Getting Your NCIDQ Certification
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NCIDQ Exam
Passing the NCIDQ Certification Exam
Passing the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam is a big step in your interior design career. However, by the time you are ready to take the exam, you will have plenty of education and work experience under your belt. These things should help you become familiar with the NCIDQ exam subject matter. Knowing what to expect—and that you are fully prepared—may help reduce test anxiety.
Qualify to Take the NCIDQ Exam
Getting NCIDQ certification is necessary for meeting the licensing requirements for interior designers in many states and jurisdictions. To qualify to take the NCIDQ certification exam, you must have a combination of interior design education credit hours and work experience hours, as shown in the following table:
Interior Design Education and Work Experience Requirements
| Degree | Education Credits Required | Work Experience Required |
| Bachelor's | Quarter Credits: 180 total, with 90 in design Semester Credits: 120 total, with 60 in design | 3,520 hours |
| Associate's | Quarter Credits: 90 total, with all 90 in design Semester Credits: 60 total, with all 60 in design | 5,280 hours |
| Certificate | Quarter Credits: 60 total, with all 60 in design Semester Credits: 40 total, with all 40 in design | 7,040 hours |
What to Expect on the NCIDQ Exam
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The exam consists of three parts and covers six aspects of the interior design field:
- Programming
- Schematic Design
- Design Development
- Contract Documents
- Contract Administration
- Professional Practice
You will be asked to complete two multiple choice sections containing 150 questions (25 questions in each section will be unscored). The third section is a practicum in which you will be asked to demonstrate your ability to solve an interior design problem.
NCIDQ offers the exam twice a year – once in the Spring and again in the Fall – in select cities across the US and Canada. The test will span two days. The first day will cover the first two test sections, and the second day will cover the third section.
Next Step: Becoming a Licensed Interior Designer
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