Interior Design Licensing Is Not My Problem - I Am A Licensed Contractor!

Rochelle Horn, CKD
President Arizona Chapter of NKBA

You may or may not have heard rumblings using terms like “practice act” or “title act” regarding the Interior Design community. You may also feel that as a contractor of one type or another you will not be affected by such legislation. Let’s see if you are right.

Here is a little test, if you include in your legal contracts any of the following: “design drawings, specifications, space plans that include non structural partition layouts, power and communications locations, reflected ceiling plans, lighting specifications, finish plans and specifications, furniture, furnishings and equipment plans and specifications, elevations and construction details in accordance with the governing codes and ordinances. Or if you coordinate any other design professionals and consultant drawings necessary for the construction of nonstructural components within and surrounding an interior space”. You, my friend, will be affected!

That was just a brief description of the proposed Interior Design Registration amendments to the AZ Board of Technical Registration. It adds the authority for “voluntary” registration for interior designers to the State Board of Technical Registration. This specifically defines ANY work done for a client on the inside of a building that is non structural falls under this voluntary registration. You will not be able to offer “Interior Design Services” without being a Register Interior Designer, which is in fact a partial title act.

I can hear you now saying well I have education and/or certifications through NARI or NKBA – no problem. Well, you would be wrong. You will have to pass a written exam that is approved by the board which test for minimum competency in interior design with nationally accepted testing standards (not NARI or NKBA), passed a course of study with a minimum of forty semester hours or sixty quarters of interior design related course work that culminates in a certificate, degree or diploma and possess at least three thousand five hundred twenty hours of diversified practical interior design experience. This means anyone with out a specific degree (4 year program) in interior design would not qualify for registration. This means appliance, plumbing, stone, flooring, lighting and wall covering suppliers providing specifications to a client would not qualify.

Now that I have your attention it is vital that you attend a Town Hall meeting hosted by The Arizona Chapter of National Kitchen & Bath Association on Tuesday March 25th held at Grace Chapel Scottsdale Foursquare Church Auditorium, 8524 E Thomas Rd., Scottsdale, starting @ 7:00 pm. Speakers will include Ed Nagorsky Attorney and Advocate for NKBA, Jennifer Perkins, Institute for Justice and Tina Gobbel Litteral, AIA.

There is no need to pre-register and you may contact me at rhorn@republicwest.com. You can also visit www.azidalert.org for more info. THE TIME IS NOW!!!!