At its September meeting, the AIA Board reaffirmed its public policies and position statement concerning professional licensure and the regulation of practitioners within the design community. The AIA Board recognized the contribution of interior designers as valued colleagues while acknowledging there is no current justification to support a change in existing policies, maintaining that protection of public health, safety, and welfare is the primary reason for licensing.

The AIA’s extensive review effort stemmed in part from the withdrawal in 1999 of the two primary organizations representing the interior-design community from a mutual accord with the AIA intended to define regulatory standards for interior-design title registration. Beyond considering extensive input from its members and component organizations across the country, the AIA examined the state of existing credentialing programs and standards relevant to interior design. It also reviewed available state governmental assessments of existing interior-design regulatory programs. The AIA Board concluded that current education, experience, and examination requirements for interior designers do not meet necessary thresholds for the imperative role of a regulated profession, implicit in state licensing laws, to protect public health, safety, and welfare.

In reaffirming its policy, the AIA Board underlines the responsibility to preserve qualification thresholds for public health, safety, and welfare that are established in state licensing laws and commits the AIA to advocate that responsibility. Furthermore, the AIA Board acknowledges and encourages the desire among leaders within the interior-design community to establish higher standards regarding interior-design education, experience, and examination. The AIA Board also encourages discussion and collaboration with interior design organizations to consider professional credentialing policies for the benefit of the public’s health, safety, and welfare.

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