(a)        Licensing by Examination. – Any individual who is at least 18 years of age and of good moral character may make written application for examination by completion of a form prescribed by the Board accompanied by the required application fee. Subject to qualification requirements of this section, the applicant shall be entitled to an examination to determine qualifications for licensure.

(1)        The qualification requirements for licensure by examination as a duly licensed architect shall be all of the following:

a.         Practical training and experience as specified by rules of the Board.

b.         The successful completion of a licensure examination in architecture as specified by the rules of the Board.

c.         The successful completion of an accredited master’s or bachelor’s degree in architecture as specified by the rules of the Board.

(2)        The Board shall adopt rules to set requirements for professional education, practical training and experience, and examination which must be met by applicants for licensure and which may be based on the published guidelines of nationally recognized councils or agencies for the accreditation, examination, and licensing for the architectural profession.

(b)        Licensing by Reciprocity. – Any individual holding a current license for the practice of architecture from another state or territory, and holding a certified record issued by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, NCARB, may upon application and within the discretion of the Board be licensed without written examination. The Board may, in its discretion, waive the requirement for National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) certified record if the qualifications, examination and licensing requirements of the state in which the applicant is licensed are substantially equivalent to those of this State and the applicant otherwise meets the requirements of this Chapter.

(c)        Registration. – Any individual who is at least 18 years of age and of good moral character may apply for registration as a registered interior designer, and shall provide substantial evidence to the Board that the applicant meets one of the following requirements:

(1)        The applicant shall provide a verification from the Council for Interior Design Qualification or its successor in interest as proof that he or she passed the NCIDQ examination and the applicant is an NCIDQ Certificate holder in good standing.

(2)        The applicant is a licensed architect certified by the Board.

(d)       Registration by Reciprocity. – The Board may accept satisfactory evidence of registration, licensure, or certification as an interior designer in another jurisdiction, if the jurisdiction’s requirements for registration, licensure, or certification are substantially equivalent to or greater than those required for registration in this State at the date of application. ?(1915, c. 270, s. 3; 1919, c. 336, s. 1; C.S., s. 4992; 1957, c. 794, s. 7; 1971, c. 1231, s. 1; 1979, c. 871, s. 1; 1983, c. 47; 1989, c. 62; 2020-74, s. 29(c); 2021-81, s. 1.)

Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 83A-7

  • Architect: A person who is duly licensed to practice architecture. See North Carolina General Statutes 83A-1
  • Board: The North Carolina Board of Architecture and Registered Interior Designers. See North Carolina General Statutes 83A-1
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • following: when used by way of reference to any section of a statute, shall be construed to mean the section next preceding or next following that in which such reference is made; unless when some other section is expressly designated in such reference. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
  • Good moral character: Character as tends to assure the faithful discharge of the fiduciary duties of an architect or registered interior designer to his or her client. See North Carolina General Statutes 83A-1
  • Interior design: Includes, but is not limited to, the preparation of reflected ceiling plans, space planning, creation or alteration of paths of egress, occupancy calculations, provided no increases in occupancy or number of exits is required, selection of furnishings, and the fabrication of nonstructural elements within and surrounding interior spaces of buildings. See North Carolina General Statutes 83A-1
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • License: A certificate of registration issued by the Board recognizing the individual or firm named in the certificate as meeting the requirements for registration under this Chapter. See North Carolina General Statutes 83A-1
  • Practice of architecture: Performing or offering to perform or holding oneself out as legally qualified to perform professional services in connection with the design, construction, enlargement or alteration of buildings, including consultations, investigations, evaluations, preliminary studies, the preparation of plans, specifications and contract documents, administration of construction contracts and related services or combination of services in connection with the design and construction of buildings, regardless of whether these services are performed in person or as the directing head of an office or organization. See North Carolina General Statutes 83A-1
  • Registered interior designer: A person who is duly registered and who is qualified by education, experience, and examination to engage in the practice of interior design as authorized by the Board. See North Carolina General Statutes 83A-1
  • Registration: A certificate of registration issued by the Board recognizing the individual or firm named in the certificate as meeting the requirements for registration under this Chapter. See North Carolina General Statutes 83A-1
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories, so called; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the said district and territories and all dependencies. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
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