United States · Licensing exam

Architect Registration Exam sample questions

Here are 20 free sample questions we wrote for the Architect Registration Examination (ARE 5.0), spread across its six divisions in about their share of the exam’s items. Each one has a single best answer and an explanation. A real division has 65 to 100 questions, with case studies and other item types, so treat this as a quick check across the content, not a practice exam.

20Sample questions on this page
15Right answers for our 75% target
6Divisions covered

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Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

Question 1 of 20

A client claims an architect was negligent. Against what standard is the architect’s work usually measured?

20 practice questions in the style of the exam.

How to use these 20 ARE questions

Questions 1 to 3 are Practice Management, 4 to 6 Project Management, 7 to 9 Programming & Analysis, 10 to 13 Project Planning & Design, 14 to 17 Project Development & Documentation and 18 to 20 Construction & Evaluation.

Aim for 15 right, which is 75%. That’s our own target, not NCARB’s. Each real division is scored pass or fail against its own cut score, and NCARB doesn’t print one passing percentage per division. If an answer doesn’t click, ask the tutor to explain it another way.

See the six ARE divisions →

Where can you find more Architect Registration Exam sample questions?

NCARB gives licensure candidates a full-length practice exam for each division and a 75-question demo, and lists them as free in your NCARB Record. Our 20 don’t come from NCARB, and they don’t include case studies, so use NCARB’s practice exams for the real format.

See NCARB’s practice exams →

Sources: NCARB and 1 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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