The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards’ (NCARB) member licensing boards have ratified two new Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) with its counterparts in Canada and South Africa.

The agreements expand access to international reciprocity, allowing qualified architects from each country to pursue licensure through a streamlined process.

The MRA with NCARB’s Canadian counterpart, the Regulatory Organizations of Architecture in Canada (ROAC), replaces an existing agreement between NCARB and ROAC, removing several impediments to architects’ participation.

Both agreements are based on shared competencies obtained at the point of licensure and accept architects from various backgrounds, including those who hold the NCARB Certificate through the Education Alternative or Foreign Architect pathways.

The new agreement between NCARB and its counterpart in Canada includes several changes from the existing agreement that are intended to remove barriers to reciprocity, including eliminating the 2,000 required hours of post-licensure experience, removing requirements related to citizenship and residency, and accepting architects licensed or certified through alternative pathways.

To be eligible for reciprocity under the new agreement, architects must be licensed and in good standing in a participating jurisdiction in their home country, and for U.S. architects, hold an active NCARB Certificate.

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