| Experience area | Hours required | Where they usually come from |
|---|---|---|
| Practice Management | 160 | Fee proposals, contracts, firm operations |
| Project Management | 360 | Schedules, budgets, consultant coordination |
| Programming & Analysis | 260 | Site analysis, zoning research, programming |
| Project Planning & Design | 1,080 | Concept, schematic design, design development |
| Project Development & Documentation | 1,520 | Construction documents, specs, detailing |
| Construction & Evaluation | 360 | Site visits, RFIs, submittals, punch lists |
3,740 across six areas: Practice Management 160, Project Management 360, Programming & Analysis 260, Project Planning & Design 1,080, Project Development & Documentation 1,520, Construction & Evaluation 360. Surplus in one area doesn't count toward another.
Most candidates finish in two to four years. Full-time work at ~80% eligibility clears 3,740 hours in a little over two years, longer when your role rarely touches construction administration.
NCARB assumes an 80–85% conversion: a 40-hour week yields roughly 32 AXP hours, since admin, marketing and PTO don't map to experience areas.
Within eight months of earning them for full credit, in reports covering no more than six months each. Lapsed reporting is the most common self-inflicted AXP delay.
Up to 1,860 hours may be earned in Setting O (construction, design-adjacent or academic work), but at least half your total must come under a licensed architect in Setting A.
Most jurisdictions allow concurrent testing and experience. Confirm your state board's rules in your NCARB Record.