Architects
The Arkansas State Board of Architects, Landscape Architects and Interior Designers adopts regulations setting the minimum standards of continuing education to ensure that all registered architects remain informed of those technical and professional subjects which the Board deems appropriate to professional architectural practice. Failure to satisfy such minimum standards shall be grounds for non-renewal of an architect’s individual certificate of registration.
How much Continuing Education is required?
Each Arkansas registered architect is required to complete a minimum of twelve (12) continuing education hours each CALENDAR year. A continuing education hour (CEH) shall represent one continuous instructional hour (50-60 minutes of contact) spent in structured education activities intended to increase or update the architect's knowledge and competence in health, safety and welfare (HSW) subjects.
All twelve (12) CEH's must be completed in health, safety and welfare (HSW) subjects acquired in structured educational activities.
What does the Board accept as proper Continuing Education credit?
Any structured program in health, safety, and welfare contained in the record of an approved professional registry will be accepted by the board as fulfilling the continuing education requirements of the Board. The Board approves the American Institute of Architects as a professional registry, and contact hours listed in structured health, safety, and welfare in the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Services (AIA/CES) Transcript of Continuing Education Activities will be accepted by the board for both resident and non-resident architects.
You are required to provide individual participant documentation from a person other than yourself. documentation provided for board consideration must clearly indicate HSW for proper credit to be applied toward your individual contiuning education requirement.
What happens if I don’t file me Continuing Education by the deadline?
Failure to fulfill the continuing education requirements, or file the annual report, properly completed and signed, by July 31, 2012 shall result in a penalty of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) per month for a maximum of one thousand dollars ($1,000) each year in addition to the renewal fee and late payment fees. Failure to comply with the Continuing Education requirements may also result in revocation of your license.
Who is exempt from the Continuing Education requirement?
A registrant may be exempt from participating in the continuing education program required by the Board for one of the following reasons:
- First time new registrants by examination or first time reciprocal registrants with the license number 4667 or higher are exempt for 2012-2013 renewal period.
- Individual registrants who hold emeritus status.
- Registrants who have served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States for a period of time exceeding ninety (90) consecutive days during the annual report period of January 1, 2011 thru December 31, 2011.
- Any individual registrant experiencing physical disability, illness or other extenuating circumstances may request exemption from the continuing education requirements. The Registrant shall provide supporting documentation for the Board's review. The Board on an individual basis will consider such hardship cases. The request for a hardship must be received in the Board office by June 1, 2012.
Failure to provide the required continuing education documentation will result in late fee(s) and continuing education penalty fee(s) in addition to renewal fees.