Kate Nosbisch, Executive Director
Virginia APELSCIDLA Board
May 24, 2012
APELSCIDLA Board
Virginia Board for
Architects, Professional
Engineers, Land Surveyors,
Certified Interior Designers
& Landscape Architects
Learning Objectives
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Brief overview of Board structure &
function
Staying in compliance (overview of
recent violations & sanctions)
Address of record requirements
Continuing Education Requirements
Importance of licensure
• Thirteen-member
Board
• Examines, licenses, certifies and
regulates
• Approximately 36,000 Architects,
Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors,
Landscape Architects , Certified Interior
Designers and related businesses in
Virginia
Architects
• James R. Boyd
• Clint Good
• Michael F. LeMay
Professional Engineers
• John L. Combs
• Nico De Léon
• Wiley V. “Bif” Johnson, III (Vice Chair)
Board Members
(§ 54.1- 403 of the Code of Virginia)
Land Surveyors
• Paul deC. Holt
• Patrick D. Leary
• Nancy E. McIntyre
Landscape Architects
• A. Cabell Crowther
• Andrew M. Scherzer (Chair)
Certified Interior Designers
• Lorri Finn
• Cameron C. Stiles
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Kate Nosbisch, Executive Director
Marian Brooks, Board Administrator
Justin Garofalo, Board Administrator
Amy Goobic, Administrative Assistant
LICENSING STAFF :
• Tonia Burrell
• Caly Emerson
• Joan Leonard
• Ramona Norris
• Toni Spencer
The Board’s web-site contains the following:
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Statutes and regulations
Contact information
Board meeting dates, agendas, and
meeting minutes
Pending regulatory actions
Applications and newsletters
Exam information
www.dpor.virginia.gov
There are several exemptions contained in law :
• § 54.1-401 exempts certain actions from
licensure (also includes provisions for
incidental work);
• § 54.1-402 exempts certain individuals from
licensure (however, if a regulant performs
such work, they are required to sign and seal
the work); and
• § 54.1-402.1 exempts certain state and local
government employees from licensure
requirements under certain conditions (also
see the provisions of § 54.1-406 D & E).
§ 54.1-406 License Required
A.
A. Unless exempted by § 54.1-401, 54.1-402, or 54.1-402.1, a
person shall hold a valid license prior to engaging in the practice
of architecture or engineering which includes design,
consultation, evaluation or analysis and involves proposed or
existing improvements to real property.
B.
Unless exempted by § 54.1-402, any person, partnership,
corporation or other entity offering to practice architecture,
engineering, or land surveying without being registered or
licensed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, shall be
subject to the provisions of § 54.1-111 of this title.
C.
Any person, partnership, corporation or other entity which is not
licensed or registered to practice in accordance with this chapter
and which advertises or promotes through the use of the words
"architecture," "engineering" or "land surveying" or any
modification or derivative thereof in its name or description of its
business activity in a manner that indicates or implies that it
practices or offers to practice architecture, engineering or land
surveying as defined in this chapter shall be subject to the
provisions of § 54.1-111.
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The application of a
professional seal
indicates that the
professional has
exercised direct control
and personal
supervision over the
work to which it is
affixed.
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If the original professional of record is no longer
employed by the regulant or unable to seal the
work, that work may be sealed by another
professional, but only after a thorough review of
the work to verify it has been accomplished to the
same extent that would have been exercised if the
work had been done under the direct control and
personal supervision of the professional affixing
the seal.
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Total of 18 cases: Fall 2005 – Spring 2012
Violations Include:
Seal with no signature & inaccurate advertising.
Seal that did not conform to regulation drawings and
did not specify who performed the work.
Failure to inform client of association with a
business.
Failure to notify Board of action in another state – 6.
Specs not Architect’s own without written permission.
Sketches not marked “incomplete,” “advance” or
“preliminary.” – 2
Failure to notify Board of change in address.
• Failure to sign, seal or identify plans as “incomplete,”
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“advance” or “preliminary.”
Charged client for time spent obtaining bid from contractor
who was not licensed to perform proposed construction.
Presented calculations to County official that Architect did
not have permission to submit, knowing that they did not
have permission.
Project SSI submitted seal affixed and signed. Another SSI
was submitted by another consultant on project. Architect
then made changes to the 2nd SSI without the review of the
2nd preparer. Architect then submitted a 3rd SSI. Signatures,
seals were replaced and dates changed without consent.
All pages of drawings not sealed, signed and dated.
Drawings failed to bear the name of the licensee, firm name
and address.
• Sanctions Included:
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Fines ranging from $150 to $1,500
Required continuing education courses
License suspension
Surrender of license
Revocation of license
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Architects
Professional Engineers
Land Surveyors
Landscape Architects (effective July
2010)
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Section 54.1-404.2 of the Code of Virginia
requires completion of the equivalent of 16
hours per biennium of Board approved
continuing education activities.
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The regulations are drafted broadly to allow
regulants the flexibility to meet continuing
education requirements through a variety of
methods as long as the coursework falls
within the regulation 18VAC10-20-683.C.
18VAC10-20-683.C.1 – CE activities must:
• Be related to the practice of the profession
of the license being renewed.
• Have a clear purpose and objective that
will maintain, improve, or expand the skills
and knowledge relevant to practice.
NOTE: The regulations do not preclude
acceptance of CE from other states or federal
agencies, or for profit or non-profit sponsors, as long
as the requirements of 18VAC10-20-683 are met.
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Instructors must be competent in the
subject being taught, either by education or
experience.
Fifty contact minutes shall equal one CE
credit hour.
For segments less than fifty minutes, the
sum of the segments may be totaled for
computation of CE credit hours for that one
CE course or activity.
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One semester credit hour of
approved college credit equals 15
CE credit hours.
One quarter credit hour of approved
college credit equals 10 CE credit
hours.
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Regulant may be granted credit for
the initial development or substantial
updating of a CE activity.
Credit may be received for the initial
teaching of a course that otherwise
meets the requirements at twice the
amount of credit that students of the
course would receive.
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Additional credit for subsequent
offerings of the course or activity
with the same content will not be
permitted.
Regulants will not receive credit for
completing the same CE activity
with the same content more than
once during the license period
immediately prior to the expiration
date of the license for renewal.
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Regulants will not receive credit for completing
the same CE activity with the same content during
the two years immediately prior to the date of
receipt by the Board of a reinstatement
application.
Only CE activities completed during the license
period immediately prior to the expiration date of
the license shall be acceptable in order to renew.
NOTE: Submission of CE documentation is NOT required for
renewal.
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CE activities utilized to satisfy the CE
requirements to renew a license shall be
valid only for that renewal.
Individuals shall maintain records of
completion of CE activities that comply with
the requirements for three years from the
date of expiration of the license.
Individuals shall provide documentation of
CE to the Board or its agents upon request.
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CE activities used to renew for a
preceding license cycle shall not be
accepted for subsequent renewal or
reinstatement.
When applying for reinstatement,
evidence of compliance with CE
requirements shall be included with
the reinstatement application
package.
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CE activities submitted in support of
reinstatement shall not be more than two
years old as of the date a complete
reinstatement application is received by
the Board.
CE activities submitted for reinstatement
shall only be valid for that reinstatement
and shall not be applied towards
subsequent renewals or reinstatements.
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The Board may conduct a random
audit of regulants to determine CE
compliance.
Regulants selected for audit shall
provide documentation of all CE
utilized to renew the license within
21 calendar days of receiving
notification of audit.
18VAC10-20-687 Exemptions and Waivers
• Board may grant exemptions or waive or
reduce the number of CE activities
required in cases of certified illness or
undue hardship.
• Such exemptions, waivers, or reductions
shall not relieve the individual of their
obligation to comply with other
requirements of this chapter.
18VAC10-20-790 Sanctions
• Board may discipline or sanction, or
both, any license holder who fails to
comply or misrepresents any
information pertaining to CE
requirements.
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There is no requirement that CE activities
must take place in Virginia.
There is no requirement that CE activities
be in a formal classroom setting.
There is no requirement specifically
addressing what types of CE courses or
activities must be completed.
regulants located not only in Virginia but
worldwide have the flexibility to meet CE
requirements in a variety of settings.
Continuing Education Regulation 18VAC1020-683 went into effect April 1, 2009; there
was a 12 month delayed enactment clause.
Therefore CE was required for all regulants
renewing or reinstating on or after April 1,
2010.
Example: If your license expires April 30,
2012, you must attest to 16 hours of CE
earned between May 1, 2010 and April 30,
2012.
NOTE: You cannot attest to completion of
CE requirements prior to actual completion.
APELSCIDLA CE Audit
The first CE Audit is underway - Initial letter
was mailed March 27, 2012 to a random
sampling of approximately 400 licensees.
70 Architects
270 Engineers
10 Landscape architects
30 Land Surveyors
3 Land Surveyor B
3 Surevyor Photogrammetrists
The Current Requirements
Of the 46 jurisdictions
requiring continuing
education, 34 require an
average of 12 units per
year.
5 CEUs
12 CEUs
20 CEUs
30 CEUs
8 CEUs
16 CEUs
24 CEUs
36 CEUs
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50 CEUs
The Current Requirements
New Hampshire
Month license
was issued
Iowa
30 June: A-K even years; L-Z odd years
Nevada
31 December
Kansas
30 June: A-L even years;
M-Z odd years
New York
By birth month
Puerto Rico
Every 5 years from
date of license
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APELSCIDLA Board
Department of Professional &
Occupational Regulation
9960 Mayland Dr., Suite 400
Richmond, VA 23233
(804) 367-8506/8512
http://www.dpor.virginia.gov
apelscidla@dpor.virginia.gov