Sec. 20-290. Use of title “architect”.
Sec. 20-298. Exempted activities. Restrictions. Disclosures.
Sec. 20-289. Architectural Licensing Board in the Department of Consumer Protection. Regulation and licensure of architects. Appeals. There shall be an Architectural Licensing Board in the Department of Consumer Protection. The board shall consist of five members. The Governor shall appoint two members of the board who shall be public members and three members of the board who shall be architects residing in this state. The Governor shall have the power to remove any member from office for misconduct, incapacity or neglect of duty. Members shall not be compensated for their services but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. The board shall keep a record of its proceedings and a roster of all licensed architects entitled to practice architecture and of all persons holding certificates of authority under sections 20-295 and 20-295a of the general statutes, revised to 1968, and corporations holding certificates of authorization for the practice of architecture under section 20-298b in this state. The department shall adopt regulations, in consultation with the board and in accordance with chapter 54, concerning eligibility for architectural licensing examinations, appeals of examination grades, reciprocal licensing, requirements for continuing professional education for renewal of licensure, qualifications for registration for Architect Emeritus and such other matters as the department deems necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter. The board shall, annually, prepare a roster of all licensed architects and the last-known mailing address of such architects. A copy of such roster shall be placed on file with the Secretary of the State and with the town building department of each town. The Commissioner of Consumer Protection, with advice and assistance from the board, shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, (1) concerning professional ethics and conduct appropriate to establish and maintain a high standard of integrity and dignity in the practice of the profession, and (2) for the conduct of the board's affairs and for the examination of applicants for a license. The board shall, after public notice, hold at least one meeting per quarter, in each calendar year, for the purpose of considering applications for licenses and for the transaction of other business. Any person aggrieved by an order made under this chapter may appeal from such order as provided in section 4-183. Appeals under this section shall be privileged in respect to the order of trial and assignment.
(1949 Rev., S. 4615; September, 1957, P.A. 11, S. 13; 1961, P.A. 335; February, 1965, P.A. 608, S. 1; 1971, P.A. 703, S. 2; 870, S. 114; P.A. 74-183, S. 240, 291; P.A. 76-436, S. 433, 681; P.A. 77-603, S. 80, 125; 77-614, S. 173, 610; P.A. 78-280, S. 51, 127; P.A. 80-205, S. 2, 6; Nov. Sp. Sess. P.A. 81-11, S. 8, 19; P.A. 82-419, S. 12, 47; P.A. 83-574, S. 12, 20; P.A. 86-159, S. 2; P.A. 98-3, S. 2; P.A. 99-194, S. 1; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(c), (d); P.A. 04-169, S. 17; 04-189, S. 1; P.A. 19-177, S. 14; P.A. 25-111, S. 1.)
History: 1961 act required persons holding certificates under Sec. 20-295 be included in roster, added provisions requiring roster to be mailed and filed and giving board authority to make regulations concerning professional ethics and conduct and added appeal provisions; 1965 act changed name of board from “examining” to “registration” board, provided for annual appointment of a member to the board and added provision for employment of investigator; 1971 acts added references to certificates of authority under Sec. 20-295a and to corporations holding certificates of authorization under Sec. 20-298b and, effective September 1, 1971, replaced superior court with court of common pleas except that courts with cases pending retain jurisdiction unless pending matters deemed transferable; P.A. 74-183 added reference to judicial districts and specified appeals to supreme court in accordance with Sec. 52-6a; P.A. 76-436 replaced court of common pleas with superior court and replaced Sec. 52-6a with Sec. 52-7, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 77-603 replaced previous detailed appeal provisions with statement that appeals shall be made in accordance with Sec. 4-183; P.A. 77-614 placed architectural registration board within consumer protection department, reduced number of architect members from five to three and added two public members, deleted provisions re July first appointments, 5-year terms, election of officers, annual report to governor and enforcement power and transferred regulation power from board to consumer protection commissioner, retaining board in advisory capacity, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 78-280 added provision granting appeals privileged status; P.A. 80-205 clarified that one copy of roster will be sent to each registrant; Nov. Sp. Sess. P.A. 81-11 added provision specifying that members receive no compensation but are to be compensated for necessary expenses incurred in performance of duties; P.A. 82-419 amended section to change registration to licensing and to require quarterly rather than semiannual meetings; P.A. 83-574 amended section to eliminate 10-year practice requirement for board members and to require board to adopt regulations concerning eligibility, appeals and reciprocal licensing; P.A. 86-159 required the board to prepare a roster of licensed architects and made other technical changes; P.A. 98-3 made technical changes; P.A. 99-194 deleted provision requiring that roster of names and addresses of licensed architects be prepared each September and deleted provision requiring roster to be filed with each town library; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 and P.A. 04-169 replaced Commissioner and Department of Consumer Protection with Commissioner and Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004; P.A. 19-177 replaced provision re board to adopt regulations with provision re department to adopt regulations in consultation with board, added provision re adoption of regulations re continuing education, and made a conforming change; P.A. 25-111 added “professional” before “education”, effective June 24, 2025.
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Sec. 20-290. Use of title “architect”. In order to safeguard life, health and property, no person shall practice architecture in this state, except as provided in this chapter, or use the title “architect”, or display or use any words, terms, letters, figures, title, sign, seal, advertisement or other device to indicate that such person practices or offers to practice architecture, including, but not limited to, the terms “architectural design”, “architectural services” and “architectural drawings”, unless such person has obtained a license as provided in this chapter. Nothing in this chapter shall prevent any Connecticut corporation in existence prior to 1933, whose charter authorizes the practice of architecture, from making plans and specifications or supervising the construction of any building, except that no such corporation shall issue plans or specifications unless such plans or specifications have been signed and sealed by an architect licensed under the provisions of this chapter.
(1949 Rev., S. 4616; 1953, 1955, S. 2305d; 1957, P.A. 552, S. 1; 1959, P.A. 105; P.A. 82-419, S. 13, 47; P.A. 98-3, S. 3; P.A. 25-111, S. 2.)
History: 1959 act added proviso; P.A. 82-419 changed registration to licensure; P.A. 98-3 made technical changes; P.A. 25-111 added provisions re terms indicating person practices or offers to practice architecture, effective June 24, 2025.
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Sec. 20-292. Renewal of license. Fees. Architect Emeritus registration. Continuing professional education requirements and fees for failure to earn. Penalties. (a) Each licensed architect shall renew his or her license annually. Pursuant to section 20-289, a licensee shall pay to the department the professional services fee for class F, as defined in section 33-182l and shall submit proof of, or attest to, completion of continuing professional education requirements.
(b) Each corporation holding a certificate of authorization for the practice of architecture shall renew its certificate of authorization for the practice of architecture each year and pay to the department a renewal fee of two hundred twenty dollars.
(c) An applicant for examination or reexamination under this chapter shall pay a nonrefundable fee of seventy-two dollars and an amount sufficient to meet the cost of conducting each portion of the examination taken by such applicant. The fee for an applicant who qualifies for a license, other than by examination, in accordance with the provisions of section 20-291, shall be one hundred dollars.
(d) Pursuant to section 20-289, an architect who is retired and not practicing any aspect of architecture and who (1) is sixty-five years of age or older, or (2) has been licensed for a minimum of ten years in this state, may apply for registration as an Architect Emeritus. The fee for such registration shall be ten dollars. An Architect Emeritus may not engage in the practice of architecture without applying for and receiving an architect license.
(e) (1) Except as provided in subdivisions (2) to (4), inclusive, of this subsection, for renewal of a license under this section, other than under subsection (d) of this section, an applicant shall submit proof or attest that he or she has completed twelve hours of continuing professional education during the continuing professional education period. The continuing professional education period shall commence three calendar months prior to the license expiration date and shall run for a period of twelve months from the date of commencement.
(2) No licensed architect shall be required to comply with the continuing professional education requirements established in this section until after the licensed architect's first license renewal.
(3) No architect who is registered as an Architect Emeritus in the manner set forth in subsection (d) of this section shall be subject to the continuing professional education requirements established in this section.
(4) (A) The board may, in the board's discretion, excuse a licensed architect from the continuing professional education requirements established in this section for reasons of health, military service or other individual hardship, provided (i) the licensed architect otherwise satisfies all requirements to renew such licensed architect's license, and (ii) the board issues its decision to excuse the licensed architect from such continuing professional education requirements in writing.
(B) A written decision issued by the board pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this subdivision shall be a final decision and not appealable to the department.
(f) (1) For renewal of a license under this section, the department shall charge the following fees for failure to earn continuing professional education credits by the end of the continuing professional education period:
(A) Three hundred fifteen dollars for reporting on a renewal application that any of the minimum of twelve hours of continuing professional education was earned up to thirteen weeks following the end of the continuing professional education period; and
(B) Six hundred twenty-five dollars for reporting on a renewal application that any of the minimum of twelve hours of continuing professional education was earned for more than thirteen weeks and up to twenty-six weeks following the end of the continuing professional education period.
(2) Failure on the part of a licensee under this section to comply with the continuing professional education requirements for more than twenty-six weeks beyond the continuing professional education period may result in the imposition of a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed one thousand dollars, or in the suspension, revocation or refusal to renew the licensee's license, by the board or department following an administrative hearing held pursuant to chapter 54.
(1949 Rev., S. 4618; 1957, P.A. 177; 1959, P.A. 616, S. 71; 1971, P.A. 703, S. 4; June, 1971, P.A. 8, S. 86; 1972, P.A. 223, S. 17; P.A. 78-320, S. 3, 4; P.A. 81-361, S. 11, 39; P.A. 82-394, S. 1, 2; 82-419, S. 15, 47; P.A. 83-574, S. 14, 20; P.A. 86-159, S. 4; P.A. 89-251, S. 117, 203; P.A. 92-74, S. 3, 7; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-16, S. 52, 89; P.A. 94-36, S. 15, 42; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3, S. 237; P.A. 19-177, S. 16; P.A. 21-37, S. 7; P.A. 25-111, S. 3.)
History: 1959 act increased examination fee from $15 to $50, and deleted fee for certificate and requirement moneys received be used to defray board's expenses; 1971 acts designated previous provisions as Subsecs. (a) and (c), inserting new Subsec. (b) re corporation renewals of authorization certificates, doubled renewal fee in Subsec. (a), raised examination fee in Subsec. (c) from $50 to $150, instituted $100 fee for reexamination previously granted without charge and imposed $50 fee for applicants receiving certificate without examination, later act raised renewal fee in Subsec. (a) and fee for certificate without examination to $150 each; 1972 act reduced renewal fee in Subsec. (a) to $35, raised renewal fee in Subsec. (b) to $100 and reduced fees for initial examination and for certificate without examination to $50 in Subsec. (c); P.A. 78-320 made $100 fee in Subsec. (c) applicable to both original examination and reexaminations; P.A. 81-361 amended section to provide for payment of fees to the department instead of the board's secretary; P.A. 82-394 increased the renewal fee from $35 to $75 and required that it be paid to the department of consumer protection rather than to the secretary of the registration board; P.A. 82-419 changed registration to licensure; P.A. 83-574 increased examination fee from $100 to $225; P.A. 86-159 amended Subsec. (c) by changing the examination and reexamination fee from $225 to $30 and an amount sufficient to cover the cost of conducting the exams; P.A. 89-251 amended Subsec. (a) to increase the fee for license renewal from $75 to $150, amended Subsec. (b) to increase the fee for renewal of certificates from $100 to $175, and amended Subsec. (c) to increase the base fee for examinations from $30 to $36; P.A. 92-74 deleted provision in Subsec. (c) which granted National Council of Architectural Registration Boards authority to determine fee levied to cover the cost of conducting examinations; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-16 amended Subsec. (a) to replace $150 renewal fee with fee for professional service fee class F established pursuant to Sec. 33-182l; P.A. 94-36 deleted references to “June thirtieth” license expiration date, effective January 1, 1995; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3 amended Subsec. (b) to increase renewal fee from $175 to $250 and amended Subsec. (c) to increase fees from $36 to $72 and from $50 to $100; P.A. 19-177 amended Subsec. (a) by adding reference to Sec. 20-289, adding provision re proof of completion of continuing education and making technical changes, and added Subsec. (d) re Architect Emeritus registration and practice; P.A. 21-37 amended Subsec. (a) to add reference to attest, added Subsec. (e) re requiring 12 hours of continuing professional education annually and added Subsec. (f) re fees for failure to earn continuing professional education credits within required period and administrative actions after hearing for failure to comply for more than 26 weeks, effective July 1, 2021; P.A. 25-111 amended Subsec. (a) by adding “professional” before “education”, added Subsec. (e)(2) to (4) and Subsec. (f) re compliance with continuing professional education requirements after first license renewal, Architects Emeriti, excusal from continuing professional education requirements and civil penalty, and made technical and conforming changes in Subsecs. (d), (e)(1) and (f)(2), effective June 24, 2025.
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Sec. 20-298. Exempted activities. Restrictions. Disclosures. (a) The following activities are exempted from the provisions of this chapter: (1) The practice of engineering by a professional engineer licensed under the provisions of chapter 391, and the performance by such professional engineer of architectural work for which such professional engineer is qualified by education and experience and which is incidental to such professional engineer's engineering work; (2) the construction or alteration of a residential building to provide dwelling space for not more than two families, or of a private garage or other accessory building intended for use with such residential building, or of any farm building or structure for agricultural use; (3) the preparation of details and shop drawings by persons other than architects, for use in execution of the work of such persons, when buildings are designed in accordance with the requirements of this chapter; (4) the activities of employees of architects licensed in this state acting under the instructions, control or supervision of their employers; (5) the superintendence by builders, or properly qualified superintendents employed by such builders, of the construction or structural alteration of buildings or structures; (6) the activities of officers and employees of any public utility corporation whose operations are under the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority; (7) the activities of officers and employees of the government of the United States while engaged in this state in the practice of architecture for said government; and (8) the making of plans and specifications for or supervising the erection of any building, any building addition or any alteration to an existing building, where the building, including any addition, contains less than five thousand square feet total area, provided (A) this subdivision shall not be construed to exempt from the provisions of this chapter buildings of less than five thousand square feet total area of the use groups as defined in the State Building Code as follows: Assembly, educational, institutional, high hazard, transient residential, which includes hotels, motels, rooming or boarding houses, dormitories and similar buildings, and (B) the area specified in this subdivision is to be calculated from the exterior dimensions of the outside walls of the building and shall include all occupiable floors or levels.
(b) No person claiming an exemption under subsection (a) of this section shall use the title “architect”, or display or use any words, terms, letters, figures, title, sign, seal, advertisement or other device to indicate or imply that such person practices or offers to practice architecture, including, but not limited to, the terms “architectural design”, “architectural services” and “architectural drawings”, unless such person has obtained a license as provided in this chapter.
(c) A person claiming an exemption under subdivisions (1) to (6), inclusive, of subsection (a) of this section or subdivision (8) of said subsection (a) of this section who has not obtained a license as provided in this chapter shall clearly and conspicuously include the words “NOT A LICENSED ARCHITECT” on all contracts, advertisements, promotional materials, plans and specifications.
(1953, S. 2310d; 1971, P.A. 703, S. 6; P.A. 75-486, S. 50, 69; P.A. 77-614, S. 162, 610; P.A. 80-482, S. 174, 348; P.A. 82-419, S. 20, 47; P.A. 86-159, S. 5; P.A. 98-3, S. 7; P.A. 02-59, S. 1; P.A. 11-80, S. 1; P.A. 25-111, S. 4.)
History: 1971 act replaced “registered architects” with “architects registered in this state” in Subdiv. (d); P.A. 75-486 replaced public utilities commission with public utilities control authority in Subdiv. (f); P.A. 77-614 replaced public utilities control authority with division of public utility control within the department of business regulation, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 80-482 established division of public utility control as independent department and deleted reference to abolished department of business regulation; P.A. 82-419 changed term “registered” to “licensed”; P.A. 86-159 exempted engineers who perform architectural work provided they are qualified by education and experience and made other technical changes; P.A. 98-3 made technical changes; P.A. 02-59 made technical changes for the purpose of gender neutrality, amended Subdiv. (8) by adding as exempted activities the making of plans and specifications for or supervising the erection of buildings, additions or alterations, where the building, including addition, contains less than 5,000 square feet total area, deleting a provision re making plans and specifications for or supervising the erection of any addition containing less than 5,000 square feet total area to any building, or the making of alterations to any existing building containing less than 5000 square feet total area, deleting a provision in Subpara. (A) re the alteration of buildings of more than 5,000 square feet total area, involving the safety or stability of such buildings, and adding to the exclusion from the exemption, buildings of less than 5000 square feet total area of the use groups defined in the State Building Code as “assembly, educational, institutional, high hazard, transient residential, which includes hotels, motels, rooming or boarding houses, dormitories and similar buildings”, and made other technical changes; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Department of Public Utility Control” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Public Utilities Regulatory Authority” in Subdiv. (6), effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 25-111 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and added Subsecs. (b) and (c) establishing restrictions re persons claiming exemption and requiring certain such persons to make certain disclosures, effective June 24, 2025.
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