ARE 5.0: PA

NCARB states that its ARE 5.0 Guidelines include exam policies, scheduling instructions, and more for candidates testing with PSI. PSI is the testing provider named in that document. Consult the current Guidelines - the version NCARB lists as updated October 2026 - for appointment scheduling, identification requirements, and test-center procedures before you book.

Those figures are set by NCARB and published in the ARE 5.0 Guidelines, which is the controlling document. We do not restate a count or time limit here because the published values change between revisions. Verify the current numbers directly in the Guidelines before you build a pacing plan for the exam.

NCARB publishes the passing standard and score-report mechanics in the ARE 5.0 Guidelines; scores are reported on a scaled basis rather than as a raw count of correct answers. Because the standard is subject to revision, check the current Guidelines rather than relying on a figure quoted in an older study forum or prep book.

Fees are set by NCARB and, in some cases, by your licensing board. NCARB maintains a fees page linked from its main navigation. Confirm the current amount and the payment process there, and check whether your jurisdiction adds any separate charge, before scheduling an appointment through PSI.

Retake rules, waiting periods, and any limits on attempts are governed by NCARB policy and by your licensing board. NCARB's ARE 5.0 Guidelines document those policies. Read the current Guidelines and check with your board before assuming a specific waiting period, since the terms have been revised over time.

NCARB maintains a separate Score Validity Policy page within its Pass the ARE section. That page, not a prep course or forum post, is the authoritative source for how long a passed division remains valid and how it interacts with your other exam divisions. Review it before sequencing the rest of your exams.

PA is designed around applied decision-making rather than recall, so expect scenario-based items that ask you to interpret site, code, or program information and choose a defensible response. NCARB publishes a dedicated ARE 5.0 Question Types page describing the formats used across divisions; review it to see how items are presented and scored.

Many candidates do, because the division tests research, site-reading, and code-analysis skills that carry into Project Planning & Design and later divisions. It is not a formal prerequisite. If you have limited recent project experience with zoning review or site due diligence, build that exposure before scheduling, since the division rewards practical judgment.

Typically: treating code and zoning questions as memorization instead of reading the actual requirement; misreading site information such as contours, drainage, or solar orientation; and answering a program question with a design preference rather than the constraint the client stated. Practice justifying each answer against a specific requirement rather than a general impression.

Start with primary sources: the adopted building code and your jurisdiction's zoning ordinance, standard site-planning references, and NCARB's own published materials, including its free practice exams and division-specific test prep page. Third-party guides are useful for structure but should never be your authority on a code requirement or a division policy.