This free NCARB study guide teaches to the — the six-division licensure exam developed by .[1] Each division is a separate test of architectural practice, and you must pass all six to complete the ARE. This guide is organized the way the exam is built: one module per division, in division order.[3]
The six divisions span the whole arc of a project — from running a firm (PcM) through programming (PA), design (PPD), documentation (PDD), and construction (CE). This guide is interactive, not a wall of text: every division has a built-in checkpoint quiz, hover-able glossary terms, labeled diagrams, and concept questions, so you learn by doing.
Read this guide division by division, test yourself at each checkpoint, then round out your free NCARB prep with our practice questions and flashcards.
NCARB / ARE 5.0 Exam Snapshot
| Detail | ARE 5.0 |
|---|---|
| Divisions | 6 separate, independently scheduled and scored tests (PcM, PjM, PA, PPD, PDD, CE) |
| Items per division | 65 (PcM) · 75 (PjM, PA, CE) · 100 (PPD, PDD) |
| Time per division | About 2 hr 40 min to 4 hr 5 min of seat time, plus a break |
| Item types | Multiple choice, check-all-that-apply, hot spot, drag-and-place, and case studies |
| Scoring | Pass/fail; failing reports show a 100–800 scaled score (550 = minimum threshold) |
| Fee | $235 per division (subject to change) |
| Retake | Failed division: after 60 days; max 3 attempts per division in any rolling 12 months |
| Delivery | PSI test center or online proctoring; English, inch-pound units |
| Administered by | NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards) |
Each division is a separate, independently scheduled and scored test — you pay $235 per division and may take them in any order. Pass all six to complete the ARE. Delivered by PSI at a test center or via online proctoring.
- 1 · Practice Management (PcM)65 items · 2 hr 40 min seat time. Firm operations, finance, risk, AIA contracts, ethics, regulations.
- 2 · Project Management (PjM)75 items · 3 hr. Delivery methods, consultant coordination, scheduling, budgeting, QA/QC.
- 3 · Programming & Analysis (PA)75 items · 3 hr. Site/zoning/code analysis, building loads, programming, environmental analysis.
- 4 · Project Planning & Design (PPD)100 items · 4 hr 5 min. Schematic design, systems integration, egress & life safety, codes.
- 5 · Project Development & Documentation (PDD)100 items · 4 hr 5 min. Construction documents, detailing, materials, specifications, coordination.
- 6 · Construction & Evaluation (CE)75 items · 3 hr. Contract administration, submittals, RFIs, change orders, observation, closeout.
490 scored items across all six divisions · roughly 20 hours of total test time. Take them one at a time, in any order.
The divisions roughly follow a project from firm practice through programming, design, documentation, and construction — but you may sit them in any order.
Because each division is its own exam, treat them as six separate study campaigns. The two largest — PPD and PDD at 100 items each — carry the most content and the most case studies, so budget extra time there.
NCARB groups the exam into six divisions.[1]This guide teaches all six as study modules, in division order, with each division’s official objective areas as checkable subsections.
1 · Practice Management (PcM)
How an architecture firm runs as a business. Firm operations and staffing, finances and the that measures them, risk and legal exposure, AIA contracts, professional ethics, and the regulations governing practice.[1]
Business Operations & Ethics
PcM starts with the firm: staffing and resources, business structures, and the regulations and ethics that bind professional practice. The architect’s — the diligence a reasonably prudent architect would exercise — is the legal yardstick for everything that follows. Practicing within your competence and protecting public health, safety, and welfare are core ethical duties.
Finances, Risk & Practice Development
The largest area of PcM is the firm’s financial health and risk. Know (revenue after consultant pass-throughs), the , and the overhead rate, and how responds to claims that the standard of care was not met.
Practice-Wide Delivery of Services
PcM also covers how the firm responds to client requests, chooses contract types and , and mitigates project risk firm-wide. The owner-architect agreement, , sets the firm’s scope and compensation on each project.
Checkpoint · Division · Practice Management (PcM)
Question 1 of 10
An architecture firm is staffing up to expand into healthcare design. When assessing whether to hire a senior healthcare architect now, which financial measure best indicates the firm can afford the position?
2 · Project Management (PjM)
Running a single project from contract to closeout coordination. Assembling and managing the team, work planning and scheduling, the AIA contracts that bind everyone, project execution, and quality control.[1]
AIA Contracts & Agreements
Contracts are the largest area of PjM. Know who agrees with whom: (owner-architect), (architect-consultant), and the A-series — A101 with general conditions — for the owner-contractor relationship.
Memorize the pairs: B101 (owner-architect), C401 (architect-consultant), A101/A201 (owner-contractor) — the spine of every contracts question.
Work Planning & Scheduling
Build a work plan and schedule the team. Understand the — the longest chain of dependent tasks that sets the project duration — and , the slack a non-critical activity has before it delays the finish. Gantt charts and the Critical Path Method are the tools.
Quality Control & Project Execution
PjM closes with executing the work within budget and scope and controlling quality: managing scope creep, coordinating consultants, checking constructability, and keeping the design intent intact through QA/QC. The shapes how documentation and approvals flow.
Checkpoint · Division · Project Management (PjM)
Question 1 of 10
An architect is assembling the project team for a mid-sized commercial building and must determine appropriate staffing levels for the construction documents phase. Which factor is the MOST appropriate basis for forecasting the number of staff hours required?
3 · Programming & Analysis (PA)
Understanding the site and defining the problem before design. Environmental and contextual site conditions, codes and zoning, and the site and building that turns an owner’s needs into requirements.[1]
Site & Environmental Analysis
Read the land: solar orientation, wind, topography and slope, soils, drainage, views, access, and hazards such as floodplains, wetlands, and brownfields. Sustainability begins here, with how the building sits on its site. A FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area, for instance, drives finished-floor elevations and buildable area.
Codes, Zoning & Land Use
and land-use rules cap what a site can hold. , setbacks, height limits, and lot coverage define the buildable envelope before a single line is drawn.
Building & Space Programming
The largest area of PA is building programming: cataloging required spaces and their square footages, mapping functional relationships and adjacencies, prioritizing program components, and testing budget and schedule feasibility — often communicated with adjacency and stacking diagrams.
Checkpoint · Division · Programming & Analysis (PA)
Question 1 of 10
An architect is evaluating a 4-acre site in the Northern Hemisphere for a passive-solar office building. Which site orientation strategy best maximizes beneficial winter solar gain while limiting summer overheating?
4 · Project Planning & Design (PPD)
The largest division — schematic design and the integration of everything. Building configuration and , site design, egress and life safety, codes, sustainability strategies, and design cost.[1]
Systems Integration & Building Configuration
The heart of PPD is integration: fitting the structural, , mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems into the same building section without conflict, while still meeting program, code, and budget. This is the single largest objective area on the exam.
Integration is the heart of PPD and PDD: the structural grid, the envelope, and the MEP runs must all fit the same building section without collision.
Egress, Life Safety & Codes
Life safety drives the plan. The sets how many people must be able to leave; that determines the number and arrangement of exits, the to them, and the egress width — all governed by the and the building’s .
- 1. Occupant loadFloor area ÷ the occupant-load factor for the use (e.g. 100 ft² per person for business). Sets how many people must be able to leave.
- 2. Required exitsMost spaces need at least two exits; larger occupant loads (generally over 500) require three or more, placed remotely from one another.
- 3. Travel distanceThe maximum allowable distance to reach an exit, set by occupancy and whether the building is sprinklered (e.g. 200–250 ft, longer when sprinklered).
- 4. Egress capacityEach door, corridor, and stair must be wide enough for its share of occupants, using the code's per-occupant width factors.
The chain is always the same: occupant load → number and arrangement of exits → travel distance → egress width. The IBC governs every link.
Sustainability & Cost
PPD also weighs passive and active sustainability strategies — orientation, shading, daylighting, and high-performance envelopes — and tests design alternatives against the program and a cost estimate, choosing configurations that meet goals within budget.
Checkpoint · Division · Project Planning & Design (PPD)
Question 1 of 10
An architect is siting a narrow office building in a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate and wants to maximize passive solar heating in winter while minimizing summer cooling loads. Which orientation and strategy is most effective?
5 · Project Development & Documentation (PDD)
Turning the design into buildable documents. Detailing the integration of materials and systems, producing coordinated , and writing organized by the .[1]
Materials, Assemblies & Detailing
The largest area of PDD is detailing the integration of building materials and systems: sizing structural members, coordinating MEP runs, and detailing envelope assemblies so they manage heat, air, water, and vapor. A , for example, belongs on the warm-in-winter side of the insulation to prevent condensation.
Construction Documents
Assemble coordinated — the drawings that locate and dimension the work in enough detail to permit, price, and build it. Drawings show the where and how much; the specifications carry the what and how.
Specifications & the Project Manual
The project manual’s are organized into divisions, each section in the three-part format (General, Products, Execution). Specs must be coordinated with the drawings so the two never conflict.
Specifications in the project manual are organized into MasterFormat divisions — a standardized numbering system (Divisions 00–49) that lets every project file the same content in the same place. A sample:
Each spec section follows the three-part format: Part 1 General, Part 2 Products, Part 3 Execution. Specs say what and how; the drawings show where and how much.
Checkpoint · Division · Project Development & Documentation (PDD)
Question 1 of 10
A two-story office building has a typical interior steel beam spanning and spaced on center, supporting a floor live load of . Ignoring dead load, what is the total live load tributary to this single beam?
6 · Construction & Evaluation (CE)
Administering the contract during construction. Preconstruction and bidding, construction observation, the administrative procedures — , , and — and project closeout and evaluation.[1]
Preconstruction & Bidding
During bidding the architect assists the owner: distributing documents, answering bidder questions, and issuing addenda to correct or clarify the documents. The architect advises but does not select the contractor — the owner awards the contract.
Submittals, RFIs & Change Orders
The administrative engine of CE. The architect reviews for conformance with the design intent (not means and methods), answers in writing, and processes that adjust the contract sum or time. A construction change directive lets the owner and architect direct a change before price is settled.
- SubmittalsContractor sends shop drawings, product data, samples, and mock-ups; the architect reviews for conformance with the design intent (not for means and methods).
- RFIsRequests for Information clarify gaps or conflicts in the documents. The architect responds in writing; the answer becomes part of the record.
- Change ordersA written, owner-signed amendment that adjusts the contract sum and/or time. A Construction Change Directive (CCD) directs work before price is settled.
- Payment applicationsThe contractor applies for payment against completed work; the architect certifies the amount (a Certificate for Payment) before the owner pays.
- CloseoutSubstantial completion, the punch list, record drawings, warranties, final payment, and final completion — then post-occupancy evaluation.
During construction the architect administers the contract — reviewing submittals, answering RFIs, certifying payment, and observing the work — but is notresponsible for the contractor’s means and methods.
Observation, Closeout & Evaluation
The architect observes the work for general conformance with the documents, certifies payment applications, and steers closeout: , the punch list, record drawings, warranties, final payment, and final completion — followed by post-occupancy evaluation of how the building performs.
Checkpoint · Division · Construction & Evaluation (CE)
Question 1 of 10
On a design-bid-build (DBB) project, what is the architect's typical role during the bidding phase?
How to Use This Study Guide
Because each ARE 5.0 division is its own exam, study one at a time and sit it when ready, in any order — many candidates pair related divisions (PPD with PDD, or PjM with CE). A study guide is a map, not the whole territory: use it alongside the official NCARB Guidelines and full-length practice. The two 100-item divisions (PPD and PDD) carry the most content and case studies, so budget extra time there.
Every division is graded pass/fail. A passing report shows only PASS (with a 5-year expiration) — no number. A failing report shows a scaled score on a 100–800 scale where 550 is the minimum threshold of acceptable performance. The cut score is criterion-referenced, set for entry-level competence — not a fixed percentage of candidates.
Delivery method drives the contract structure, the architect’s risk, and when the contractor joins — a recurring theme on PjM and CE.
- 1
Pick a division
Choose the division you'll sit next — PcM, PjM, PA, PPD, PDD, or CE — and read that module here.
- 2
Take the checkpoint
The quick check at the end of each division exposes what didn't stick.
- 3
Drill the gaps
Send your weak division straight into the free practice questions and flashcards.
- 4
Take full, timed practice
Sit a full sampler to build pacing across all six divisions, then review every miss.
NCARB / ARE 5.0 Concept Questions
Common architectural-practice concepts the ARE 5.0 actually measures — at least two per division. Tap any card for a short, exam-ready answer backed by the official NCARB Guidelines, then test yourself on them as flashcards.
NCARB / ARE 5.0 Glossary
Quick definitions for the terms you’ll see most across the six ARE 5.0 divisions:
- AIA A201
- The AIA General Conditions of the Contract for Construction — the rules governing the owner-contractor relationship, referenced by the A101 agreement.
- AIA B101
- The standard AIA agreement between the owner and the architect, defining scope, services, phases, and compensation.
- AIA C401
- The standard AIA agreement between the architect and a consultant (e.g., structural or MEP), flowing prime-contract obligations down to the consultant.
- ARE 5.0
- The Architect Registration Examination, version 5.0 — NCARB's six-division licensure exam. You must pass all six independently scheduled, independently scored divisions to complete the ARE.
- Building envelope
- The skin separating inside from outside — walls, roof, glazing, and the air, water, and vapor barriers that control heat, air, and moisture flow.
- Change order
- A written amendment, signed by owner, architect, and contractor, that adjusts the contract sum and/or time.
- Construction documents
- The drawings and specifications that define the work in enough detail to permit, price, and build the project.
- Critical path
- The longest chain of dependent activities through a schedule; it sets the shortest possible project duration. Activities on it have zero float.
- CSI MasterFormat
- The Construction Specifications Institute's standardized numbering system (Divisions 00–49) for organizing project-manual specifications.
- Delivery method
- How a project is procured and built — Design-Bid-Build, Design-Build, CM-as-Constructor, or Integrated Project Delivery — which sets the contracts and the architect's role.
- Float
- The time a scheduled activity can be delayed without delaying the project finish; also called slack. Only non-critical activities have it.
- Floor Area Ratio
- FAR — the ratio of a building's total gross floor area to its lot area. A zoning tool that caps development intensity (FAR 2.0 on a 20,000-sf lot allows 40,000 sf).
- International Building Code
- The IBC — the model building code, adopted by most U.S. jurisdictions, governing occupancy, egress, construction type, and life safety.
- Means of egress
- The continuous, unobstructed path from any point in a building to a public way — exit access, the exit, and the exit discharge.
- NCARB
- The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards — the body that develops and administers the ARE and coordinates U.S. architectural licensure.
- Net operating revenue
- A firm's revenue after subtracting pass-through amounts paid to consultants and reimbursable expenses — the meaningful base for measuring profitability and overhead.
- Occupant load
- The number of people a space is designed to hold, found by dividing floor area by the code's occupant-load factor; it drives egress requirements.
- Professional liability insurance
- Errors-and-omissions coverage that responds to claims that an architect failed to meet the standard of care.
- Programming
- The systematic analysis of an owner's goals, required spaces, adjacencies, and constraints, producing a written program before design begins.
- Request for Information
- An RFI — a written contractor request to clarify or resolve a gap or conflict in the contract documents; the architect responds in writing.
- Specifications
- The written portion of the contract documents stating quality, materials, and performance — the 'what' and 'how,' organized by MasterFormat division.
- Standard of care
- The level of skill and diligence a reasonably prudent architect would exercise under similar circumstances; the yardstick for professional negligence. Not a guarantee of perfection.
- Submittal
- Shop drawings, product data, samples, or mock-ups the contractor sends for the architect's review of conformance with the design intent.
- Substantial completion
- The stage when the owner can occupy and use the work for its intended purpose; it starts warranties and triggers the punch list and final completion.
- Systems integration
- Coordinating structural, envelope, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems so they share the same building section without conflict.
- Travel distance
- The maximum allowable distance from any point to an exit, set by occupancy and whether the building is sprinklered.
- Utilization rate
- The share of an employee's hours that is billable (direct) versus total hours worked — a key measure of a firm's financial efficiency.
- Vapor retarder
- A material that slows water-vapor diffusion, placed on the warm-in-winter side of insulation to prevent condensation within an assembly.
- Zoning
- Local regulations controlling land use, density, height, setbacks, and lot coverage on a site.
Free NCARB / ARE 5.0 Study Materials & Resources
Everything you need to prepare for the ARE 5.0 is free here — no paywall, no sign-up. This guide is the foundation; pair it with the rest of our free NCARB study materials for active recall, timed practice, and last-minute review:
- NCARB / ARE 5.0 Practice Test — exam-style questions sampled across all six divisions, with explanations.
- NCARB / ARE 5.0 Flashcards — active-recall decks for the high-yield terms, contracts, and processes.
NCARB / ARE 5.0 Study Guide FAQ
The ARE 5.0 has six divisions: Practice Management (PcM), Project Management (PjM), Programming & Analysis (PA), Project Planning & Design (PPD), Project Development & Documentation (PDD), and Construction & Evaluation (CE). Each is a separate, independently scheduled and scored test, and you must pass all six to complete the ARE.
Divisions range from 65 to 100 items and from about 2 hours 40 minutes to 4 hours 5 minutes of seat time: PcM 65 items, PjM/PA/CE 75 items each, and PPD/PDD 100 items each. Item types include multiple choice, check-all-that-apply, hot spot, drag-and-place, and case studies. You can take the divisions in any order.
Every division is graded pass/fail. A passing report shows only PASS with a five-year expiration — no number. A failing report shows a scaled score on a 100–800 scale where 550 marks the minimum threshold of acceptable performance. The cut score is criterion-referenced, set for entry-level competence, not a fixed percentage of candidates.
Each of the six divisions costs $235, paid when you schedule it. Because the divisions are separate appointments, the full exam costs $1,410 if every division is passed on the first attempt. Fees are subject to change — confirm the current amount on ncarb.org before you schedule.
Yes. You may retake a failed division as soon as 60 days after the previous attempt of that division, up to a maximum of three attempts of the same division within any rolling 12-month period. Passed divisions stay valid for the life of ARE 5.0.
PcM covers firm business, finance, AIA contracts, risk, and ethics; PjM covers delivery methods, scheduling, budgeting, and QA/QC; PA covers site/zoning/code analysis and programming; PPD covers schematic design, systems integration, egress, and codes; PDD covers construction documents, detailing, materials, and specifications; and CE covers construction contract administration, submittals, change orders, and closeout.
Work through the six divisions in order, take the checkpoint quiz after each to find gaps, then drill that division with our free practice questions and flashcards. Because each division is its own exam, you can also focus on whichever one you plan to sit next and use that module as a targeted review.
Yes — the full guide, the checkpoints, the glossary, the concept questions, the practice questions, and the flashcards are 100% free, with no account required.
References
- 1.NCARB. “Architect Registration Examination (ARE) 5.0 Guidelines.” National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. ↑
- 2.NCARB. “ARE 5.0 Test Format.” National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. ↑
- 3.NCARB. “Pass the ARE — Exam Divisions.” National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. ↑
- 4.NCARB. “ARE 5.0 Fees & Scheduling.” National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. ↑
Sources for the concept answers
Every answer in the NCARB / ARE 5.0 concept questions above is drawn from an official NCARB primary source:
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