The program designed to guide professionals through the early stages of their career has been renamed the Architectural Experience Program (AXP) and updated to reflect modern practice. Effective June 29, 2016, the program now requires licensure candidates to document 3,740 hours of experience in six simplified areas that cover all phases of architectural practice, rather than 17 experience areas.
Developed by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), the program—which was previously called the Intern Development Program (IDP)—is required for licensure in most U.S. jurisdictions. This update is one of several NCARB has made to its experience program over the past few years, namely: streamlining the number of required hours from 5,600 to 3,740; the ability to report experience beyond six months and up to five years; accepting AXP credit for paid academic internships; and enabling licensure candidates to earn AXP credit after high school and regardless of a project’s duration.