CLARB Practice Test

This page is for candidates preparing for the CLARB L.A.R.E., the licensing exam accepted by CLARB member boards. It gathers free practice sets by topic, three worked questions with full explanations, a study plan, and the registration dates, fee and scoring rules published by CLARB, so you can plan your preparation in one place. Practice with the free CLARB - Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (7 questions with answer explanations).

Free CLARB - Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards Study Tools

Interactive CLARB - Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:

• CLARB - Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards flashcards — review key terms and concepts card by card
• CLARB - Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards study guide — topic-by-topic overview of what the exam covers
• CLARB - Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards cheat sheet — one-page printable summary for last-minute review

CLARB Exam at a Glance

What changed for CLARB in 2026

• Oct 25, 2026: Eligibility changed to Set by each jurisdiction; accredited-degree holders can usually start right after graduation (previously Set by each jurisdiction; accredited-degree holders can usually start at graduation).^[7]
• Oct 25, 2026: Retake policy changed to Retake only the sections you did not pass (previously Retake only the failed sections).^[4]
• Oct 25, 2026: Other (update 2026-10-01) changed to From October 1, 2026, L.A.R.E. candidates must cancel exam registrations and appointments through the PSI portal, which also processes any eligible refund. (previously From October 1, 2026, L.A.R.E. candidates must cancel exam registrations and appointments through the PSI portal, which also processes any refund.).^[8]
• Oct 25, 2026: Other (update 2026-10-08) changed to CLARB's expedited transmittal service is unavailable while CLARB transitions to the new CLARB Record platform. (previously Expedited transmittal service is paused while CLARB moves to its new CLARB Record platform, which launched in October 2026.).^[2]
• Oct 8, 2026: CLARB's expedited transmittal service is unavailable while CLARB transitions to the new CLARB Record platform.^[2]
• Oct 1, 2026: From October 1, 2026, L.A.R.E. candidates must cancel exam registrations and appointments through the PSI portal, which also processes any eligible refund.^[8]

What the CLARB is and how it works

According to Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards, “The Landscape Architect Registration Examination (L.A.R.E.) is a four-part, fully computerized exam”^[1]

The L.A.R.E. is CLARB's licensing exam. It is a 4-part, fully computerized exam, and once you complete it you have met the exam requirement for all CLARB member boards. You can take it at a PSI test center or through online proctoring.

Eligibility is set by each jurisdiction, so check with your own licensing board before you register. Most jurisdictions let candidates with an accredited degree start right after graduation, but that is not universal.

The fee is $545 per section, per attempt. Each section is scored on its own scale, and 650 is always the passing point, whichever section you take. Sections are passed or failed independently. You keep credit for any section you pass and retake only the ones you did not pass.

Exams are offered in set windows. Winter 2026 registration is open now, with a scheduling deadline of November 24, 2026 and a test window of Nov 30 to Dec 16, 2026. Final results are typically released 4–6 weeks after the window closes.

Renewal rules also vary. Most jurisdictions require continuing education to keep a license. For anything that affects your registration, rely on the official CLARB pages, which are the source for every fact above.

Worked examples: how to reason through CLARB questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: Liquefaction — where saturated soil temporarily loses strength and behaves like a liquid — is most commonly triggered by which event?

1. Heavy sustained rainfall
2. Seismic (earthquake) activity
3. Prolonged drought followed by irrigation
4. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles

Answer: B. Seismic (earthquake) activity

Explanation:

The correct answer is seismic activity. An earthquake shakes the ground with rapid, repeated loading. In loose, saturated sand or silt, that shaking pushes up the water pressure between grains until the grains lose contact with each other and the soil behaves like a liquid.

Heavy rainfall adds water, but it does not apply the fast cyclic loading that drives the pressure up. Drought followed by irrigation changes moisture slowly and does not shake the soil. Freeze-thaw cycles cause heaving and surface damage, but they do not make saturated soil suddenly lose its strength.

Rule to remember: liquefaction needs three things together, loose granular soil, saturation, and strong shaking. If a site has a shallow water table and sandy fill in a seismically active area, flag it early.

Example 2

Question: When grading a site to direct surface water away from a building foundation, what is the generally accepted minimum slope?

1. 0.5% (1/16 inch per foot)
2. 1% (1/8 inch per foot)
3. 2% (1/4 inch per foot)
4. 5% (5/8 inch per foot)

Answer: C. 2% (1/4 inch per foot)

Explanation:

The correct answer is 2%, which is 1/4 inch per foot. This is the generally accepted minimum for moving surface water away from a foundation, so water drains away instead of collecting against the wall.

A slope of 0.5% is too flat. Small settling or construction tolerances can create low spots where water ponds beside the building. A slope of 1% is better but still falls below the usual guideline for ground next to a structure. A slope of 5% would drain water, but the question asks for the minimum, and steeper slopes are an option rather than the baseline.

Rule to remember: next to a building, aim for at least 2% of positive drainage away from the foundation, and check that the grade does not reverse further out.

Example 3

Question: During the design of a large parking lot, the landscape architect must incorporate a stormwater feature that not only manages runoff but also improves water quality and provides aesthetic and habitat benefits. The feature should maintain a permanent pool of water. What is the most suitable option?

1. A detention pond
2. An infiltration trench
3. A retention pond
4. A channel drain

Answer: C. A retention pond

Explanation:

The correct answer is a retention pond, also called a wet pond. The clue in the question is the permanent pool of water. That pool lets pollutants settle out and supports biological treatment, and it can be designed as an amenity with habitat value.

A detention pond holds runoff temporarily and then releases it, so it is dry between storms and has no permanent pool. An infiltration trench sends water into the ground below the surface and does not hold a visible pool or offer habitat. A channel drain collects and moves surface water but provides no treatment, storage or aesthetic benefit.

Rule to remember: retention keeps water, detention only delays it. When a question mentions a permanent pool, choose retention.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official CLARB pages on the examination process and on understanding your exam results. Note your jurisdiction's eligibility rules and the registration deadline for the window you want, then work backward from the test window to set your study dates.

Next, take one of our practice sets cold, without notes. Do not worry about the score. Read every explanation, including those for questions you answered correctly, and write down each rule you got wrong or guessed at. Group those notes by topic, such as grading and drainage, soils, planting, construction administration, and professional practice.

Spend your next sessions on your weakest topics, using the matching practice set, then return to the official material to check any rule you were unsure about. Repeat a set only after some time has passed, so you are recalling the answer rather than recognizing it.

Our questions are written by us with AI tools and are not real exam questions. Use them to find gaps, not to predict what will appear. In the last days before your test, review your notes and confirm your appointment details, ID requirements and delivery method with PSI or CLARB.

Sources & last verified

1. Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards — number of questions, registration deadline, testing window, registration opens (official source). “The Landscape Architect Registration Examination (L.A.R.E.) is a four-part, fully computerized exam” Verified Oct 25, 2026.
2. Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards — exam fee, other (official source). “| **Planning and Design** | $545 |” Verified Oct 25, 2026.
3. Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards — passing score (official source). “On the L.A.R.E. scale, 650 is always the passing point, no matter which section you took.” Verified Oct 25, 2026.
4. Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards — retake policy (official source). “Each section of the exam is passed or failed independently. You keep credit for any section you pass, so you only need to retake sections…” Verified Oct 25, 2026.
5. Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards — validity (official source). “Once completed, you have fulfilled the exam requirement for all CLARB member boards.” Verified Oct 25, 2026.
6. Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards — renewal (official source). “with most jurisdictions across the United States and Canada requiring ongoing learning for renewal” Verified Oct 25, 2026.
7. Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards — delivery, eligibility, score release (official source). “You may choose to take your exam at a PSI Testing Center or via online proctoring.” Verified Oct 25, 2026.
8. Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards — other (official source). “Effective October 1, 2026: You must cancel your exam registration and appointment through the PSI portal.” Verified Oct 25, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.