National Council of Architectural Registration Boards
Public records raise at least one point you should look into before giving.
What it says it does
NCARB, IN COLLABORATION WITH LICENSING BOARDS, FACILITATES THE LICENSURE AND CREDENTIALING OF ARCHITECTS TO PROTECT THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE OF THE PUBLIC.
- Income
- $44.6 million
- Spending
- $41.0 million
- Employees
- 136
- Volunteers
- 400
- Highest pay
- $1.0 million, chief executive officer
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Financial health
We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Governance
This return does not answer enough of the governance questions to score.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- MEMBER SERVICES- THE COUNCIL STRENGTHENED ITS SUPPORT FOR ITS ARCHITECTURAL LICENSING BOARDS BY REFRESHING SEVERAL TOOLS USED TO PROVIDE KEY SERVICES, PROVIDING OPEN COMMUNICATION AND ASSISTANCE AS NEEDED, AND CONTINUING TO ENCOURAGE THE ALIGNMENT OF LICENSING REQUIREMENTS BETWEEN JURISDICTIONS. NCARB PARTNERED WITH STATE AND TERRITORIAL LICENSING BOARDS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE ARCHITECT COMMUNITY IN THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES THAT SUPPORT THE COUNCIL'S MISSION TO SAFEGUARD THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE OF THE PUBLIC:NCARB ACTIVITIES INCLUDED:SECURELY MAINTAINED RECORDS FOR ACCESS BY STATE AND TERRITORIAL MEMBERS REGARDING ALL PHASES OF AN ARCHITECT'S CAREER, FROM EDUCATION THROUGH LICENSURE TO NCARB CERTIFICATION AND INTERSTATE RECIPROCITY. EVALUATED AND TRANSMITTED RECORDS AND OTHER DATA ESSENTIAL TO THE LICENSING FUNCTIONS OF THE JURISDICTIONAL MEMBERS LICENSING BOARDS WITH A HIGH DEGREE OF ACCURACY AND SPEED, INCLUDING EXPEDITED TRANSMITTALS FOR MOST CUSTOMERS. VERIFIED THAT LICENSURE CANDIDATES HAD MET THE INITIAL LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS DEFINED BY THE RELEVANT LICENSING BOARD PRIOR TO TRANSMITTAL.CONTINUED TO EVOLVE THE NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND EXAMINATION OF ARCHITECTS.SUCCESSFULLY ADMINISTERED THE ARCHITECTURAL EXPERIENCE PROGRAM(AXP) AND THE ARCHITECT REGISTRATION EXAMINATION(ARE) FOR EMERGING PROFESSIONALS TO SATISFY REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS IN THE 55 U.S. JURISDICTIONS.PROVIDED FREE FULL-LENGTH PRACTICE EXAMS FOR EACH DIVISION OF THE LICENSING EXAM, ENSURING THAT ALL CANDIDATES HAVE ACCESS TO QUALITY TEST PREP MATERIALS.REFRESHED AND STREAMLINED CUSTOMERS' ONLINE ACCOUNT PORTAL WITH AN IMPROVED USER EXPERIENCE, GREATER ACCESSIBILITY, AND OTHER HELPFUL TOOLS. PROACTIVELY SOUGHT TO PROVIDE INSIGHT TO FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES DEBATING THE ROLE OF PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE.COLLABORATED WITH OTHER RELATED REGULATORY ORGANIZATIONS, PROVIDING NATIONAL SUBJECT-MATTER EXPERTS AND SUPPORTING DATA AND ANALYSIS REGARDING THE STATE OF THE ARCHITECTURAL PROFESSION. DEVELOPED AND RELEASED A NEW DOCUMENT ESTABLISHING A SET OF STANDARD COMPETENCIES NEEDED AT THE POINT OF INITIAL LICENSURE AS AN ARCHITECT, AND BEGAN DEVELOPING PROGRAMMATIC UPDATES TO ALIGN WITH THE NEW STANDARD. COLLABORATED WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM OTHER ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH A LICENSURE ADVISORY FORUM. THIS COLLABORATIVE EFFORT ENABLES A HOLISTIC VIEW OF THE LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS. CONDUCTED AN INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM TO SUPPORT THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF FACULTY TEACHING PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE CURRICULA WITHIN ARCHITECTURE PROGRAMS.PUBLISHED THE RESULTS OF A RESEARCH EFFORT IDENTIFYING THE KEY KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS NEEDED FOR ENTRY-LEVEL INDIVIDUALS BEGINNING AN ARCHITECTURE CAREER. OFFERED FOCUSED TRAINING RESOURCES AND GUIDANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS ACTING AS SUPERVISORS OF LICENSURE CANDIDATES PARTICIPATING IN THE NATIONAL EXPERIENCE PROGRAMTHE AXP.IMPLEMENTED A NEW TRAINING PROGRAM FOR FUTURE LICENSING BOARD AND VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP, ENSURING THAT FUTURE ORGANIZATION LEADERS ARE WELL-PREPARED TO GUIDE STRATEGIC ENDEAVORS. PREPARED POLICY ADJUSTMENTS TO THE INTEGRATED PATH TO ARCHITECTURAL LICENSURE (IPAL) INITIATIVE, WHICH ENABLES STUDENTS TO STREAMLINE THEIR PATH TO LICENSURE. INCREASED THE PORTFOLIO OF ONLINE HSW CONTINUING EDUCATION CONTENT OFFERINGS, PROVIDED AT NO COST TO NCARB-CERTIFIED ARCHITECTS TO SUPPORT LICENSURE RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS IN MOST JURISDICTIONS. IMPLEMENTED AN UPDATED RECIPROCITY AGREEMENT WITH OUR COUNTERPART ORGANIZATIONS IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND, NEGOTIATED AN UPDATED RECIPROCITY AGREEMENT WITH OUR COUNTERPART ORGANIZATION IN CANADA, AND NEGOTIATED A NEW RECIPROCITY AGREEMENT WITH OUR COUNTERPART ORGANIZATION IN SOUTH AFRICA TO EXPAND INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE OPPORTUNITIES. PROVIDED A PATH TO CERTIFICATION AND PROFESSIONAL MOBILITY FOR ARCHITECTS WHO ARE LICENSED BUT HAVE LITTLE OR NO ARCHITECTURE-RELATED EDUCATION. IN FY25, NCARB DEVELOPED A POLICY ADJUSTMENT TO THE EDUCATION ALTERNATIVE TO IMPROVE ACCESS FOR ALL ARCHITECTS. NCARB'S PROVISION OF THESE NATIONAL SERVICES ENABLES INDIVIDUAL JURISDICTIONS TO FOCUS THEIR (OFTEN LIMITED) RESOURCES ON THEIR OWN UNIQUE CORE ISSUES SURROUNDING LICENSURE.
- CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICES- DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 2025 (FY25), NCARB SUPPORTED OVER 58,000 REGISTERED ARCHITECTS AND 67,000 LICENSURE CANDIDATES. THE PROPORTION OF WOMEN ON THE PATH TO LICENSURE, AS WELL AS RACIAL AND ETHNIC DIVERSITY, CONTINUED TO GROW IN FY25. CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE STATISTICS INCLUDE: 3,449 NCARB CANDIDATE RECORDS WERE TRANSMITTED TO A LICENSING BOARD FOR INITIAL LICENSURE TO PRACTICE ARCHITECTURE. 12,757 LICENSED ARCHITECT RECORDS WERE TRANSMITTED TO A LICENSING BOARD FOR RECIPROCAL LICENSURE TO PRACTICE ARCHITECTURE IN ANOTHER JURISDICTION. 3,171 NEWLY LICENSED ARCHITECTS WERE GRANTED AN NCARB CERTIFICATE FOR PURPOSES OF FUTURE RECIPROCAL LICENSURE REQUESTS. 9,637 CANDIDATES APPLIED TO ESTABLISH AN NCARB RECORD IN PURSUIT OF LICENSURE. LICENSING BOARDS ALSO HAVE A DEDICATED POINT OF CONTACT AND AN IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK SYSTEM TO FACILITATE INITIAL LICENSURE AND RECIPROCAL LICENSURE BETWEEN JURISDICTIONS.
- EXAMINATION SERVICES- NCARB DEVELOPS AND ADMINISTERS THE NATIONAL EXAMINATION FOR ARCHITECTURAL CANDIDATES ON BEHALF OF ALL U.S. ARCHITECTURAL LICENSING BOARDS AS A REQUIREMENT FOR LICENSURE. THE EXAMINATION SERVES AS A MEASURE OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL (COMPETENCY) TO PRACTICE ARCHITECTURE INDEPENDENTLY, AND IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE OF THE PUBLIC. IN FY25, NCARB CONTINUED DELIVERING ARE 5.0, A MORE TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED, WEB-BASED VERSION OF THE EXAM COMPARED TO PRIOR VERSIONS. ARE 5.0'S CONTENT IS ORGANIZED AROUND THE PROGRESSION OF A TYPICAL ARCHITECTURE PROJECT. ARE 5.0 IS CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH THE PRACTICE OF ARCHITECTURE, AND THE EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSURE. THE NEW EXAM FEATURES ITEM TYPES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO ENABLE CANDIDATES TO APPLY THEIR EXPERIENCE AS WELL AS THEIR EDUCATION. IN FY25, 44,156 DIVISIONS OF THE EXAM WERE ADMINISTERED. OVER 17,000 CANDIDATES TOOK ONE OR MORE DIVISIONS OF THE EXAM, AND OVER 3,500 CANDIDATES COMPLETED THE ARE IN FY25.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(6) business league.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Caution.
The IRS master file records contributions to this 501(c)(6) business league as not deductible.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since May 1963.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.