State of Tennessee - Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners

Note: You may fill out forms and applications online, but the application has to be printed because it must be signed and notarized.

Note: Tennessee does not grant temporary licenses. You must be registered prior to the offering or rendering of professional architectural services.

Fees Notice: Before submitting any application, be sure you have met the minimum education and experience requirements for registration, because application fees are not refundable.

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Student Information | Registration Requirements
Applications, Forms, and Downloads
Fee Information | Professional Privilege Tax | Contact Information

Student Information

If you are considering pursuing a career in the architecture profession, one of the first decisions you will make will be in reference to your education. Education lays the foundation for developing the skills and knowledge to not only practice a profession, but also to protect the public’s health, safety and welfare.

The national education standard for architectural degrees is a degree that has been accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). All states recognize the NAAB-accredited architectural degree for professional registration and some may only accept the NAAB-accredited degree. Students should keep this in mind as they select an architecture program to pursue their studies. Accreditation is a voluntary, non-governmental process of peer review. It requires an educational institution or program to meet certain defined standards or criteria and serves to notify parents and prospective students that a particular architecture program has met minimum educational standards for its graduates to enter professional practice.

The following Tennessee higher education institution offers architectural programs leading to a degree that has been accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB): University of Tennessee

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) recently approved the creation of a new professional Master of Architecture degree program at the University of Memphis. This program will begin accepting students in the fall of 2008. For more information, click here.

Besides the NAAB-accredited architectural degree, Tennessee law and rules currently allow two other educational options for professional registration: a non-accredited four-year architectural degree deemed substantially equivalent to a NAAB-accredited degree or which is part of a five-year NAAB-accredited degree OR an architecture-related curriculum (architectural engineering or architectural engineering technology) accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

For further Information:

Regarding accreditation of architectural programs and a complete listing of accredited architectural programs in the United States Click Here.
General information regarding architectural registration, Click Here.

Regarding a career in architecture Click Here.

Registration Requirements

By Exam | By Comity | By Reapplying

Registration By Exam

An individual must meet the minimum requirements listed below to be considered for registration and admission to the Architect Registration Examination (ARE):

Education and Experience Requirements

graduation from a school of architecture accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) and 3 years of architectural experience satisfactory to the Board; OR

graduation from a non-accredited architecture program of 4 years or more deemed substantially equivalent to a NAAB-accredited degree or which is part of a 5-year NAAB-accredited program and 5 years of architectural experience satisfactory to the Board; OR

graduation from an architecture-related curriculum (architectural engineering or architectural engineering technology) of not less than 4 years accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) and 7 years of architectural experience satisfactory to the board;

AND

completion of the Intern-Architect Development Program of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) is required prior to registration.

For further information regarding:

The Intern Development Program of the NCARB, Click Here.

The Architect Registration Examination, Click Here.

Registration By Comity

Tennessee does not register by reciprocity. We register by comity, meaning that applicants must meet our minimum registration requirements in order to be considered for registration. The requirements listed below represent the minimum requirements for comity registration:

Education and Experience Requirements

graduation from a school of architecture accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) and 3 years of architectural experience satisfactory to the Board; OR

graduation from a non-accredited 4-year architecture program deemed substantially equivalent to a NAAB-accredited degree or which is part of a 5-year NAAB-accredited program and 5 years of architectural experience satisfactory to the Board; OR

graduation from an architecture-related curriculum (architectural engineering or architectural engineering technology) of not less than 4 years accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) and 7 years of architectural experience satisfactory to the board.

Examination Requirements

Must have passed the NCARB Architect Registration Exam (ARE).

Other Requirements

Must hold an unexpired NCARB certificate. To request that your council record be transmitted, Click Here.

Must be registered in at least one other jurisdiction.

Registration By Reapplying

Listed below are the minimum requirements to be considered for re-registration:

Must have been previously registered in Tennessee.

Must have obtained a minimum of 24 PDH’s in the two years prior to filing for re-registration.

Must hold an unexpired NCARB certificate.