Share |

Licensing 

Licensing

Interior Designers - Licensing

  • Qualifications
  • Renewal Information
  • Continuing Education
Qualifications For A License

Initial Registration Standards
To be granted registration other than through reciprocity, an applicant must provide substantial evidence to the Board that the applicant:
  1.  An applicant must be of good moral character, as verified by employers and other references.
  2. An applicant must hold a professional degree in interior design from a degree program that has been accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA formerly known as "FIDER") or approved by the Board through proof of equivalency to the CIDA program.  The process to prove equivalency of education to CIDA standards shall be according to the Alternate Education Review process as administered by NCIDQ.  The Board may also consider applicants completing programs leading to a certificate, degree or diploma from an institution accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges & Schools.
  3. Have a baccalaureate degree in programs of no less than 150 semester or 225 quarter credit hours of which 90 semester or 135 quarter hours, respectively, are Interior Design-related.  One year or 1,760 hours of diversified and appropriate interior design experience is required.  The applicant shall direct his/her educational institution to submit directly to the Board transcripts of grades, a description of courses taught at the time the applicant took the courses and verification of completion of graduation requirements.
  4. Have a baccalaureate degree in programs of no less than 120 semester or 180 quarter credit hours of which 60 semester or 90 quarter hours, respectively, are Interior Design-related.  Two years or 3,520 hours of diversified and appropriate interior design experience is required.  The applicant shall direct his/her educational institution to submit directly to the Board transcripts of grades, a description of courses taught at the time the applicant took the courses and verification of completion of graduation requirements. 
  5. An applicant must have passed the examination in accordance with current NCIDQ standards.  The Board shall waive examination requirements for an individual who provides proof of passage of the NCIDQ examination, or either of its predecessors, the American Institute of Interior Designers (AID) and by the National Society of Interior Designers (NSID), and who is registered, licensed or certified as an interior designer in another state, the District of Columbia, or a foreign country, provided that the jurisdiction's requirements for registration are substantially equivalent to those required for registration in this state.
  6. A licensed architect certified by the ASBALAID and provides evidence of passage of the entire standard NCIDQ exam.  An applicant must complete an affidavit supplied by the Board attesting to having read and understood the Arkansas Architectural Act and Rules and Regulations.

When evaluating qualifications, the Board may require that the applicant substantiate his or her qualifications.

 To Become Licensed By Reciprocity:
An applicant who holds a current and valid certification issued by NCIDQ and submits satisfactory evidence of such certification to the Board can be registered, providing the applicant meets the following requirements:

  1. An applicant holds a valid registration as a registered interior designer issued by a registration authority of the United States and submits satisfactory evidence of such registration to the Board.
  2. An applicant files his or her application in a form prescribed by the Board and pays the applicable fees established by the Board.
  3. Before registration, the Board may, at its discretion, require individual applicants to appear before the Board when an NCIDQ certification and application does not clearly indicate that the applicant is qualified for registration in Arkansas.

Registration Prohibited:
One or more of the following acts shall be sufficient to prevent the applicant from being considered for registration and license.

  1. Utilizing the title registered interior designer without registration in Arkansas or any other state, territory, district, zone of the United States, in violation of law governing such practice.
  2. Conviction of a felony.
  3. Submitting a misstatement or misrepresentation of fact in connection with an application for examination registration, application for reciprocal registration, or any other official communication with the Board.
  4. Committing an act prohibited by a provision of the Arkansas Architectural Act or the Rules and Regulation of this Board in effect at that time.

Instructions For Completetion of Application for Individual and Professional Organization Registration

Complete all applicable items on the application form.  Your completed application, with the appropriate fees and three (3) reference forms should be directed to the ASBALAID for processing.  Applications will not be considered without the required fee of $150 check or money order made payable to ASBALAID.

A Certificate of Registration from this board issued to an interior designer entitles that person to assume the title "Registered Interior Designer" in the state of Arkansas. 

Documents 

Interior Designers - Renewal Information
Individual licenses must be renewed by August 3 annually.

Your renewal must be received in the Board office by 4:30 pm CST on August 31 or postmarked by August 31st.

The Arkansas State Board of Architects, Landscape Architects and Interior Designers does not offer "inactive" status ffor individual license holders.

All individual licenses will expire on August 31 and shall become invalid on September 1 unless renewed.  Renewals received after August 31 will require a late fee(s) in addition to renewal fees.

Renewal Deadline August 31.

Individual License - Online Renewal

Online renewal is a fast and efficient way to renew your individual license.  If you renew online, Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express are accepted forms of payment.  Online renewals WILL NOT be accessible after August 31st.

If you choose to utilize the Board's online renewal process, you will not be required to provide documentation of your continuing education at time of license renewal.  However, if you are selected for random audit you are required to provide documents that substantiate your continuing education  provided at the time of your online renewal.


Individual License - Paper Renewal

If you prefer not to utilize the Board's online renewal process, you may complete and return the 2012-2013 Individual Architect Active Status Renewal Form.  Please note that your completed renewal form and fee MUST be RECEIVED in the Board office by 4:30 pm CST on August 31 or postmarked by August 31, 2012.  Make check or money order payable to the ASBALAID in the amount of $125.00.  This form is only valid from August 1 - August 31.

Individual License - Paper Reinstatement 

A license which is not renewed between August 1 and August 31 cannot be renewed but may be reinstated.  If your license has lapsed for one (1) day to three (3)  years, please complete the Interior Designer Reinstatement Form.  You must report your continuing education hours, submit the correlating documentation, have the form notarized, and submit check or money order made payable to ASBALAID in the amount of $125.00 plus the applicable late fees (see fee chart below).

Interior Designer Reinstatement Application - PDF

 

Individual License - Continuing Education

The Arkansas State Board of  Architects, Landscape Architects,, & Interior Designers adopts regulations setting the minimum standards of continuing education to ensure that all registered interior designers 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 interior designer's individual certificate of registration.

How much Continuing Education is required?
The Board  requires its Registrants to complete six (6) hours annually, of which three (3) hours must be of the Health, Safety or Welfare (HSW) designation.
The reporting period shall be the calendar year immediately preceeding the year for which the license is being renewed.
One (1) CEU shall represent a minimum of fifty (50) minutes of actual course time.  No credit shall be allowed for introductory remarks, meals, breaks or business/administration matters related to courses of study.

What does tbe Board accept as Proper Continuing Education credit?
Any structured program with learning unit (LU0 or Health, Safety and Welfare (HSW) designation 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 Interior Design Continuing Education Council (IDCEC) identification and measurement system for approval of continuing education programs is recommended by the Board.

Individual License - Renewal Fees

 Individual Registration - Renewal Fees  
 Individual Registration - Paper Renewal Fee                                                                 $125.00
 Individual Registration - Online Renewal Fee                                                               $131.00*

*The Information Network of Arkansas (INA) charges an online renewal convenience fee of 4% + $1 to the total amount paid by each user. 

Individual Registration - Late Fees
If you decide to allow your license to lapse this year, your individual registration may be reinstated within three (3) years by paying all renewal fees and late penalties for each year in default.

 Month of Renewal              Renewal Fee      Late Fee            TOTAL                 
 1-12 Months Expired     $125.00  $50.00  $175.00
 13-24 Months Expired $250.00   $100.00  $350.00
 25-36 Months Expired $375.00  $150.00  $525.00