Excerpted from California Architects Board (CAB) Communications
License renewals for the 2027-2029 cycle start this November. As with the 2025-2027 renewal cycle, licensees may choose to renew their license online using our Connect online application portal.

Commencing the 2027-2029 renewal cycle, the California Architects Board (CAB) will no longer be mailing renewal license documentation.

Architects may visit the DCA Search tool available on the CAB website and view official licensure documentation under their respective license search results. CAB has notified California planning agencies of this policy change.

CAB will continue to mail the Architect Wall Certificate when someone is first licensed in California. For those already licensed, access your certificate, which may be printed on your office printer for posting, on the CAB website.
[…]

Historically, CAB mailed paper wall licenses and pocket receipts (also known as wallet licenses) to architects when they were first licensed and again at renewal. The latter will no longer occur. CAB is now moving to a fully paperless licensing system to help reduce environmental impacts and modernize state services.

CAB recently notified California planning agencies that they may verify current licensure status via the Department of Consumer Affairs’ (DCA) DCA Search license verification tool, which is updated in real-time. Architects will also be able generate and electronically send a copy of their license details to their local planning agency.