Licensing: Board Structure and Composition

Statement. The American Institute of Architects believes that single discipline architectural licensing boards, composed of public members and a majority of resident architects with staggered terms, should regulate the practice of architecture.

Explanation. The public health, safety, and welfare is best protected by a licensing board composed of architects and public members selected on the basis of qualifications and familiarity with design and construction. Judging the qualifications, competence, and conduct of candidates and licensees is a technical function that requires a majority of architects on the board and cannot be competently performed by public members. The architects should be appointed from among candidates recommended or , nominated, or reviewed by the profession. The terms of office should be of a predetermined number of years and he staggered to provide continuity. Serving at the will of the appointing authority is inappropriate.

Public members may prevent boards from focusing only on narrow parochial concerns, help increase public and state officials’ awareness of architects and architecture, help confirm the purpose of architectural licensing, and enhance the credibility of the licensing boards.

This policy is one of a group of integrated public policies on licensing issues. Position. The AlA strongly supports the concept of individual boards to license architects. however, licensing procedures for design professionals vary across the nation. In some states, architects are Iicensed and regulated by boards concerned only with architects; in other states, the licensing board regulates both architects and engineers; in still other states. a single board may license and regulate architects. engineers. contractors, geologists, interior designers. landscape architects, and practitioners of other related disciplines. Separate boards, statutes, and staff prevent the dominance of one profession, encourage more attention to the unique problems and needs of the public related to that profession, practitioners and consumers, and lead to stronger consensus. In those states with boards that license and regulate other design and construction professions; the profession must advocate adequate representation on the board and attention to the problems and needs of consumers and practitioners of architectural services. Furthermore, the profession should advocate that a combination board be limited only to architects, other professionals involved in designing the built environment, and public members. In situations where a single board is not statutorily permitted, measures should be taken to ensure that only architects and the appropriate percentage of public members act on architectural issues.

As the professional association representing architects, the AlA state component is the appropriate body to nominate or recommend qualified professional members with the experience, dedication, and sensitivity to protect the public. practice issues and concerns on a statewide basis. Public members should demonstrate an interest in and a familiarity with the profession and the construction industry in order to represent client and user concerns. The components are encouraged to work with the appointing authorities to develop criteria for selecting all members of architectural licensing boards.

This policy is one of an integrated group of policies on licensing issues.

Board Approval - May 1991

September 2000 Committee Recommendation: Revise