State Architect Licensing Advisor Sean Gallagher, AIA     (630) 845-9981

Educator Architect Licensing Advisors:
IIT: Professor Thomas Brock (312) 505-9700
Judson University: Professor Sean Gallagher, AIA (630) 845-9981
SIUC: Professor Norm Lach, AIA (618) 453-1128
School of the Art Institute: Lecturer Eric Davis, AIA (312) 629-6650
UIC: Assistant Professor Judith De Jong, RA (312) 996-3335
UIUC: Professor Lee Waldrep, Ph.D. (217) 333-7720

 
Completion of the Architectural Experience Program is required for all candidates for an architectural license in Illinois. The goal of the Architectural Experience Program is to provide an extensive training regimen to assist the candidate "to acquire and reinforce the discipline, integrity, judgement, skills, knowledge, and quest for learning that must serve the registered architect for a lifetime."

Participation in the Architectural Experience Program is simple. Every AXP participant keeps a detailed timecard record of the number of hours he or she has spent on various tasks. There are a prescribed minimum number of hours that must be spent on each of six "Experience Areas." Hours worked by the participant are recorded as "Experience Hours." The participant submits this record to NCARB on a periodic basis, but no later than five years after the Experience Hours have been earned. The participant's Supervisor and/or Mentor verifies that the participant has in fact actually performed the work. Once the required number of Experience Hours in each Experience Area have been completed, the participant will have fulfilled his or her requirement for the AXP program.

AXP Training Experience Requirements in Illinois

Experience (Work) Settings:

"A" Architectural Firm: Minimum of 1,860 hours of experience in this setting; an organization in a US or Canadian jurisdiction engaged in the lawful practice of architecture. In Illinois this means a sole proprieter who is licensed in Illinois, or a partnership or corporation who has at least 50% of its directors or officers which are Illinois licensed architects or engineers and which has registered as a professional design firm with the state.

"O" Other non-architectural firm: Maximum of 1,860 hours of experience in this setting if supervision is by any of the following:
1. direct supervision by an architect licensed in the US or Canada but in an organization not engaged in the practice of architecture
2. direct supervision by an architect licensed in a country other than US or Canada in an organization engaged in the practice of architecture outside of the US or Canada
3. direct supervision by a landscape architect
4. direct supervision by a registered engineer practicing structural, civil, mechanical, fire protection or electrical engineering in the field of building construction

Note that "Supplemental Experience is no longer required to complete the AXP.

Below is a breakdown of Experience hours required: