Interior Designer Licensing

• Registration Information
• Online Renewals
• Application Fees

Registration of Interior Designers

It is unlawful for a person not registered by the state of Arkansas as an interior designer to advertise as a registered interior designer or to use the title of “Registered Interior Designer” or any other words, letters, figures, or other devices for the purpose of implying, directly or indirectly, that the person is registered by the state of Arkansas.

It is unlawful for a company, partnership, association, corporation, or other similar organization to advertise that it is in a position to provide the services of a registered interior designer unless the person(s) providing the services are in charge of a registered interior designer.

Initial Registration Standards

To be granted initial registration, an applicant must meet the following requirements:

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) or degree program with proof of equivalency to the CIDA program;
3. An applicant must have completed the minimum experience requirements as determined by the completed degree program;
4. An applicant must have passed the NCIDQ examination in accordance with current Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ) standards;
5. An applicant must complete an affidavit supplied by the board attesting that he or she has read and understood the Registered Interior Designers Title Registration Act and Rules and Regulations.

Initial Registration Applicant Classification

An applicant for initial registration as a registered interior designer shall establish, to the satisfaction of the board, that the he or she is one of the following:

1. Graduate of a five-year interior design program from an accredited institution, and having completed at least one (1) year of diversified and appropriate interior design experience; or
2. Graduate of a four-year interior design program or a master’s degree program in interior design from an accredited institution and having completed at least two (2) years of diversified and appropriate interior design experience; or
3. Licensed architect, certified by the board.

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

Reciprocal Registration Standards

An applicant who holds a current and valid certification issued by CIDQ and submits satisfactory evidence of such certification to the board can be registered, provided the applicant meets the following requirements:

1. The applicant holds a valid registration as a registered interior designer issued by a registration authority in 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 board-established fees;
3. Before registration, the board may, at its discretion, require individual applicants to appear before the board when a CIDQ record or application does not clearly indicate that the applicant is qualified for registration in Arkansas.

The board may accept satisfactory evidence of registration as an interior designer in another jurisdiction if the jurisdiction’s requirements for registration are equal to or greater than those required for registration in this state at the date of application.

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 in any other state, territory, district, or zone of the United States in violation of a law governing such a practice;
2. Felony conviction;
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 Registered Interior Designers Title Registration Act or the Rules and Regulations of this board at that time.

Renewal

NOTICE: In accordance with the changes adopted on September 15, 2013 to the Arkansas State Board of Architects, Landscape Architects, and Interior Designers (ASBALAID) rules and regulations, all current registered interior designers are required to renew their standing with the board during the month of January every year.

Licensure renewal notices will be sent to the e-mail address on file with the board office on January 1st. This notice will provide links to the online renewal system. 

The board automatically sends electronic renewal notices to the address on file approximately between 30 and 15 days before licensure expiration. Notices regarding licensure status are sent only as a courtesy of the board. The ultimate responsibility for licensure renewal rests solely with the licensed professional.

1. Certificate of registration shall expire on January 31 of each year and, unless renewed, shall become invalid on February 1. 
2. All renewals must be either received in the board office by the close of business on January 31.
3. Only renewals that contain the completed renewal application, annual continuing education affidavit attesting to compliance with continuing education requirements, and the required renewal fees will be processed.
4.  A registrant who does not properly renew his or her license may not utilize the title of “registered interior designer” after the license has expired. A registrant who continues to practice using an expired license will be subject to such disciplinary action as the board deems appropriate. 

Online Renewal

NOTICE: In accordance with the changes adopted on September 15, 2013 to the Arkansas State Board of Architects, Landscape Architects, and Interior Designers (ASBALAID) rules and regulations, all current registered interior designers are required to renew their standing with the board during the month of January every year. 

To renew your registration online, click the “Individual License Online Renewal” link below to be redirected to the online renewal system. Enter your individual license/registration number and birthdate in the fields provided to access the system. You are required to complete the questions provided and tender your $100 annual renewal using a Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, or electronic check. The total amount will be adjusted to allow for electronic processing of the transaction.

This online service is provided by a third party that is working in partnership with the state of Arkansas. The price of the item purchased through the service includes funds used to develop, maintain, and enhance the state’s official web portal, Arkansas.gov. Upon completion of the online renewal process, you will be presented with a receipt screen that should be printed and retained as proof of payment.

All online renewals are transmitted to the board office as they are received by the service provider. Please note that it can take up to 72 hours for your updated licensure status to be reflected in the board’s licensure verification system. Current licensure certificates may be printed directly from the board’s website following this update.

If you continue to utilize the title “registered interior designer” with expired registration in the state of Arkansas, you will be subject to a civil penalty and any other disciplinary action that the board deems appropriate. Individual registration may be renewed online only between January 1 and January 31 every year. Any license holder failing to properly renew during this period must complete a licensure reinstatement application in paper form with the board office.

NOTICE: If you have been convicted of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude; of a misdemeanor involving fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation; or of any crime other than a minor traffic violation in any jurisdiction that has not been previously reported to the board, you are NOT ELIGIBLE to use the online renewal system. You are required to submit a paper licensure renewal application to the board along with a list of date(s) and crime(s), a copy of the court judgment(s), and a letter of explanation regarding your conviction or pending charges. The paper application, along with supporting materials, will be presented to the board for review at the next scheduled meeting.

NOTICE: If you have been charged, disciplined, or are currently under investigation by any governing or licensing board that has not been previously reported to the board, you are NOT ELIGIBLE to use the online renewal system. You are required to submit a paper licensure renewal application to the board along with a list of date(s) and violation(s), a copy of the consent order(s), and a letter of explanation regarding the disciplinary action or pending charges. The paper application, along with supporting materials, will be presented to the board for review at the next scheduled meeting.

Individual License Online Renewal

Online Renewal Available – January 1st annually

We are happy to help! If you need assistance with the online renewal process,
please contact the board office at (501) 682-3171 or [email protected].

Continuing Education

NOTICE: In accordance with the changes adopted on September 15, 2013 to the ASBALAID rules and regulations, all registered interior designers are required to obtain six (6) structured health, safety, and welfare (HSW) credits each calendar year as a condition for licensure renewal. The board has directed that the implementation date of this new standard shall commence on January 1, 2014. As a condition of licensure renewal in January 2015, each registered interior designer will be required to have obtained six (6) HSW credits between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2014.

The January 2014 renewal period will served as the final opportunity for registered interior designers to submit continuing-education credits in accordance with the board’s prior standards. 

How much continuing education is required?

1. In addition to all other requirements for registration renewal, each Arkansas registered interior designer must complete a minimum of six (6) continuing-education hours each calendar year. A Continuing-Education Hour (CEH) shall represent one continuous instructional hour (50 to 60 minutes of contact) spent in structured education activities intended to increase or update the interior designer’s knowledge and competence in HSW subjects. 
2. All CEHs must be completed in HSW subjects acquired in structured educational activities.

Reinstatement of Lapsed License

1. An individual whose license has lapsed for any reason may be reinstated at any time within three (3) years from the date of cancellation of the registration.

   1. Before reinstatement, the individual must demonstrate compliance with the Act and with the current Rules and Regulations. 
   2. The applicant must pay all fees that have accrued since the time of cancellation as well as the amount of penalties due.

2. Registrants who hold a CIDQ certification and have allowed their registrations to lapse for a period of three (3) or more years must reapply through reciprocity. 
3. Registrants without CIDQ certification and who were initially registered in Arkansas may re-apply without retaking the CIDQ examination.

The board may reissue a certificate of registration to any person whose certificate has lapsed or has been suspended or revoked, provided that there are no pending charges of violations of Arkansas law.

Application Fees

Every applicant shall include with her or her application a nonrefundable filing fee, determined in accordance with this schedule:

Application for Initial Licensure

$250

Annual Renewal Fee

Every applicant for registration renewal shall include with his or her application a nonrefundable renewal fee, determined in accordance with the schedule set forth as follows:

Annual Renewal of Individual Registration

$100*

*The total amount will be adjusted for online licensure renewals to allow for electronic processing of the transaction. This online service is provided by a third party that is working in partnership with the state of Arkansas. The price of the item purchased through the service includes funds used to develop, maintain, and enhance the state’s official web portal, Arkansas.gov.

Month of Reinstatement	Renewal Fee	Late Fee	Total
1 Month Expired	$100	$50	$150
2 Months Expired	$100	$100	$200
3 Months Expired	$100	$150	$250
4-12 Months Expired	$100	$250	$350
13-24 Months Expired	$200	$500	$700
24-36 Months Expired	$300	$750	$1,050

Miscellaneous Fees

Replacement or Duplicate Wall Certificate	$30
Returned Check Fee	$25