Frequently Asked Questions

For all three professions, once you pass all parts of the examination, you will complete an Initial License Application in the Application Portal in order to become licensed.

Applicants for an Oklahoma license by reciprocity must meet the following requirements:

-Meet work experience/education requirements (Subchapters 5-9 in the Rules);

-Architects may hold a National Council of Architectural Registration Boards' (NCARB) certificate or Landscape Architects may hold a Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards' (CLARB) certificate OR

-You may apply directly to the Oklahoma Board by completing the application for architect registration, submitting it to the Board office along with verification of your education, grades from when you tested, work experience for evaluation and approval. All applicants are required to take and pass the open book exam on Oklahoma's Law and Rules. Additionally, landscape architects must take and pass the Oklahoma Plant Materials Exam. Both exams are open book and submit proof of U.S. citizenship.

All licenses, Individual and Firms (Certificate of Authority), expire on June 30th of each odd-numbered year. Renewal notices will be emailed approximately 90 days prior to expiration to the email address on file with the Board office. Failure to receive a renewal notice in the mail does not relieve the licensee of the responsibility to renew their license by the expiration date. To renew your license, log into the portal, upload your Continuing Education information, and click on the "Renewal" tab to complete the renewal and pay the $325 fee.

Contact the Board Office at okla@boardofarch.ok.gov.

No, they are completely separate portals. If you have submitted an application, you will not be able to access the Licensee Portal until after your application has been approved and you've paid your $325 license fee.

You will log back in to the Application Portal to finish the application or to see the status of your application once it's been submitted.

First, make sure to add oba@thentiacloud.net to your list of approved senders and check your spam and trash folders to make sure the emails haven't gone there. If you still aren't receiving the emails after that, please contact the Board office. You can also check the status of an application in the Application Portal.

If you forget your password or the answer to your security questions, or if you think you're entering them correctly but are getting a notice that they're incorrect, choose "forgot password" on the login page. The system will then send you an email with a temporary password; when you login again with the temporary password, it will prompt you to set a new password and security questions.

Try clicking the "Activate Now" link instead; you will enter your email address and it will send a temporary password to that email address. If you are still not receiving the temporary password email after trying the "activate now" link, please contact the Board office.

No, only one licensee's information will show up when an email address is used to log in. If multiple licensees are using the same email for correspondence, they will need to provide another email address to use to access the Licensee Portal.

License renewals for all Oklahoma licensees, including firms, occur every odd-numbered year; licenses must be renewed by June 30th or it will automatically cancel on July 1st. License renewals will be done through the Licensee Portal and will open 90 days before the June 30th deadline. All of the required 24 hours of Continuing Education must be uploaded in the Licensee Portal before you will be able to renew your license. To renew your license, click on the "Renewal" tab in the portal to complete the renewal application and pay the $325 fee.

Below where it says "Renewal period not open at this time," there should be a table that has a button with the words, "Continue & Review." Clicking that button will give you access into your already-started renewal application.

Apply directly with NCARB to begin taking the A.R.E. exam.  

Apply directly with CLARB to begin taking the L.A.R.E. exam. 

Apply directly to CIDQ to begin taking the N.C.I.D.Q. exam.

Please contact Ellen White at ellen.white@boardofarch.ok.gov for more information. 

Yes, all firms practicing architecture, landscape architecture, or licensed interior design in Oklahoma, or offering to practice in Oklahoma, must be licensed. To find out more about firm licensure, click on the Firm Applications & Licensure tab.

Oklahoma law and rules require firms offering architectural, landscape architectural, or licensed interior design services to be registered in this State by applying for a Certificate of Authority with this board in addition to filing a separate application with the Office of the Secretary of State. A Professional of Record for the firm must have a current Oklahoma license and must hold a legal position in the firm. (Subchapter 13 in the Rules) All Certificate of Authorities expire on June 30th of every odd year.

If your firm's Professional of Record has left the firm or has passed away, please contact Janie Hollars at janie.hollars@boardofarch.ok.gov for information on how to complete a revision to the firm's Certificate of Authority.

Yes, the law and rules require continuing education. All are required to submit 24 hours, all of which must be "hsw" (health, safety, welfare) every 2-year renewal period. A random selection of 10% of licensees who renew their license will be subject to an audit of their Continuing Education hours each renewal period. (Subchapter 17 in the Rules)

For license renewals every two years, 24 hours of Continuing Education are required. If you did more than 24 hours in the 2-year renewal period, 4 hours can be carried over into the next renewal period.

Once you click on the "Continuing Education" tab and choose the current period, you will see a "Continuing Education Summary" page. You can upload an AIA transcript or your attendance verification under the "Transcript" section. That is all the information the Board needs if you are selected for a Continuing Education audit. If you would like to keep a log of each separate CEU course that you have taken, you are able to do that under "CE Activities". Simply click on "+Add New" to log your courses individually.

Even if the event was multiple sessions/units, you can enter it as one entry with the number of contact hours as the same number as the number of sessions you attended and upload the certificate for it. (i.e. if you attended 6 sessions in one day and received an attendance certificate at the end of the day, you only have to enter it once in the portal for 6 contact hours of credit.)

Only those who are currently or will be licensed under the Oklahoma State Architectural and Licensed Interior Designers Act.

The law only governs the use of the title "Licensed Interior Designer" and the practice of licensed interior design.  Anyone in the state can use the titles "Interior Designer," "Interior Decorater," or "Residential Designer" without regulation by this Board. Additionally, anyone can practice interior design or residential design without being regulated by this Board.

Yes. AHJs are allowed to set stricter requirements than state law requirements.

No. As an Licensed Interior Designer, you are not authorized to practice architecture or landscape architecture.