NCARB Competency Standard 14 Understand statutes and regulations for architectural practice within U.S. jurisdictions to provide services legally

NCARB Competency Standard 14 Understand statutes and regulations for architectural practice within U.S. jurisdictions to provide services legally

At the point of initial licensure, architects with this competency can …

• Comply with the laws and rules of architectural practice in the jurisdiction(s) in which they practice.

• Solicit services in compliance with professional and legal practice requirements.

• Understand the regulatory requirements for continuing professional development.

Competency number 14 relates to the governance of architectural practice within US jurisdictions. If you're viewing this from another country, this competency standard is still important, because your country probably also has some specific laws and regulations governing the practice of architecture, if not, there's ethical standards.

Every US jurisdictions has an Architects Act. This is a law that governs the practice of architecture in each state.

The 1st bullet point relates to your jurisdiction: If you are a licensed architect in Wisconsin and you're not licensed in Minnesota, you can't go to Minnesota and offer your services as a licensed architect in that state. Each state is separate. You would have to get a separate license for Minnesota.

The 2nd bullet point is about compliance with professional and legal practice requirements, in your state. You actually have to comply with laws when you're offering services. That's a protection of the public who are buying your services.

The 3rd bullet point is about continuing education. You have to understand the regulatory requirements for continuing professional development. Every jurisdiction has requirements for continuing education and being able to develop ourselves as architects, professionally staying up with laws, staying up with new compliance regulations in various forms, staying up with technology, staying up with safety requirements. Continuing education is really important for professionals of all sorts to be able to maintain contemporary level of understanding of the practice of architecture.

What can you do right now?

Study. Read the Architects Act. You can probably find it on the State website, the department that regulates the practice of architecture, and download the Architect’s Practice Act. Actually read through it, learn it.

You will actually have to know some of this stuff in order to pass the licensing exam. There are some common denominators throughout the Practice Act of all states that are consistent, and you will be tested on it in the exam.

You also have to understand the laws, because if you break them unknowingly, it doesn't matter. If somebody complains and they file a complaint against you and you've broken those laws, you're in big trouble. So know the laws. and practice in accordance with them that's what this is all about.