In addition to offering the L.A.R.E., managing professional records and defending licensure, CLARB is engaged in strategic initiatives to modernize regulation, increase mobility and strengthen the profession around the world.
Balancing rigor with access
Rethink Regulation
CLARB continuously works to align licensure requirements, simplify processes, and reduce unnecessary barriers while maintaining defensible, high standards. Through the CLARB Uniform Licensure Standard, we collaborate with licensure boards to streamline requirements across jurisdictions, promoting clarity and mobility. The CLARB Record serves as a common application for licensure, eliminating redundant documentation and accelerating initial and reciprocal licensure. Additionally, we are working with member boards to reduce licensure processing time, ensuring a more efficient and accessible pathway for qualified candidates.
Strengthening public understanding of the profession
Reframing Landscape Architecture
To enhance recognition of the profession, CLARB is leading Reframing Landscape Architecture, a collaborative effort to increase public and policymaker awareness of the role and impact of landscape architects. By addressing misconceptions and improving communication, this initiative seeks to highlight the profession’s critical contributions to communities, public spaces and environmental resilience.
Expanding global recognition
Elevating the Profession Around the World
CLARB is working to enhance international access, mobility and professional recognition for landscape architecture. We are exploring international equivalency models, conducting global research on professional practice, and collaborating with the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) to establish a framework for mutual recognition of qualifications. These efforts help ensure consistent licensure standards across jurisdictions and increase opportunities for landscape architects worldwide.
Clarifying boundaries among design professions
Practice Overlap
As landscape architecture intersects with architecture, engineering, interior design and surveying, CLARB is actively addressing practice overlap through its work with the Interorganizational Council on Regulation (ICOR) alongside NCARB, NCEES and CIDQ. This initiative seeks to develop clear definitions and guidelines to help licensing boards regulate interdisciplinary collaboration while ensuring each design profession practices within its area of expertise.
Keeping licensure relevant and accessible
Evolving the L.A.R.E.
To ensure the L.A.R.E. remains legally defensible and aligned with current practice, CLARB conducts a Job Task Analysis every 5-7 years to validate exam content. We also strive to continually enhance the candidate experience to increase accessibility and flexibility. Recent improvements that better support testing preferences include online proctoring to expand exam access, provisional feedback on exam performance, new practice exams to help candidates assess their readiness for the L.A.R.E., accommodations for ESL candidates, and updated policies for whiteboard and calculator use during the exam.
CLARB 2.0
Our strategic framework
These key initiatives are guided by CLARB 2.0, a comprehensive plan designed to navigate the evolving landscape of professional licensure and regulation into the future. This strategic framework guides our efforts to design, promote and uphold landscape architectural standards worldwide.