LARE Exam Dates

The LARE exam is a requirement for individuals who wish to be licensed landscape architects. Each state has its own rules regarding when to take the exam and how many sections are required. It is best to check with your local licensure board to determine the latest requirements. Once you have completed the necessary prerequisites, it is time to begin the process of taking the LARE.

The exam consists of five separate portions, three multiple-choice and two graphic vignette sections. The multiple-choice sections are computerized while the graphic vignette sections require drafted solutions. The multiple-choice sections are offered in March and September, and the graphic vignette sections are administered by state registration boards.

A test-taker can expect to spend between one and three hours on each multiple-choice section. The exam also includes 30 Advanced Item Type questions, which are a unique feature of the exam. In order to pass these questions, the test-taker must have a high level of understanding of the discipline. SGLA Technical Training offers a LARE Preparatory Course that provides a thorough review of the material and strategy tips for answering the advanced item type questions. Try our NEC practice test.

LARE Study Guide

The LARE exam is a demanding test that can have significant implications for your future as a landscape architect. While many students are able to pass the exam with little or no preparation, others struggle to get the scores they need. A low score can prevent you from getting the job you want or the license you need to practice. This can mean putting your career on hold or changing careers altogether.

To help you prepare for the LARE exam, there are a variety of study guides available. These study guides include practice exams and detailed answer explanations. Some study guides also offer tips on how to improve your score. These tips can be particularly helpful for those who are struggling to understand the questions on the test.

Mometrix’s LARE study guide is filled with the critical information you will need to do well on your exam — the concepts, procedures, principles, and vocabulary that the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB) expects you to have mastered before you sit for your exam. It’s available as a printed book or as an ebook. If you choose to purchase a printed copy, it will typically ship within one business day. Try our NCCER practice test.

LARE Test

It will take roughly 12 hours to complete all four tests on the LARE exam.

There are four sections in the LARE test.

The complete LARE exam is $1,990 in price.

• Examine just one piece at a time. Given the cost of the exams and the relative difficulty of the exam content, it is only advised to double up on exams if you must get your license as soon as possible. Beginning with Section 2 can be a fantastic method to get acquainted with taking the LARE because it is typically the easiest exam for new practitioners. If you must take two tests, we advise taking Sections 2 and 3 together or Sections 1 and 4, as they overlap and can help you study more effectively. To maximize your study time, schedule one exam at the start of the test-taking session and one at the end if you plan to take two examinations at once. 
• Distinguish between your textual questions and your advanced/graphic questions kinds. Most test takers discover that completing all of the written exam questions is helpful first, then go back and complete all of the graphic/advanced question types. Separating question kinds will enable you to concentrate more clearly on the particular question type because our brains process visual and written information differently. Remember that all LARE questions, regardless of their complexity, are worth one point, and graphic questions can take a lot longer to complete. 
• Mark challenging questions so you can revisit them after the test. Occasionally, you will discover that a phrase or idea that is unclear in one query is explained in another question later on in the exam, giving you the correct response or, at the very least, a helpful clue that can help you reduce the range of possible responses to a challenging issue. Eliminate options one by one to answer multiple-choice problems. Although it might seem apparent, writing down every possible response to a multiple-choice question and then checking each one off individually is a successful tactic. Because landscape architects frequently think visually, seeing the apparent incorrect responses crossed out can help you focus on the best appropriate response. As stated in its purposefully ambiguous terminology, it’s your responsibility to decide which of multiple potential correct answers CLARB frequently throws forth is the best choice for the question.
• Not all study guides are appropriate for today’s LARE exam formats. If you decide to study from sources other than those in the CLARB reading list, ensure they have been updated to reflect the LARE revisions from 2012 and 2017 before using them. If they haven’t, it doesn’t mean they’re useless; you should compare the data with the most recent LARE Orientation Guide released by CLARB to ensure you’re studying the right things for the test.
• Not some study guides are appropriate for the LARE exam formats used today. If you decide to study from sources other than those in the CLARB reading list, ensure they have been updated to reflect the LARE revisions from 2012 and 2017 before using them. If they haven’t, it doesn’t mean they’re useless; you should compare the data with the most recent LARE Orientation Guide released by CLARB to ensure you’re studying the right things for the test.

• Unlike any test you have ever taken, the Landscape Architect Registration Examination. Your ability to practice landscape architecture will be evaluated. This is not a contest for designs. It assesses your knowledge, skills, and abilities in relation to safeguarding the health, safety, and welfare of the public as part of your professional licensure exam. There are four sections of the L.A.R.E. To be eligible for licensure, a candidate for licensure must pass each one. According to research, applicants who take sections 1 and 2 earlier in the graduation process perform better than those who wait. Candidates with numerous years of experience are more successful in section 4. There was no definite indicator of Section 3’s performance. The bottom line is that you should feel free to register for the exam if you believe you are prepared and your state permits you to do so before completing the necessary experience.
• Each state establishes its standards for qualifying to take the L.A.R.E. and obtaining a license. Today, many states—but not all—allow candidates to start taking the exam after graduation. Additionally, many states have a rolling 5-year exam clock, meaning you must pass every component of the exam within five years of taking the first one. It is usually advisable to confirm requirements with the licensing authority in the area where you seek to obtain a license.

Although the exam is challenging and will need a lot of work, the long-term advantages outweigh the costs.

If a cancellation is requested, your exam cost will be refunded, less a 5% cancellation fee in the original manner of payment. Candidates may not be eligible for a refund if they do not cancel with PSI and CLARB simultaneously.

Results are available six weeks after the final day of each administration and are recorded as pass or fail.