LARE Exam Dates 2026 and 2027: Testing Windows and Registration Deadlines
You can’t take the L.A.R.E. whenever you like. CLARB, the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards, offers the exam three times a year, in spring, summer, and winter, and each administration has a fixed testing window and a hard registration deadline. Miss the deadline and you’re waiting months for the next window. Here’s every date CLARB has posted for the rest of 2026 and all of 2027, plus how to plan your study time around them.
All dates below come from CLARB’s Register for the L.A.R.E. page and its event pages, checked October 29, 2026. CLARB can change dates, so confirm there before you commit.
Why the L.A.R.E. Uses Testing Windows
CLARB’s Candidate Handbook explains that it keeps a limited bank of questions, so to protect security and fairness it offers the exam in a few administration windows each year instead of year-round. The dates, procedures, and passing standard are the same in every jurisdiction, so a candidate in Arizona and a candidate in Ohio are working from the same calendar.
Winter 2026: Last Call This Year
| Date | |
|---|---|
| Register, schedule, or cancel by | November 24, 2026 |
| Testing window | November 30 to December 16, 2026 |
| Results | Late January 2027 |
Registration for the Winter 2026 L.A.R.E. is open now. If you’ve been studying all fall and feel close, you have less than four weeks to register. If you’re not ready, that’s fine. Spring is a better target than a rushed attempt.
The 2027 Schedule
| Administration | Registration opens | Register/schedule/cancel by | Testing window | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2027 | Late January | March 10, 2027 | March 29 to April 14, 2027 | Mid-May |
| Summer 2027 | Mid-May | July 7, 2027 | July 26 to August 11, 2027 | Late September |
| Winter 2027 | Late September | November 10, 2027 | November 29 to December 15, 2027 | Late January 2028 |
Heads Up: 2027 Deadlines Come Earlier
Look closely and you’ll notice a change. In 2026, the registration deadline fell just a few days before each window opened. Spring 2026 closed on March 25 for a March 30 start, and Winter 2026 closes November 24 for a November 30 start.
In 2027, each deadline lands about two and a half weeks before testing begins. Spring 2027 closes March 10, but testing doesn’t start until March 29. If you’re used to the old rhythm, or you’re getting advice from someone who tested a few years ago, it would be easy to miss. Put the 2027 deadlines in your calendar now.
That deadline is also your cancellation deadline. Per CLARB’s cancellation policy, you have to cancel by the last day of registration to get a refund (less a $100 fee), and registrations can’t roll over to a future window.
Things That Need Even More Lead Time
The registration deadline isn’t the only date that matters. A few steps have to happen before it:
- Your CLARB Record. Every candidate needs one to register. If you don’t have an LAAB- or LAAC-accredited degree, or your state board requires approval to sit for the exam, you’ll have to complete your Record and send it to the board for approval before you can register. Board review takes time, so start weeks ahead, not days.
- Testing accommodations. The handbook says requests and documentation must be submitted at least 30 days before the administration period begins, and CLARB asks you to allow 10 to 14 days for its review. You also need CLARB’s approval before you can schedule your PSI appointment.
- Your appointment. Registering with CLARB and booking a seat with PSI are related but separate steps. Popular test center slots can fill up, so schedule as soon as you register. You can test at a PSI center or through online proctoring, which CLARB says is available in all jurisdictions.
When Will You Get Results?
You’ll get provisional pass/fail feedback on screen the day you test. CLARB’s handbook calls it an accurate predictor, but it isn’t official. Final results typically come 4 to 6 weeks after the testing window closes, once CLARB finishes validating the exam. That’s why results for a December window don’t arrive until late January.
This affects planning. If you take a section in the Spring 2027 window and want to retake it in Summer if needed, your official result arrives in mid-May, right as Summer registration opens. That’s workable, but it leaves only about seven weeks to decide, register, and adjust your study plan.
How to Plan Around the Calendar
Here’s a simple way to use these dates:
- Pick your target window first. Work backward from its testing dates, not its deadline.
- Block your study time. Many candidates plan two to three months per section. Our post on how many hours a week to study for the LARE can help you size it.
- Set a personal deadline two weeks before CLARB’s. Board approvals, payment hiccups, and PSI availability all take time.
- Decide on your section order. If you’re unsure where to start, see what order to take the LARE sections in.
- Budget for it. Each section is $545 per attempt. Our LARE exam cost breakdown lists every CLARB fee.
A realistic example: if you start studying for your first section in January, Spring 2027 is a reasonable target, with registration done by early March. Your second section could then line up with Summer 2027, and so on.
Get Ready Before the Window Opens
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Dates are from CLARB’s registration and event pages and the October 2026 L.A.R.E. Candidate Handbook, checked October 29, 2026. Always confirm current dates with CLARB before you register.
