1. Complete at least 96 semester hours (144 quarter hours), with 32 semester hours (48 quarter hours) in architectural courses, toward your degree in a professional or pre-professional architectural program.
   
   
   
2. Fill out the application for your NCARB Record online and submit to the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) with your credit card payment of $285.00 (or $100.00 if you are still in school or have graduated within the past 6 months).

 
3. After you have reached the minimum educational level in step 1 above, get a job working for an architect and carefully complete time cards to keep track of the number of hours you spend working in the 16 IDP Training Areas listed in the IDP Guidelines. Your current employer now becomes your employer under IDP Guidelines and the Illinois Architecture Practice Act/Rules. Note that under certain conditions you can also get some internship credit by working for a contractor, an engineer, an interior designer, a landscape architect or a planner.

  
4. Complete your Degree in Architecture. Upon completion of a professional degree in architecture (B.Arch. or M.Arch.) and concurrent entry into IDP you become eligible to take the Architect Registration Examination (the “ARE”).Note that if you have not received a professional degree, you will need to complete IDP prior to taking the ARE. As of January 1, 2014, you must have a professional degree in Architecture to apply for licensure in Illinois.
   
   
   
5. Pass all seven divisions of the Architectural Registration Examination. You must pass all divisions within a five year time period (the so-called "rolling clock").



6. Complete the required number of "IDP Training Hours" depending on which degree you have or will receive. You can begin to earn Training Hours before completion of your degree. Record your experience on the "Electronic Experience Verification Reporting System" (E-EVR) and submit it to NCARB on a weekly or monthly basis. NCARB will check it and submit it to your employer for their electronic signature and verification. You must submit your E-EVR to NCARB no more than six months after the experience.

 
5,600 hours with an NAAB-Accredited B. Arch. or M. Arch. degree

9,360 hours with a Pre-professional degree in Architecture (B.A. or B.S. degree which is approved by the Illinois Architecture Licensing Board) Note that on or after January 1, 2014, you must have a professional degree in Architecture (B. Arch. or M. Arch.) to apply for licensure in Illinois.
 

7. Pay NCARB the remainder of the Council Record application fee ($185.00 if you just paid $100.00 up front). If you are in the IDP program longer than three years from when you enrolled or three years after you have graduated, whatever comes later, pay a $60.00 yearly maintenance fee to NCARB.
   
    
8. Apply for and receive your license to practice architecture in Illinois. Note that this must be done within one year after passing the exam.
   
   
You will need to fill out the "Licensure by Acceptance of Examination form" posted on the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation web site. The form can be found at: http://www.idfpr.com/dpr/apply/forms/ar-ac.pdf . You will also need to have your IDP Council Record transmitted to Illinois, complete the "Work History" form attached to the application for licensure form (this is different from the IDP Council Record), complete a "Verification of Employment" since you completed your IDP Council Record, prepare and sign an affidavit on your own letterhead stating that you have read and understand the Illinois Architecture Practice Act and Administrative Rules, and submit a $100.00 fee in the form of a certified check or money order made payable to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. This is the last hoop to jump through! If you have a 4-year B.A. or B.S. in Architectural Studies (an Illinois-approved pre-professional degree) you must submit your application for licensure in Illinois no later than December 31, 2013 (postmark on your letter if mailed to the Board must be on or before that date).

 
9. Once you are licensed in Illinois, you should do the following:

• Apply for and receive NCARB Certification -- this will greatly facilitate licensure in other states and in Canada


• Begin earning minimum of 24 "Contact Hours" of continuing education every two years as a requirement for maintaining your Illinois license.

Note: a book by Lee Waldrep, Ph.D. (formerly of IIT) titled Becoming and Architect will provide insight into the process of becoming an architect. Using the three Es of becoming an architect -- a) Education, b) Experience, and c) Exam, the book will provide the reader a detailed outline of graduating with an accredited professional degree in architecture, the "experience" or internship component, and the exam, the Architect Registration Examination (ARE). In addition, an introduction will help the reader answer -- do you want to be an architect? – Scattered throughout the text will be career profiles of those within the profession highlighting the many careers in architecture. Go to http://www.wiley.com/go/youngarchitect for more info.

Frank Heitzman, Illinois IDP Coordinator

Illinois Educator Coordinators:
UIUC: Professor Lee Waldrep, Ph.D. (217) 333-7720
SIUC: Professor Norm Lach, AIA (618) 453-1128
IIT: Professor Steven Sennott (312) 567-8835

Resources - click here

Sign up for the IDP Illinois Yahoo Group