{"data":{"id":"us-va/18vac10-20-420","jurisdiction":"us-va","citation":"18VAC10-20-420","heading":"Requirements for licensure","body":"Applicants for licensure as a landscape architect must satisfy the requirements of subdivision 1 or 2 of this section.\n\n1. An applicant who has graduated from a landscape architecture program accredited by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB) must have:\n\na. Obtained a minimum of 36 months of experience as follows:\n\n(1) A minimum of 12 months of experience under the direct control and personal supervision of a licensed or certified landscape architect;\n\n(2) The remaining 24 months of experience under the direct control and personal supervision of a licensed or certified landscape architect or a licensed architect, professional engineer, or land surveyor in accordance with the Landscape Architects Experience Credit Table; or\n\n(3) In lieu of the provision in subdivisions 1 a (1) and 1 a (2) of this section, a minimum of 48 months of experience under the direct control and personal supervision of a licensed architect, professional engineer, or land surveyor; and\n\nb. Passed all sections of the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Board (CLARB)-prepared exam.\n\n2. Applicants who have not graduated from a LAAB-accredited landscape architecture program must have obtained a minimum of eight years of combined education and work experience in accordance with this subsection.\n\na. Only semester and quarter hours with passing scores will be accepted. Credit will be calculated as follows:\n\n(1) 32 semester credit hours or 48 quarter credit hours will be worth one year.\n\n(2) Fractions greater than or equal to one half-year, but less than one year, will be counted as one-half year.\n\n(3) Fractions smaller than one half-year will not be counted.\n\nb. The maximum years indicated in subdivisions a through d of the Landscape Architects Education Credit Table will apply regardless of the length of the degree program.\n\nc. All applicants must have a minimum of two years of experience under the direct control and personal supervision of a licensed or certified landscape architect.\n\nd. Education and experience will be evaluated against the Landscape Architects Education Credit Table and the Landscape Architects Experience Credit Table to determine if an applicant has met the minimum eight years required in this subsection.\n\nLANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS EDUCATION CREDIT TABLE\n\nCategories\n\nValues\n\nExamples\n\n(1) Credits completed applicable toward a LAAB-accredited degree.\n\nCredit will be given at the rate of 100% with a maximum of four years allowable.\n\nAn applicant has 86 semester hours of credit.\n\nCalculation:\n\n86/32 = 2.6875 years\n\n100% credit for a maximum of four years (2.6875 x 100% = 2.6875 years).\n\n0.6875 is ≥ 0.5 years, which is worth 0.5 years.\n\nFinal result: 86 semester hours equals 2.5 years.\n\n(2) A degree in landscape architecture, or credits completed applicable toward a degree in landscape architecture, from a non-LAAB-accredited program.\n\n(3) A degree, or credits completed applicable toward a degree, in an allied professional discipline approved by the board (i.e., architecture, civil engineering, environmental science).\n\nCredit will be given at the rate of 75% for the first two years and 100% for succeeding years with a maximum of three years allowable.\n\nAn applicant has 101 semester hours of credit.\n\nCalculation:\n\n101/32 = 3.15625 years\n\n75% credit for the first two years (2 x 75% = 1.5 years).\n\n100% credit for succeeding years (1.15625 x 100% = 1.15625 years).\n\n1.5 + 1.15625 = 2.65625 years.\n\n0.65625 is ≥ 0.5 years, which is worth 0.5 years.\n\nFinal result: 101 semester hours equals 2.5 years.\n\n(4) Any other undergraduate degree or credits completed applicable toward that degree.\n\nCredit will be given at the rate of 50% for the first two years and 75% for succeeding years with a maximum of two years allowable.\n\nAn applicant has 95 semester hours of credit.\n\nCalculation:\n\n95/32 = 2.96875 years\n\n50% credit for the first two years (2 x 50%= 1 year).\n\n75% credit for succeeding years (.96875 x 75%=.72656 years).\n\n1 +.72656 = 1.72656 years.\n\n0.72656 is ≥ 0.5 years, which is worth 0.5 years.\n\nFinal result: 95 semester hours equals 1.5 years.\n\nLANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS EXPERIENCE CREDIT TABLE\n\nCategories\n\nValues\n\nExamples\n\n(5) Experience gained under the direct control and personal supervision of a licensed or certified landscape architect.\n\nCredit will be given at the rate of 100% of work experience gained with no maximum.\n\nAn applicant worked under a landscape architect for 3.7 years.\n\nCalculation:\n\n3.7 years x 100% = 3.7 years (no maximum).\n\nFinal result: An applicant with 3.7 years of work experience will be credited for the entire 3.7 years.\n\n(6) Experience gained under the direct control and personal supervision of a licensed architect, professional engineer, or land surveyor.\n\nCredit will be given at the rate of 50% of work experience gained with a maximum of four years allowable.\n\nAn applicant has worked under a land surveyor for eight years or more.\n\nCalculation:\n\n8 years x 50% = 4 years.\n\nFinal result: eight years or more of experience is worth only four years based on the maximum allowable.","path":["Title 18. Professional And Occupational Licensing","Agency 10. Board For Architects, Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, Certified Interior Designers And Landscape Architects","Chapter 20. Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, Certified Interior Designers and Landscape Architects Regulations","Part VI. Qualifications for Licensing of Landscape Architects"],"source_url":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency10/chapter20/section420/","current_through":"2026 Regular Session (effective July 1, 2026)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T04:52:19Z","sha256":"d64bb96a6fc20f7557e2c38aa0e70dcfa5c7ffc2a72bff827302d6006dab9741","source_id":"us-va-vac","stale":false,"prev":"us-va/18vac10-20-400","next":"us-va/18vac10-20-430"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}