LARE Exam Preparation and Study-Guide: Tennessee Landscape Architect License Requirements

Tennessee Landscape Architect License Requirements

How-To Get Registered in Tennessee

Tennessee is a beautiful state with mountains, forests, farms, and great cities. Landscape architects play an important role in protecting the natural environment while creating beautiful human habitats. Get your landscape architect and lead the state towards a more sustainable future.

Basic License Requirements

There are a few basic requirements that all landscape architects must meet before they can apply for a landscape architect license on Tennessee. These requirements fall under three basic categories:

Professional education
Landscape architect work experience
Pass the LARE exam

Education

The first step towards licensure is to graduate from college with a LAAB-accredited professional degree in landscape architecture. Either a bachelors degree or masters degree in landscape architecture will satisfy the requirement. Be prepared to have your school's registrar send official transcripts to the board when you apply for a license.

Work Experience

A minimum of three years experience working under the direct supervision of a registered landscape architect is required for licensure. To receive credit for practical training time, an applicant must be employed by the same employer for at least four consecutive calendar months. A work month is considered to be at least 140 hours.

When you apply for a landscape architect license in Tennessee, you will document your work history on the application. Additionally, your current and past supervisors will evaluate you work performance on forms provided by the state board.

Pass The LARE Exam

Before you can take the LARE in Tennessee, you must apply for permission to sit for the exam with the Tennessee state board. Interns wishing to sit for the LARE before completing the required experience must file this application with the Board and request that a transcript be submitted directly to the Board office from each institution attended. The required experience must be completed and references submitted before registration may be granted.

Here is how to apply for permission to take the LARE in Tennessee:

Fill out the application form found on the state board website. Fill out the application form completely (on-line or after downloading it), sign it, and have it notarized. Any major modification of state approved forms may cause the Board to reject your application.
Complete the reference and work experience verification forms. Submit five references. Three (3) must be from registered landscape architects, registered
architects, or registered engineers who are personally acquainted with your technical ability. References are required from both a current employer/supervisor and a past employer/supervisor (if applicable). No more than three (3) references can be from a place of employment. You are responsible for sending reference forms to the persons listed on your application who will then submit them directly to the Board office.
Have your college send an official copy of your college transcripts directly to the Tennessee state licensing board.

Register to Take LARE Sections A, B, and D

After the Tennessee board sends you a letter authorizing you to take the LARE, follow the steps below to register for LARE Sections A, B, and D with CLARB. CLARB administers the multiple-choice exams for the state.

First, set up a Council Record with the Council of Landscape Architect Registration Boards' website at www.clarb.com. Complete the record with your education experience and professional work history.
Next, let CLARB evaluate your Council Record. CLARB will send you a statement of eligibility to register for the LARE when you meet the requirements.
Sign-up for the LARE through CLARB's website.

Register for Sections C & E

Sections C and E of the examination will continue to be proctored by the Tennessee Board in Nashville, Tennessee. To sit for these sections, candidates will need to advise the Tennessee Board in writing of their intent to sit and submit the appropriate examination fee (and retake fee, if applicable) directly to the Tennessee Board no later than March 30 for the June examination administration and September 30 for the December exam administration. Scheduling letters are sent approximately four weeks before the scheduled examination administration. Send in an application to take these sections directly to the state board. The exam fees for Sections C and E are to be paid to the Tennessee Board.

Follow the steps explained above to register for the LARE exam.

Step-by-Step Guide To licensure

Follow these steps to get your license in Tennessee :

Graduate from a LAAB-accredited college program in landscape architecture.
Get a job working under the direct supervision of a licensed landscape architect. You need three years of work experience to apply for a license in Tennessee. Two years of work experience must be in a landscape architect office.
Apply for permission to take the LARE with the Tennessee state board. Apply for a landscape architect license with the Tennessee state licensing board. Have your college send official transcripts directly to the board. Send experience verification forms to employers and colleagues who can impartially evaluate your professional experience.
After you are approved by the state board to register for the LARE, create a CLARB Council Record at www.clarb.com. You will need to verify your work experience and education with CLARB. You can start you Council Record after graduation.
Register for LARE sections A, B, and D through CLARB's website. CLARB administers the multiple-choice, computer-based exams.
Register for LARE Sections C and E with the Tennessee state board.
Prepare for the LARE. Many candidates find the LARE to be extremely challenging. Increase you odds of success by studying. Read all the landscape architecture technical books recommended by CLARB, take a practice exam, join a Google LARE group, or attend a LARE workshop. Candidates who come prepared do much better than those who think the don't need to study.
Take and pass all sections of the LARE.
Wait for your license to arrive in the mail. Celebrate when you open it...you are now a licensed landscape architect.
Purchase a stamp so you can seal and sign drawings.
Take professional development/continuing education courses. You need to complete enough continuing education in order to renew your license.

Final Thoughts

The road to licensure can be long an full of frustrations along the way. Don't lose hope. Many aspiring landscape architects have stood where you are and have achieved their dream of becoming a registered landscape architect. Prepare for the LARE and find the best work experience you can. The broader your professional knowledge, the better you will do on the exams. You’ll also become a better, more competent landscape architect. You can do it, too.

For More Information

For more information on landscape architect license requirements in Tennessee, visit the state licensing board's website. You will find current laws and regulations as well as applications for when you are ready to apply.

Also, check out the American Society of Landscape Architects website for more information on licensure.

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