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Ontario Association of Landscape Architects. All rights reserved.
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The Landscape Architect Registration Examination (L.A.R.E.) is designed to determine whether applicants for landscape architectural licensure possess sufficient knowledge, skills and abilities to provide landscape architectural services without endangering the health, safety and welfare of the public. Successful completion of the Landscape Architect Registration Examination (L.A.R.E.) is required for licensure as a landscape architect in the 49 states, four Canadian provinces (Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia and Manitoba) and the territory of Puerto Rico that regulate the profession of landscape architecture.
The L.A.R.E. is exactly the same in every jurisdiction. The same exam is administered on the same days and under the same conditions and all exams are uniformly graded by CLARB. The L.A.R.E. consists of a four-part fully computerized examinations. Each section receives a pass or fail score independently from the other sections. All sections must be passed in order to be granted licensure.
The L.A.R.E. is administered across the United States and Canada on dates established by CLARB. All sections of the exam are administered by CLARB using a national system of computer testing centres.
It is important for L.A.R.E. applicants to contact the licensure board in the state or province in which they wish to take the test and become initially licensed to determine the requirements, application deadlines and specific information about the test schedule and locations. (See Eligibility to write L.A.R.E. in Ontario on this page.)
For all sections of the L.A.R.E., CLARB establishes the deadlines for completion of the online application. Candidates may check these deadlines on the CLARB website. It is often best for candidates to apply for the L.A.R.E exams as soon as possible in order to make early test center reservations. Test centers have a limited number of seats and are filled on a first come, first served basis. CLARB partners with Pearson VUE Test Centres to administer the L.A.R.E. You can take any section of the L.A.R.E. in any Pearson VUE Test Centre that offers the L.A.R.E. regardless of where you wish to become initially licensed. After you register for the L.A.R.E., CLARB will send you an email with instructions about how to select your test center and schedule your exam appointment.
In Ontario, all OALA members are eligible to create a CLARB record and register to write the L.A.R.E. Students of LAAB or LAAC accredited programs in Ontario who have registered with the OALA as a Student Affiliate Member may register with CLARB, and list Ontario as their jurisdiction.
The Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB) requires that all L.A.R.E. candidates be a CLARB Council Record Holder (CCR). This allows CLARB to track candidates through the exams, licensure in various jurisdictions, track CE, monitor employment experience and more. If you plan on being licensed in several jurisdictions, you may wish to maintain your CCR following your completion of the L.A.R.E.
Should you wish to re-instate your CCR fees may apply. For complete details on the CCR please contact CLARB directly.
Once an OALA Member has registered with CLARB (picking the section, state and paying), the OALA member will redirect to PSI and select an appointment.
Booking the exam from the Register for Exam Page: In order to schedule with PSI, the member will go under “My profile” and click on “schedule/reschedule your exam appointment”. This will allow the member to pick the location, day and time.
Please note that OALA does not endorse any courses, but provides this list as reference. To learn what other members think about these courses and tools, join the OALA Study Google group. Examples of suggestions from the L.A.R.E. Study Group are noted below.