Examination Procedures

(1) The examination for applicants who are eligible for admission and registration shall be the current Architectural Registration Examination (A.R.E.), as prepared and graded by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) and as accepted and administered on behalf of the Board. (2) Applicants shall take the examination subject to the following conditions: (a) Grading of the examination shall be in accordance with the national grading procedures and passing score standards which are established by NCARB, and which are approved by the Board; (b) No information pertaining to the subject matter of the examination shall be given to any applicant in advance except as specifically authorized by NCARB; (c) Transfer credits for divisions of the examination passed prior to the currently- administered Architectural Registration Examination shall be in accordance with policies established by the Board, which may be those which are recommended by NCARB. Information as to transfer credits shall be provided, when appropriate, to applicants as a supplement to the application forms; (d) An applicant may take the A.R.E., or any portion thereof, at any NCARB-approved test center, whether located in or outside of Massachusetts; and (e) An applicant who has enrolled in or completed a program that meets the education requirements as set forth in 231 CMR 3.02(2)(c) and has enrolled in the NCARB Archirect Experience Program by establishing an NCARB Record, shall be eligible for admission to the A.R.E. (3) The fees for the A.R.E. which are paid to the Board, if any, shall be as approved by the Executive Office of Administration and Finance pursuant to M.G.L. c. 7, § 3B. Fees shall not be refunded under any circumstances. (4) A record shall be maintained by NCARB on behalf of the Board for each applicant, showing the dates on which that applicant took each division of the A.R.E., the number of divisions of the A.R.E. completed by that applicant, and the number of divisions not completed to date. (5) An applicant shall not be permitted to review or appeal any division of the A.R.E. which the applicant fails. (6) Upon proper application, the Board may, at its discretion, accept passing grades achieved by an applicant on the various divisions of the A.R.E., under the auspices of any other jurisdiction and the grades are attested to by NCARB or by any NCARB Member Board in accordance with NCARB recommended grading procedures and passing score standards. Such an applicant may then take the remaining divisions of the A.R.E. If the applicant completes those remaining divisions successfully and submits proof that the applicant meets the eligibility requirements for registration, as set forth in 231 CMR 3.02, the applicant may then be registered by the Board. (7) Upon written request by an applicant, the Board shall cause to be forwarded the grades achieved by that applicant in the various divisions of the A.R.E. in Massachusetts to other NCARB Member Boards or duly constituted architectural registration boards in Canada for their use in evaluating that applicant and determining whether the applicant may be registered in their jurisdiction. An applicant requesting a transfer of such grades to another jurisdiction shall pay a fee for this service to be established by the Executive Office of Administration and Finance pursuant to M.G.L. c. 7, § 3B. A transfer of an applicant's grades to another jurisdiction shall terminate that applicant's pending application for registration in Massachusetts. (8) Reciprocal Registration. An applicant who holds a current and valid certification issued by NCARB and who submits satisfactory evidence of such certification to the Board shall be registered without having to comply with the requirements of 231 CMR 3.02 or 3.03 if: (a) The applicant also submits satisfactory evidence that the applicant holds a current and valid registration issued by any other NCARB Member Board; and (b) The applicant files an application with the Board, on a form prescribed by the Board, containing such additional information, satisfactory to the Board, as the Board considers pertinent, and pays the applicable fee established by the Secretary of Administration and Finance pursuant to M.G.L. c. 7, § 3B and 801 CMR 4:00: Rates.