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Mutual Recognition Agreement (Canada/USA)

The original Inter-Recognition Agreement between the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) and Canadian Architectural Licensing Authorities (CALA), formerly known as the Committee of Canadian Architectural Councils, was signed on July 1, 1994. A revised Mutual Recognition Agreement, that required at least 50% of the jurisdictions in each country to become parties to the new agreement, took effect on January 1, 2014.

In accordance with the Agreement, applicants who have obtained NCARB Certification will be granted licensure/registration to practice architecture in a participating jurisdiction in the other country, without any further demonstration of qualifications, other than familiarity with local laws, conditions, and practice requirements.

The Agreement applies only to those architects who meet the following eligibility requirements and conditions, as outlined in the Agreement:

Eligibility

  1. Architects who are able to benefit from the provisions of the Agreement must be citizens respectively of the United States or Canada, or have lawful permanent residency status, in the country as their home country in order to seek licensure/registration in the other country as the host country under this Agreement. Architects shall not be required to establish citizenship or permanent residency status in the host country in which they seek licensure/registration under this Agreement.
  2. Architects must also be licensed/registered in a jurisdiction of their home country and must have completed at least 2,000 hours of post-licensure/registration experience practicing as an architect in their home country.
  3. Notwithstanding items 1 and 2 above, architects who have been licensed by means of a Broadly Experienced Foreign Architect program of either of the two countries or an alternative foreign reciprocal licensing agreement, are not eligible under this Mutual Recognition Agreement.

Conditions

U.S. Architect to Canadian Jurisdiction

Upon application, the CALA jurisdictions (all of whom are signatories to the Agreement), agree to license/register as an architect in their respective province or territory, any architect who:

  1. is currently licensed/registered in good standing by one or more NCARB Member Board(s) that is a current signatory to the Agreement;
  2. holds a current NCARB Certificate;
  3. meets the eligibility requirements listed above; and
  4. whose principal place of practice is in a jurisdiction that is a current signatory to the Agreement.

Canadian Architect to U.S. Jurisdiction

Upon application, NCARB shall issue an NCARB Certificate to any architect who is both licensed/registered in one or more jurisdictions in Canada and meets the eligibility requirements listed above.

Upon application, those NCARB Member Boards who are signatories to the Agreement, agree to license/register as an architect in their respective jurisdictions any architect who:

  1. is currently licensed/registered in good standing by one or more provincial/territorial associations in Canada;
  2. holds a current NCARB Certificate;
  3. meets the eligibility requirements listed above; and
  4. whose principal place of practice is in a jurisdiction that is a current signatory to the Agreement.

Definitions

Demonstration of Required Experience

2,000 cumulative hours of post-licensure experience shall be demonstrated by individual applicants through the provision of proof of licensure in good standing and a signed affidavit attesting to the experience.

Principal Place of Practice

The address declared by the architect to be the address at which the architect is predominantly offering architectural services. The architect may only identify one principal place of practice.

Limitations

Nothing in the Agreement limits the ability of an NCARB Member Board or CALA jurisdiction to refuse to license/register an architect or impose terms, conditions or restrictions on his/her license/registration as a result of complaints or disciplinary or criminal proceedings relating to the competency, conduct or character of that architect, where such action is considered necessary to protect the public interest. Nothing in the Agreement limits the ability of NCARB, an NCARB Member Board or a CALA jurisdiction to seek appropriate verification of any matter pertaining to the foregoing or the eligibility of an applicant under the Agreement.

Signatories to the Agreement

All of the CALA jurisdictions are signatories to the Agreement.

Click here to obtain a list of the NCARB Member Boards who are current signatories to the Agreement.

Important Notes on the Certification Process

The NCARB certification requires processing time and fees will be charged for the compilation of the initial Council Record and issuance of certification, as well as ongoing annual certification renewals and transmittal of the Council Record to any regulatory body (as part of the application process for licensing in a specific jurisdiction).

For general information regarding NCARB certification:
http://www.ncarb.org/Certification-and-Reciprocity/Standard-Path-to-Certification.aspx

Canadian architects are encouraged to contact NCARB directly, to ensure that the appropriate application for NCARB Certification under the MRA (for Canadian architects) and applicable fees are made available.

Application For Licensing/Registration

Once NCARB certification has been established, application for registration can then be made to the various jurisdictions which are participants to the Mutual Recognition Agreement.