Colorado State Board of Examiners of Architects
Rules & Regulations of Procedure
Effective July 1, 2005
INDEX
RULESUBJECTPAGE
100.000AUTHORITY AND DEFINITIONS3
100.001Reserved3
100.002Citation3
100.003Severability3
100.004Terms Defined By Statute3
100.005Terms Defined Herein3
100.100GENERAL PROVISIONS4
100.101Board Meetings4
100.102Board Seal4
100.103Communication4
100.104Fees5
100.105Application of Statutes and Rules5
100.200APPLICATIONS FOR LICENSURE5
100.201Applications5
100.300LICENSURE QUALIFICATIONS5
100.301Education and Experience Summary5
100.302Education Requirements5
100.303Experience Requirements6
100.304Diversified Practical Experience9
100.305Verification Procedure10
100.400PRE-EXAMINATION PROCEDURES11
100.401Notification of Examination Eligibility11
100.402Post Determination Procedures11
100.500EXAMINATIONS11
100.501The Examination11
100.502Conditions of the Examination11
100.503Examination Sequence11
100.504Re-Examination11
100.505Application Deadline12
100.506Transfer of Scores12
100.600LICENSURE12
100.601Issuance12
100.602Duration12
100.603Not Transferable12
100.604Revocation, Suspension, Annulment or
Non-Renewal of Licensure13
100.605Renewal/Reinstatement Procedure13
100.606Licensure by Endorsement13
100.700RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT13
100.701Competence13
100.702Conflict of Interest14
100.703Full Disclosure14
100.704Design and Use of Licensee’s Stamp15
100.705Compliance with Other Laws16
100.706Responsible Control of Architecture16
100.800ORGANIZATIONAL PRACTICE17
100.801Professional Practice17
100.802Prohibited Uses of Business Titles17
100.803Disciplinary Proceedings17
100.900RULES GOVERNING PROCEDURES FOR
DECLARATORY ORDERS18
100.901Procedures for Declaratory Orders18
Appendix A21
RULES AND REGULATIONS OF PROCEDURE
COLORADO STATE BOARD OF EXAMINERS OF ARCHITECTS
EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2005
100.000 AUTHORITY AND DEFINITIONS
The basis of these Rules is the authority granted the Board by Sections 12-4-101 and 12-4-104(2)(a), Colorado Revised Statutes.
The Rules are necessary to ensure the proper performance of the duties of the Board by the regulation of meetings, records, examinations, and the procedures thereof and to safeguard life, health, and property, to promote the public welfare, and to establish and maintain a high standard of integrity and practice. The Rules shall be binding on every person holding a certificate of licensure and on all partnerships or corporations or other legal entities authorized to practice architecture services in Colorado pursuant to section 12-4-100, C.R.S.
All persons licensed under Title 12, Article 4 of the Colorado Revised Statutes are charged with having knowledge of the existence of these Rules and shall be deemed to be familiar with their provisions and to understand them.
100.001Reserved
100.002Citation
The rules of the Colorado State Board of Examiners of Architects shall be known, and may be cited, as ‘The Rules’ and/or ‘These Rules’.
100.003Severability
These rules are severable. If one rule or portion of a rule is found to be invalid, all other rules or portions of rules which can be enforced without the invalid rules shall be enforced and shall remain valid.
100.004Terms Defined By Statute
Terms defined in Title 12, Article 4, Colorado Revised Statutes, and used in these rules shall have the same meaning as set forth in the Statute.
100.005Terms Defined Herein
As used in these rules, the following terms shall have the following meanings unless the context or subject matter clearly requires a different interpretation.
1.Advertisement - The attempt by publication, dissemination, solicitation, or circulation, except letterhead, business cards and complimentary telephone white pages listings whether by visual, oral, electronic, or written means to induce, directly or indirectly any person to enter into an agreement with an architect.
2.A.R.E. - The current Architect Registration Examination, prepared by NCARB.
3.CACB – Canadian Architectural Certification Board.
4.IDP - Intern Development Program established by the IDP Coordinating Committee (NCARB and other collaborative organizations).
5.License - A Colorado license to practice architecture issued by the Board, to a person who has satisfied the requirements of Title 12, Article 4, Colorado Revised Statutes, and these Rules.
6.NAAB - The National Architectural Accrediting Board.
7.NCARB - The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.
8.Principal - A licensee who is a sole proprietor, or a partner in a partnership, or an officer or director of a corporation, or a member of a limited liability company, any of which is engaged in the practice of architecture.
9.Record Set - A record set is a complete set of contract documents that are identified by the licensee’s and consultant’s original stamps and signatures and dates.
10.Reproduction Drawing - Any copy of an original document.
11.TU Training Unit - Used to calculate the hours of practical experience earned. (8 hours = 1 TU)
12.Year
(a)academic year: 32 semester hours or 48 quarter hours (Equates to 235 TUs).
(b)year of practical experience: 235 TUs (8 hours = 1 TU)
100.100 GENERAL PROVISIONS
100.101Board Meetings
Board meetings are generally held on the fourth Friday of January, March, May, July, and September, and the first Friday of December. Meeting dates are subject to change or cancellation. Board Meetings are open to the public.
100.102Board Seal
The Board has adopted a seal and it shall be affixed to each licensee’s certificate issued by the Board.
100.103Communication
Communication with the Board is encouraged. The preferred contact with the Board, outside of Board meetings, is through the Program Director at the office of the Board. In the event any person contacts a Board member regarding any matter applicable to the Colorado Architect Law or the Rules, any expression of opinion by that Board member will be exclusively the Board member’s opinion and will in no way commit the Board.
100.104Fees
The Board will publish the schedule of fees to be charged. Fees are subject to change at the beginning of each fiscal year beginning July 1.
100.105Application of Statutes and Rules
Applicants for licensure shall be required to meet the licensing requirements of the statutes and rules of the State of Colorado in effect at the time the original application, fees and all supporting documents have been received by the Board and accepted as complete.
100.200 APPLICATIONS FOR LICENSURE
100.201Applications
An application is deemed complete at the time all supporting documents and fees are received.
100.300 LICENSURE QUALIFICATIONS
100.301Education and Experience Summary
A.In order to qualify for licensure by examination, an applicant shall meet one of the following three education and/or experience requirements:
1.700 TUs of experience and a professional degree from a degree program in architecture accredited by the NAAB; or,
2.1,170 TUs of experience and a four-year architecture or environmental design degree, or other equivalent education as determined by the Board; or,
3.2,350 TUs of experience with no degree or a combination of experience and education approved by the Board as set forth in Rule 100.302.
B.The experience must be earned in accordance with the experience requirements set forth in Rule 100.303.
C.An applicant who has completed the IDP shall be deemed to have met the experience requirements of this rule.
100.302Education Requirements
A.For those applicants applying under Rule 100.301 A, paragraph 2, the following applies:
1.The Board may consider the following as equivalent to a four-year architecture or environmental design degree:
(a)a first professional degree in architecture where the degree program has not been accredited by NAAB; or,
(b)a bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering; or,
(c)completion of four years of a NAAB accredited degree program.
B.For those applicants applying under Rule 100.301 A, paragraph 3, the following applies:
1.The Board may consider the following as equivalent to three years of education: a bachelor’s degree in architectural technology, or in civil, mechanical or electrical engineering, accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management accredited by the American Council for Construction Education, or a bachelor’s degree in interior design by the Foundation for Interior Design Education Research.
2.The Board may consider the following equivalent to two years of education:
(a)any degree other than architecture at a University or College.
3.The Board may consider the following equivalent to one year of education:
(a)any degree other than architecture at a Community College, Junior College, Technical School, etc.
C.Applicants who are requesting credit for degrees from foreign colleges or universities must submit their transcripts to the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), for the purpose of determining the equivalency of the degree to a degree earned from a University or College in the United States.
100.303Experience Requirements
A.General Requirements
1.Experience must be gained in Training Settings A-F as set forth in Rule 100.303 B.
2.For those applicants applying under rule 100.301 A, paragraphs 1 or 2, experience training units can be earned only after completing:
(a)three years in a NAAB accredited bachelor degree program; or,
(b)the third year of a four-year degree program in architecture or environmental design; or,
(c)one year in a NAAB accredited master’s degree program; or,
(d)upon graduating from a degree program listed in rule 100.302 C, paragraphs 1 and 2, if a NAAB accredited master’s degree program is subsequently completed.
3.For those applicants applying under rule 100.301 A, paragraphs 1 or 2, 235 TUs must be earned in Training Setting A.
4.Of the total required TUs of experience, a minimum of 465 TUs must be earned in Diversified Practical Experience (DPE) Categories A-D as set forth in Rule 100.304.
5.TUs may not be used to meet the experience requirements if they are also being used as credit toward meeting academic requirements.
6.In the evaluation of experience, the Board may require additional substantiation as to the type and nature of reported experience in order to ensure that the experience meets the criteria listed in 100.303(B).
7.An applicant may earn TUs to meet the experience requirements through supplementary education such as:
(a)Earning a post-professional degree in architecture, after earning a professional degree in architecture from a program accredited by NAAB.
(b)Completing the American Institute of Architects (AIA) approved continuing education resources and programs. An official AIA transcript must accompany TU reports documenting completion of AIA approved resources.
(c)Supplementary education activities are subject to the following conditions:
(1)A post-professional degree in architecture earns 235 TUs in Category D of the DPE requirements. Credit hours must be in subjects evaluated by the Board as directly related to architecture.
(2)TUs may not be earned for supplementary education unless the applicant is employed in a recognized Training Setting.
(3)Supplementary education cannot be used to satisfy the minimum TU requirements in DPE activities 1-16.
(4)Credit for supplementary education activities may not exceed 235 TUs.
8.No training units may be earned for foreign training other than under the direct supervision of a person practicing architecture; however, a person with 5 years (1170 TUs) of foreign practice as a principal in the office of a registered architect shall be deemed to have satisfied the training requirement.
9.Exceptions to the requirements set forth in paragraph 100.303(A)(2)(a-d) above may be granted at the discretion of the Board for reasons of individual hardship or other good cause.
B.Training Settings
1.To earn TUs in Training Settings A, B, C, D and E, an applicant must work at least 35 hours per week for a minimum period of 10 consecutive weeks, or at least 20 hours per week for a minimum period of six consecutive months.
2.To earn TUs in Training Setting F, an applicant must be employed on a full-time basis.
3.Experience in Training Settings other than those set forth may be accepted only insofar as the Board considers it to be equivalent to experience earned in one or more of the recognized settings.
4.The following Training Settings explain where and how applicants for licensure by examination may earn TUs of experience and the maximum number of TUs that may be earned in each setting:
TRAINING SETTING / MAXIMUM TRAINING UNITS ALLOWEDA / Experience in architecture as an employee of an organization when working under the direct supervision of a licensed architect and when the organization’s practice (a) is in the charge of a person practicing as a principal and (b) encompasses the comprehensive practice of architecture, including each of the areas in appendix A. / No Limit
B / Experience in architecture as an employee of an organization when working under the direct supervision of a licensed architect, but when the organization’s practice does not encompass the comprehensive practice of architecture, including each of the areas in appendix A. / 465 Training Units
C / Experience in architecture as an employee of a firm engaged in the practice of architecture outside the United States or Canada, under the direct supervision of a person practicing architecture who is licensed neither in a U.S. nor a Canadian jurisdiction. / 235 Training Units
D / Experience directly related to architecture under the direct supervision of a licensed professional engineer (practicing as a structural, civil, mechanical or electrical engineer in the field of building construction) or a registered landscape architect. / 235 Training Units in DPE Categories B, C and D
E / Experience (other than that noted above) in activities involving the design and construction of the built environment (such as analysis of existing buildings, planning, programming, design of interior space, review of technical submissions, engaging in building construction activities and the like) when under the direct supervision of a person experienced in the activity. / 117 Training Units in DPE Categories C and D
F / Full-time teaching or research in a NAAB or CACB accredited professional degree program. / 245 Training Units in DPE Category D
FF / Performing professional and community service when not in settings described in A through F. / 10 Training Units in area 16
5.For the purpose of this rule, the following applies:
(a)an organization is considered to be an “office of a licensed architect” if:
(1)the architectural practice of the organization in which the intern works is in the charge of a person practicing as a principal and the intern works under the direct supervision of a licensed architect;and,
(2)the architectural practice of the organization encompasses the comprehensive practice of architecture including each of the areas composing such practice set forth in Appendix A.
(b)a person practices as a “principal” by being:
(1)a licensed architect as defined in paragraph c below; and,
(2)the person in charge of the organization’s architectural practice, whether alone or with other licensed architects.
(c)a licensed architect is a person licensed to practice architecture in the jurisdiction in which they practice.
C.Direct supervision means that degree of supervision by a person overseeing the work of another, where both work in the same office in circumstances where personal contact is routine, and the supervisor has both control over and detailed professional knowledge of the work prepared under his or her supervision.
100.304Diversified Practical Experience
A.Of the total TUs required pursuant to Rule 100.301, a minimum of 465 TUs must be earned in Diversified Practical Experience (DPE) in Training Settings A, B or C under the direct supervision of a licensed architect or an individual exempt under the provisions of 12-4-112(4), C.R.S. (Note: For the purposes of this Rule, a licensed architect is a person licensed to practice architecture in the jurisdiction in which they practice.)
B.The minimum TUs required in DPE may be earned by working with a professional who is performing the task, by personally doing the work, or by Board-approved supplementary education.
C.The following sets forth the minimum TUs that must be earned in DPE categories and the associated professional activities 1-16:
Category A: Design and Construction Documents
Required Professional Activities / Minimum Totals1 / Programming / 10
2 / Site and Environmental Analysis / 10
3 / Schematic Design / 15
4 / Engineering Systems Coordination / 15
5 / Building Cost Analysis / 10
6 / Code Research / 15
7 / Design Development / 40
8 / Construction Documents / 135
9 / Specifications and Materials Research / 15
10 / Documents Checking and Coordination / 10
Subtotal / 275
Remaining (can be earned in any activities 1-10 above) / 75
TOTAL / 350
To satisfy Category A, training units (including those earned from supplementary education) must be acquired when employed in Training Settings A, B, or C.
Category B: Contract Administration
Required Professional Activities / Minimum Totals11 / Bidding and Contract Negotiation / 10
12 / Construction Phase - Office / 15
13 / Construction Phase - Observation / 15
Subtotal / 40
Remaining (can be earned in any activities 11-13 above) / 30
TOTAL / 70
Category C: Management
Required Professional Activities / Minimum Totals14 / Project Management / 15
15 / Office Management / 10
Subtotal / 25
Remaining (can be earned in any activities 14-15 above) / 10
TOTAL / 35
Category D: Related Activities
Required Professional Activities / Minimum Totals16 / Professional and Community Service / 10
Other Related Activities / 0
TOTAL / 10
TOTAL DPE TUs REQUIRED / 465
TUs may be earned in Category D for experience not meeting the durational conditions in Rule 100.303 A, paragraph 4, only if the Board considers the experience to be substantial and continuous.
D.Additional TUs over 465 may be acquired in one DPE category or distributed among any of the DPE categories.
E.Appendix A of these rules describes and defines DPE activity.
100.305Verification Procedure
The applicant shall provide, on the employment verification formsthat are part of the application, a continuous, detailed and substantiated record of professional and related activities showing the TUs earned in the various practical experience settings. The intent of the practical experience requirement is to provide the applicant a broad and diversified exposure to the practice of architecture. The employer, by their verification, affirms to the Board that the activities recorded were actually performed by the applicant.
100.400 PRE-EXAMINATION PROCEDURES
100.401Notification of Examination Eligibility
When an applicant has submitted evidence to the Board in a timely manner that all of the licensing requirements have been satisfied, the Board shall review the application and notify the applicant of eligibility to take the A.R.E.
100.402Post-Determination Procedures
If an applicant is notified that all of the licensing requirements have not been satisfied, the applicant may request the Board to reconsider the application if the applicant disagrees with the evaluation or has additional information.
100.500 EXAMINATIONS
100.501The Examination
The examinations used by the Board to determine eligibility for licensure shall be the current A.R.E., and the Board’s Examination on Statute and Rules, examining the applicant’s knowledge of the provisions of Title 12, Article 4, Colorado Revised Statutes, and rules contained herein.
100.502Conditions of the Examination
A.Grading of the examination shall be in accordance with the national grading procedure of the NCARB.
B.The Board shall adopt the scoring procedures recommended by the NCARB.
C.The Board’s Examination on Statute and Rules will be administered on an “independent study” basis.
D.No information pertaining to the subject matter of the examination will be given to applicants in advance, except as specifically authorized by the Board.
E.The Board, in its discretion, may approve transfer credits for parts of examinations passed prior to the 1983 A.R.E.
F.Examinations and examination results are not subject to review or appeal.
100.503Examination Sequence
A.The A.R.E. may be taken upon completion of the qualifications as set forth in 100.300. An applicant for the examination may elect to take any or all divisions of the A.R.E.
B.The Examination on Statute and Rules will be taken after all other requirements for licensure have been met.
100.504Re-Examination
A candidate who fails to pass any division of the A.R.E. may reapply for examination for that or those divisionswithin the rules and time constraints set forth by NCARB.
100.505Application Deadline
Each applicant deemed eligible to take the A.R.E. shall be notified of the procedure for taking each division of the A.R.E., and other necessary information.
100.506Transfer of Scores
A.The Board, in its discretion and upon proper application, may accept passing scores achieved on divisions of the A.R.E. administered and attested to by another NCARB member board.