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Breaking Down The ARE 5.0 Construction & Evaluation (CE) Division

The Construction & Evaluation (CE) division is one of the six Architect Registration Examination® (ARE) tests administered by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). It focuses on construction contract administration and post-occupancy evaluation of projects. To do well on the CE division, you’ll need a firm grasp of construction contract execution, construction support services, payment request processing, and project closeout. You’ll also need to demonstrate your ability in project evaluation of integrated building systems and performance.

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Illustration of an architect inspecting a suspension bridge model alongside rolled blueprints and construction evaluation instruments.

An architect’s role during the pre-construction, construction, and post-construction phases is critical. Successful architects know how to navigate relationships with contractors and understand the implications of building schedules, changes to the planned construction, and the building’s performance over time.

The Construction & Evaluation division of the ARE 5.0 focuses on these critical phases of the project lifecycle — from reviewing contractor bids and submittals to observing construction conformance on site, processing payment applications, and completing post-occupancy evaluation.

Since you may take the Architect Registration Exam sections in any order, you may choose to take the CE division at any point. Because NCARB designed the ARE 5.0 to mirror how a project moves through an architectural practice, many test-takers decide to take this exam last. No matter the order, you’ll first establish your exam eligibility.

During the CE exam, you’ll have 3 hours to complete the test (excluding an optional 30-minute break). The exam consists of 75 items (68 scored items and 7 pretest items) across four content sections:

  • Preconstruction Activities

  • Construction Observation

  • Administrative Procedures & Protocols

  • Project Closeout & Evaluation

There are both individual questions and larger, more detailed case studies. The two case studies provide context and pose questions that mirror real architectural projects.