ROAC

Regulatory Organizations of Architecture in Canada

International business people

United States and Canada

***This updated Agreement will go into effect on January 15, 2026***

Canada / United States Mutual Recognition Agreement

The first Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) between Canada and the United States was originally signed in 1994 and more recently updated in 2014. The agreement is based on an assessment of similarities between the architecture licensing standards established by the U.S. National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) for its member jurisdictions and those set by the Regulatory Organizations of Architecture in Canada (ROAC).

An updated MRA between NCARB and the ROAC will go into effect on Thursday, January 15, 2026. This MRA, signed into agreement by both organizations on November 13, 2025, replaces the existing agreement between NCARB and ROAC. Read the full press release here.

The agreement is based on substantially equivalent competencies obtained at the point of licensure and accepts Architects from each country who have been licensed through a variety of paths – including those who hold the NCARB Certificate through the Education Alternative and International Architect pathways or the Canadian Broadly Experienced Foreign Architect Program (BEFA).

This licence-for-licence mutual recognition agreement applies to holders of an unrestricted, active licence and does not extend to licences that are non-practising or subject to any terms, conditions, or limitations.  Additionally, Architects who are licensed/registered in their home country through another international Mutual Recognition Agreement are not eligible under this agreement.

All 11 of the ROAC jurisdictions along with most of the U.S. Member Boards are participants to the MRA. For the most current list of U.S. participating jurisdictions please refer to the NCARB website.

To be eligible for reciprocal licensure under this agreement, Architects must:

U.S. to Canada Process

If you are a U.S. Architect seeking licensure in Canada, follows the steps below.

  1. Verify you qualify for the MRA by contacting NCARB .
  2. Contact the Canadian jurisdiction (find information via ROAC) to determine compliance with local requirements.
  3. Submit a transmittal request to a Canadian jurisdiction via MyNCARB Portal.
  4. Complete an Attestation Letter that acknowledges current licensure and good standing, date of licence and jurisdiction, confirmation of eligibility for MRA, and discipline history (if applicable).

NCARB then verifies registration and discipline records with the U.S. jurisdiction. Upon confirmation of registration information and completion of Attestation Letter, NCARB will upload records to transmittal portal for Canadian jurisdiction review. The Canadian jurisdiction examines the transmitted records and continues its-specific application process.

Canada to the U.S. Process

If you are a Canadian Architect seeking licensure in the United States, follow the steps below.

  1. Verify that the applicable U.S. jurisdiction participates in the agreement and confirm compliance with any jurisdiction specific requirements. Contact information for the U.S. licensing boards is available on the NCARB website.
  2. Complete NCARB’s online application for NCARB Certificate.
  3. Provide Canadian registration information.
  4. Complete Attestation Letter that acknowledges current licensure and good standing, date of licence and jurisdiction, confirmation of eligibility for MRA, and discipline history (if applicable).

NCARB then receives an email notification to review the Canadian applicant. It verifies applicant registration via the Canadian jurisdictional website directory. If evaluated successfully, an NCARB Certificate is issued to the Canadian Architect.

To learn more about this agreement and the requirements for NCARB certification, read the Certification Guidelines.

Fees

Canadian Architects must:

  • establish an NCARB Record and pay a prescribed fee in U.S. dollars;
  • pay a transmittal fee to have NCARB Record transmitted to the U.S. jurisdiction where licence is sought; and
  • pay additional licensure fees to the relevant jurisdiction (these fees vary between provinces and territories).

U.S. Architects must:

  • pay a transmittal fee to have NCARB Record sent to the Canadian province/territory of choice.
  • pay an application fee of $500 to the relevant Canadian jurisdiction
  • pay the licensure fee that applied in that Canadian jurisdiction which may vary and are set by the individual jurisdiction.