Supporting Reference

IAP, Internship in Architecture Program: Your Path to ExAC Eligibility

The Internship in Architecture Program (IAP) is the ROAC-administered framework every Intern Architect in Canada follows on the path to the Examination for Architects in Canada (ExAC) and registration. It defines the 3,720 hours of experience you must document, the 17 areas you must cover, and the Canadian Experience Record Book (CERB) you use to track all of it.

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IAP overview

IAP at a glance

Full title Internship in Architecture Program (IAP), Fourth Edition
Published by Regulatory Organization of Architecture in Canada (ROAC), jointly with all ten provincial and one territorial architectural associations
Current edition Fourth Edition, July 1, 2020 (Revised July 1, 2022)
Languages English; bilingual organization names throughout; Quebec uses "Stagiaire en architecture" as the French-language equivalent of Intern Architect
Primary audience Intern Architects and Recognized Students pursuing architectural registration or licensure in Canada
ExAC relevance Registration prerequisite: ExAC eligibility criteria are published at exac.ca and processed by your ROAC jurisdiction, and you remain enrolled in the IAP while writing the exam
Where to access Available through each ROAC jurisdiction's website; Appendix D of the IAP lists all provincial and territorial contact details

Why the IAP matters for the ExAC

The IAP and the ExAC run side by side on the same registration pathway. ExAC eligibility criteria are published at exac.ca, your ROAC jurisdiction processes your eligibility to take the exam, and you remain enrolled in the IAP while examinations are being written. But the connection runs deeper than eligibility paperwork.

The 17 experience areas in the IAP reflect the same knowledge domains the ExAC tests. An Intern who has logged real hours in Code Research (area 6), Envelope Detailing (area 7), and Construction Phase: Site (area 15) isn't just satisfying a checklist. They're building the contextual judgment that ExAC questions are designed to test.

The IAP is a program framework, not a study guide. No ExAC question will cite Section 3.1 of the IAP. However, understanding how the program is structured adds real grounding to exam topics in project management, construction administration, and professional practice. Section 4 in particular tests the kind of professional judgement the IAP was designed to develop through supervised practice.

How to track your IAP experience

  • Enrol with your ROAC jurisdiction as soon as your CACB credentials are ready. You don't need a job to enrol.
  • Confirm your Supervising Architect and Mentor before logging any hours. Both need to submit a Letter of Confirmation.
  • Log hours by project and by experience area, describing your specific role. Vague entries invite follow-up from reviewers.
  • Keep a running balance outside the CERB so you spot gaps in Code Research or Site hours before the next submission window.
  • Submit your signed CERB every 900 to 1,000 hours, within 8 weeks of your last entry. Keep a copy.
  • Read Appendix B for your specific province or territory before making assumptions about overtime, international work, or transfer rules.

ExAC sections the IAP supports

  1. Section 1: Design and Analysis

    Category A areas in programming, site analysis, schematic design, engineering integration, cost analysis, and design development map directly to Section 1 topics.

  2. Section 2: Codes

    Code Research (area 6) and Energy Literacy/Sustainability (area 12) provide the navigational familiarity that Section 2 open-book questions require.

  3. Section 3: Sustainability and Final Project

    Envelope Detailing, Construction Documents, Specifications, and Document Coordination hours reinforce the technical content tested in Section 3.

  4. Section 4: Construction and Practice

    Categories B and C (Procurement, Construction Phase Office and Site, Project Management, Business Management) pay off most directly in Section 4 questions.

Inside the IAP: three categories and 17 experience areas

The IAP organizes required experience into three categories. Category A is the largest, covering twelve areas from programming through energy literacy. Category B covers the three areas of construction administration. Category C covers two areas of management. The minimum combined required hours across all three categories is 2,960. The remaining 760 flexible hours can be gained in any of the same 17 areas to reach the 3,720-hour total.

Category Experience areas Hours and notes
A: Design and Construction Documents 1. Programming (80 hrs)
2. Site and Environmental Analysis (80 hrs)
3. Schematic Design (240 hrs)
4. Engineering Systems Integration (140 hrs)
5. Building Cost Analysis (80 hrs)
6. Code Research (120 hrs)
7. Envelope Detailing (80 hrs)
8. Design Development (320 hrs)
9. Construction Documents (760 hrs)
10. Specifications and Material Research (120 hrs)
11. Document Checking and Coordination (100 hrs)
12. Energy Literacy/Sustainability (80 hrs) 		Areas 4, 5, 6, 10, and 11 may occur across multiple phases of a project. Construction Documents carries the highest individual minimum at 760 hours. Area 9 alone is more than the entire Category C minimum.
B: Construction Administration 13. Procurement and Contract Award (120 hrs)
14. Construction Phase: Office (200 hrs)
15. Construction Phase: Site (200 hrs) 		On-site experience during actual construction is explicitly required by the IAP. Site presence cannot be substituted with office review of drawings or parallel documents except in exceptional circumstances.
C: Management 16. Management of the Project (120 hrs)
17. Business/Practice Management (120 hrs) 		Area 17 covers contracts, fee structures, RFPs, professional liability insurance, and marketing. It maps directly to ExAC Section 4 professional practice content.
Required category minimums (A + B + C) All 17 areas above 2,960 hrs minimum
Flexible additional hours Any of areas 1 to 17 760 hrs
Total required Min. 1.5 calendar years to complete; 2-year wait from Intern admission before applying for registration 3,720 hrs total

The CERB: how you document your experience

The Canadian Experience Record Book (CERB) is the official log for all IAP hours. You record work by project, noting the project type, building occupancy, gross floor area, budget, and number of storeys, then allocate hours to each of the 17 experience areas. The CERB supports up to ten projects per submission period, with additional sheets for more. Appendix F of the IAP contains all CERB forms.

You submit the signed CERB to your ROAC jurisdiction every 900 to 1,000 hours of experience, within 8 weeks of your last entry. Your Supervising Architect initials each page and signs and dates the Comments and Declaration section to certify your experience. Your Mentor completes a separate Mentor Declaration. After review, your jurisdiction returns a Periodic Assessment Form showing running totals and any comments. If experience is submitted more than 12 months after the last entry, it faces special review, potential additional fees, and possibly a required interview. Some jurisdictions will not accept it at all.

The CERB isn't just a compliance form. Use it as a planning tool. If Code Research hours are thin, ask your Supervising Architect to involve you in the next permit set before the submission window closes. Gaps are easier to fill proactively than to explain at a late-submission review.

Key IAP terms every ExAC candidate should know

TermWhat it means
Intern Architect The person enrolled in the IAP gaining supervised experience on the path to the ExAC and registration. In Quebec the equivalent title is Stagiaire en architecture; in Manitoba it is Intern of Manitoba.
CERB Canadian Experience Record Book: the official log of all hours, submitted to your ROAC jurisdiction every 900 to 1,000 hours and signed by your Supervising Architect and Mentor.
ROAC Regulatory Organization of Architecture in Canada: the assembly of all provincial and territorial architectural regulators that governs the IAP and sets Common Admission Standards across the country.
CACB Canadian Architectural Certification Board: certifies academic credentials of architecture graduates. CACB certification is a prerequisite for enrolment as an Intern in the IAP.
Supervising Architect The licensed architect at your workplace who personally directs your daily work and certifies each CERB section. Must hold registration in the jurisdiction where experience is being gained.
Mentor An independent architect outside your workplace who reviews your progress, discusses career development, and signs the Mentor Declaration in each CERB section. Required in all jurisdictions except Quebec.
Recognized Student A student in the final two years of a CACB-accredited Masters' program who records pre-graduation experience. Up to 760 pre-graduation hours may be credited toward the IAP total, subject to jurisdiction-specific rules.
Periodic Assessment Form The form your ROAC jurisdiction returns after each CERB review, showing total accepted hours to date and any comments from the reviewer. Your official record of IAP progress.
AXP Architectural Experience Program: the US equivalent of the IAP, administered by NCARB. Some ROAC jurisdictions credit AXP hours toward IAP requirements with proper documentation.
Parallel documents / observer When direct experience is impractical, an Intern may participate as an observer or prepare parallel documents. Credit is granted only in exceptional circumstances and must be noted by the Supervising Architect in the CERB.
3,720 hours The total IAP minimum: 2,960 in required category hours plus 760 flexible additional hours in any of the 17 areas.
Two-year minimum Even if you complete 3,720 hours faster through overtime (possible after 1.5 calendar years), you cannot apply for registered membership until two years after admission as an Intern.

Tips for Intern Architects navigating the IAP

Tip 1, treat the CERB as a planning tool, not just paperwork. Review your running totals every few months, not only at submission time. If Construction Phase: Site hours are thin because your firm does mostly design-only projects, ask your Supervising Architect to flag the next site visit so you can attend. Waiting until the final submission to notice a gap can delay your ExAC eligibility.

Tip 2, describe your specific role in every project entry. ROAC reviewers look for evidence that you personally did the work. "Assisted with construction documents" is vague. "Drafted the reflected ceiling plan and coordinated with the electrical consultant's drawings for a Level 2 office fitout" is specific. More detail means fewer follow-up questions from your jurisdiction.

Tip 3, do not let submissions lapse past 12 months. The IAP gives you 8 weeks after reaching 900 to 1,000 hours to submit. If you miss the 12-month mark from your last entry, your jurisdiction can require a special review interview and may charge additional fees. Some jurisdictions will not accept the experience at all. Set a calendar reminder.

Tip 4, read Appendix B before you start, not after. Provinces and territories have individual variations on overtime rules, international experience, Mentor requirements, and additional pre-registration steps such as oral interviews or supplementary courses. Discovering a provincial requirement after the fact can add months to your timeline.

Tip 5, pick a Mentor who will push back. The IAP minimum is a Mentor meeting every 900 to 1,000 hours. That minimum handles the paperwork but not the professional development. A Mentor who asks hard questions about your experience balance and career direction will prepare you for the kinds of professional judgement the ExAC tests in Section 4.

Tip 6, link your IAP areas to ExAC study while you are practising them. When you are logging Building Cost Analysis hours (area 5), work through Yardsticks and RSMeans questions on Examitect's platform at the same time. When you are on site doing Construction Phase: Site work (area 15), run through Section 4 construction administration scenarios. Active experience and active study reinforce each other in a way that passive reading alone doesn't.

Common ExAC scenarios where IAP knowledge is the answer

  • A Section 4 question asks about the Architect's responsibilities during the construction phase. Understanding the IAP's Category B areas (Procurement, Construction Phase: Office, Construction Phase: Site) gives you the practical vocabulary to distinguish between close answer options about site observation versus supervision.
  • A Section 1 question presents a schematic design scenario with a budget constraint and asks which step comes next. Knowing that IAP area 5 (Building Cost Analysis) requires Interns to work through cost estimates at each design stage helps you recall the typical sequence of cost control decisions.
  • A Section 4 question covers consultant contract structure and scope of services. IAP area 17 (Business/Practice Management) explicitly requires Interns to review professional service contracts for structure, content, and enforcement procedures, which directly informs the answer.
  • A Section 3 question asks how the Architect coordinates documentation with the structural consultant. IAP area 11 (Document Checking and Coordination) covers exactly this workflow: checking for conflicts between architectural and consultant drawings, tracking revisions, and ensuring all documents are consistent before permit submission.
  • A Section 4 question about Requests for Proposals and consultant selection maps directly to IAP area 17, which lists RFP preparation, evaluation of fee submissions, and contract award as required Intern activities.
  • A Section 2 question involves an energy performance requirement. IAP area 12 (Energy Literacy/Sustainability) requires Interns to analyze sustainability costs and understand energy performance metrics, providing practical context for NECB questions.
  • A professional practice question asks about the roles and responsibilities of the Mentor versus the Supervising Architect. The IAP defines both roles in detail, and that framework is directly testable in Section 4 professional practice questions about who is responsible for what during an internship.

How the IAP compares to other ExAC references

The IAP is fundamentally different from the six primary ExAC study references. CHOP, CHING, NBC 2020, NECB, RSMeans, and Yardsticks are content references you read to learn subject matter tested on the exam. The IAP is a program document that defines the supervised work experience you must document on the path to registration. You don't study the IAP for code questions or cost estimates; you follow it as the experience framework that runs alongside the exam, with ExAC eligibility criteria published at exac.ca.

Reference Type Role in the ExAC pathway
IAP Program framework Experience framework: governs the documented experience required for registration, with ExAC eligibility criteria published at exac.ca
CHOP Practice reference Primary study source for professional practice, contracts, and project management across all four ExAC sections
CHING Visual reference Primary source for building systems, construction details, and design concepts in Sections 1, 3, and 4
NBC 2020 Code document Primary source for all building code questions in Section 2
NECB Energy code Primary source for energy performance and sustainability questions in Section 2
RSMeans Cost data Primary source for US construction cost data in Section 1 cost management questions
Yardsticks Cost data Primary source for Canadian construction cost data, paired with RSMeans in Section 1

How Examitect reinforces IAP preparation

Examitect's practice platform is organized around the same four ExAC sections that the IAP's 17 experience areas feed into. When you're deep in Section 4 construction and practice questions, the scenarios draw on the same professional knowledge the IAP was designed to develop through real project work. Practising questions while you're actively gaining IAP hours creates a feedback loop: work reinforces study, and study reinforces work.

Examitect's study notes tie directly to the primary references for each ExAC category. CHOP is the main source for professional practice content. NBC 2020 and NECB cover Section 2. CHING, Yardsticks, and RSMeans fill out Sections 1 and 3. When a practice question covers a topic you've logged IAP hours on, the answer explanation points you to the relevant reference section. Try a free question to see how the explanations work, or see pricing to start a full practice plan.

FAQ

IAP FAQ

ExAC eligibility criteria are published at exac.ca, and your ROAC jurisdiction processes your eligibility to take the exam. The IAP itself does not set an exam hour threshold; you do not need the full 3,720 hours accepted before writing, and interns remain enrolled in the IAP while the examinations are being written. Registered membership comes later: you must have been enrolled as an Intern for a minimum of two years before applying, even if you complete the hours faster through overtime.

The IAP requires a minimum of 3,720 hours total. The required category minimums across Categories A, B, and C total 2,960 hours. The remaining 760 hours are flexible and may be gained in any of the same 17 experience areas. Some ROAC jurisdictions may require additional hours in specific areas; check Appendix B for your province or territory.

The Canadian Experience Record Book (CERB) is the official IAP document for logging and submitting architectural experience. You record work by project, allocating hours to each of the 17 experience areas. Submit it to your ROAC jurisdiction every 900 to 1,000 hours, signed by your Supervising Architect and Mentor, within 8 weeks of your last entry.

Your Supervising Architect is the licensed architect at your workplace who personally directs your daily work and certifies each CERB section. They must hold registration or licensure in the jurisdiction where you are gaining experience. If you change employers, you start a new CERB section with the new Supervising Architect and notify your jurisdiction.

Yes, in most ROAC jurisdictions. If you become a Recognized Student while enrolled in the final two years of a CACB-accredited Masters' program, up to 760 hours of pre-graduation experience may be credited toward your IAP total. The terms and conditions vary by jurisdiction, so check Appendix B before relying on this.

Yes. Interns transferring to a new ROAC jurisdiction retain all previously accepted CERB experience. You must have documentation signed off before leaving your current jurisdiction and must contact the receiving jurisdiction for their specific application forms and any additional requirements.

Experience submitted more than 12 months after the last CERB entry faces special review. Your ROAC jurisdiction may require an interview and additional fees, and some jurisdictions will not accept the late experience at all. The IAP requires submission within 8 weeks of reaching 900 to 1,000 hours. Don't wait.

It may. Interns who completed experience under the Architectural Experience Program (AXP) in the USA may apply to have that experience credited toward IAP requirements, provided acceptable documentation is available. Policies vary by jurisdiction; confirm with your specific ROAC jurisdiction before relying on AXP hours.

Other ExAC reference books

The six primary references on Examitect's ExAC study plan cover the content the exam actually tests.

CHOP

Canadian Handbook of Practice: the core professional practice reference for contracts, project management, and office procedures across all four ExAC sections.

CHING

Building Construction Illustrated: primary visual reference for building systems, construction details, and design concepts in Sections 1, 3, and 4.

NBC 2020

National Building Code of Canada: the primary source for all building code questions in Section 2.

NECB

National Energy Code for Buildings: primary source for energy performance and sustainability questions in Section 2.

RSMeans

US construction cost data: one of two primary costing references for Section 1 cost management questions.

Yardsticks for Costing

Canadian construction cost data: the paired Canadian reference for RSMeans in Section 1 cost management.

All supporting references

See the full Examitect reading list, including supporting references used across all four exam sections.