Landscape Architects

If you are considering pursuing a career in landscape architecture, one of the first decisions you will make will be in reference to your education. Education lays the foundation for developing the skills and knowledge to not only practice a profession, but also to protect the public’s health, safety, and welfare.

The educational requirement for landscape architectural registration in the State of Tennessee is a landscape architectural degree that has been accredited by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB). Accreditation is a voluntary, non-governmental process of peer review. It requires an educational institution or program to meet certain defined standards or criteria and serves to notify parents and prospective students that a particular landscape architectural program has met minimum educational standards for its graduates to enter professional practice.

For a list of Tennessee higher education institutions with LAAB-accredited landscape architectural programs, see the Resources and Links page.

For further information

• Regarding accreditation of landscape architectural programs, how to select a program, and a complete listing of accredited programs in the United States, Click Here.
• Regarding landscape architectural registration, Click Here.
• Regarding a career in landscape architecture, Click Here.

Education Requirements

• A degree in landscape architecture that has been accredited by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB).

Experience Requirements

• Minimum of three (3) years of practical experience in landscape architectural work satisfactory to the Board, of which at least two (2) years must be completed in the office of a practicing registered landscape architect. To receive credit for practical training time, an applicant must be employed by the same employer for a period of not less than four consecutive calendar months. A work month is considered to be at least 140 hours.

Completion of experience is required prior to registration, but not for admission to the Landscape Architect Registration Examination (LARE).

For further information concerning

• The Landscape Architectural Registration Examination, Click Here.

Note: Tennessee does not register by reciprocity. We register by comity, meaning that applicants must meet our registration requirements. The requirements listed below represent the minimum requirements for comity registration.

Education Requirement

• A degree in landscape architecture that has been accredited by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB).

Experience Requirement

• Minimum of three (3) years of practical experience in landscape architectural work satisfactory to the Board, of which at least two (2) years must be completed in the office of a practicing registered landscape architect. To receive credit for practical training time, an applicant must be employed by the same employer for a period of not less than four consecutive calendar months. A work month is considered to be at least 140 hours.

Examination Requirement

• Must have passed the Landscape Architectural Registration Examination (LARE) developed and scored by the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB).

Other Requirements

• Must hold an unexpired CLARB certificate.
• Must be registered in at least one other jurisdiction.

• Must have been previously registered in the State of Tennessee.
• Must hold an unexpired CLARB certificate.
• Must have completed a minimum of 24 PDH’s in the two-year period prior to filing for re-registration.