100+ Free LARE Section 2 Practice Questions

L.A.R.E. Section 2: Planning and Design tests a candidate's ability to plan and design landscapes across four content areas defined by CLARB: Master Planning (33%), Schematic Design (28%), Design Development (22%), and Stewardship and Design Principles (17%). Topics include goal setting and programming, land-use suitability analysis, circulation and utility planning, spatial composition and design principles, accessibility, parking layout, material and planting selection, grading and stormwater integration, sustainability, and professional responsibility. The section uses multiple-choice and multiple-response (select-all) item types delivered by computer at Prometric test centers.

LARE Section 2 contains approximately 85 scored items plus a number of unscored pretest items that are mixed in but do not count toward your score. CLARB uses a scaled scoring system, and a scaled score of 650 is required to pass. The exam includes multiple-choice and multiple-response questions. Because pretest items are embedded, candidates should answer every question as though it counts. Each of the four L.A.R.E. sections is scored and passed independently.

Each L.A.R.E. section, including Section 2, costs $535 to register for through CLARB. Taking all four sections totals $2,140 in exam fees. Beyond the per-section fee, candidates must establish and maintain a CLARB Record, which carries its own application and annual maintenance fees, and individual jurisdictions may charge separate licensure fees. Always confirm current fees on the official CLARB website before registering, as fees can change between testing windows.

Section 1 (Inventory, Analysis, and Project Management) focuses on understanding the site and managing the project before design begins, covering physical analysis, inventory and data collection, contextual analysis, stakeholder engagement, and project management. Section 2 (Planning and Design) picks up where Section 1 leaves off, testing how candidates translate that understanding into plans and designs through master planning, schematic design, design development, and stewardship and design principles. Many candidates take Section 1 first because its analysis skills feed directly into the planning and design work tested in Section 2.

LARE Section 2 uses multiple-choice questions, where you select one best answer, and multiple-response (select-all-that-apply) questions, where you must choose every correct option to receive credit. Both item types are fully objective and computer-scored. Section 2 does not use hand-drawn graphics or open-response items; those skills are tested differently. Multiple-response questions are often the most challenging because partial answers usually earn no credit, so candidates must know the material thoroughly rather than guessing among plausible options.

Start with the official CLARB exam blueprint and Orientation Guide so you understand the four content areas and their weights: Master Planning 33%, Schematic Design 28%, Design Development 22%, and Stewardship and Design Principles 17%. Build a study plan that allocates the most time to master planning and schematic design. Review core references on site planning, circulation and parking standards, ADA accessibility, grading and stormwater basics, sustainable and ecological design, and planting design. Practice with timed multiple-choice and multiple-response questions, review the rationale for both correct and incorrect answers, and remediate weak domains before test day.

Yes. Landscape architect registration through a CLARB member jurisdiction requires passing all four L.A.R.E. sections: Section 1 (Inventory, Analysis, and Project Management), Section 2 (Planning and Design), Section 3 (Construction Documentation and Administration), and Section 4 (Grading, Drainage, and Stormwater Management). The sections are scored and passed independently and may be taken in any order. Jurisdictions set rules for how long passing credit for a section is retained while you complete the remaining sections, so check your jurisdiction's time-limit policy.

Master planning, the largest content area at 33%, is the big-picture phase: setting goals and program, analyzing land-use suitability, organizing circulation and utilities, planning open space and stormwater, and phasing development across a site or region. Schematic design (28%) takes the selected planning direction and develops it into a more resolved site plan, applying design principles such as balance, unity, rhythm, scale, and proportion while dimensioning circulation, parking, and accessible routes. In short, master planning decides what goes where at a broad scale, and schematic design refines how those spaces are arranged and composed.