exams—the higher the support for maintaining these standards went. After learning more about the process of becoming an architect, according to NCARB's report, support for maintaining these standards jumped to 94-percent among those surveyed.

Commenting on the standards, NCARB CEO Michael Armstrong writes, “As conversations arise regarding the appropriate level of licensing standards, these findings provide crucial insight into ways the individual boards regulating the architecture profession continue to move in the right direction when it comes to protecting the public health, safety, and welfare."

The survey comes on the heels of the creation of of the Alliance for Responsible Professional Licensing (ARPL), a new coalition of "technical professions focused on educating policymakers and the public about the importance of rigorous professional licensing standards," according to a recent NCARB press release.