California Architects Board

The California Architects Board (Board) was created in 1901 by the California Legislature to fulfill the mission of protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public through the regulation of the practice of architecture in California. It is one of numerous entities within the Department of Consumer Affairs responsible for consumer protection and the regulation of licensed professionals. The Board establishes regulations for examination and licensing of the profession of architecture in California, which today numbers over 21,000 licensed architects and approximately 10,000 candidates who are in the process of meeting examination and licensure requirements.


Latest News

California Adopts NCARB Score Validity Policy

Governor Newsom signed legislation implementing NCARB’s new Score Validity Policy . Candidates may now be able to receive credit for previously expired ARE divisions in alignment with the new NCARB policy. The law takes effect January 1, 2024.

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Candidates applying with CAB should only submit one application. You can either submit an online application through connect (recommended) or complete a paper application and submit by mail with your payment. Please do not submit more than one application as this may cause delays in processing.

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Go paperless, start your application online! Continue to DCA Connect to apply.

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Retired Architect Licenses Are Now Being Issued

The Board is now able to issue retired architect licenses. The application fee for a retired license is $40. Architects interested in retiring their eligible (a license capable of being renewed) license should submit the Application for Retired License and the application fee to the Board’s mailing address. Nonrenewal licenses (licenses that have been expired for more than five years) are not eligible for retirement.

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Frequently Asked Questions on Zero Net Carbon Design Continuing Education Requirements

Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1010 into law on September 16, 2021. It requires California architects to complete five (5) hours of continuing education (CE) coursework regarding zero net carbon design (ZNCD) for all license renewals on or after January 1, 2023.  The Board has created frequently asked questions regarding this new requirement.

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Board Transitioning to New Licensing and Enforcement Platform

The California Architects Board is in the process of transitioning to a new licensing and enforcement platform. Working under the guidance of DCA, the Board expects a new system to come online in early 2023. It is anticipated that while a new system will bring benefits for consumers and licensees, there will be a potential impact on workload as the Board transitions throughout the project.

Click here for more information.

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