Existing law, until January 1, 2027, establishes a scheme for the certification of interior designers by the California Council for Interior Design Certification, a nonprofit organization, by obtaining a stamp from the council that identifies them as a certified interior designer, and makes it an unfair business practice for any person to represent or hold themselves out as a certified interior designer without a valid certification. Existing law also authorizes the council to issue a commercial designation to a person who satisfies specified requirements. Under the existing scheme, a certification under those provisions expires in 2 years unless renewed in a specified manner.
Existing law, the Architects Practice Act, establishes the California Architects Board, consisting of 10 members, in the Department of Consumer Affairs to license and regulate the practice of architecture.
This bill would authorize the council to issue a professional designation to a certified interior designer or qualified applicant only until ____, 2027, and would instead provide for the licensure and regulation of the practice of professional interior design, as defined, by the board. The bill would add a member to the board who is a professional interior designer, and would specify that the professional interior designer member's term begins and expires on unspecified dates. The bill would require the board to determine eligibility requirements, including examination and education requirements necessary for licensure. The bill would authorize the board to determine whether additional education or training is required for professional interior designers to identify when architectural or engineering services are required and, if so, would require the board to develop and prescribe sufficient education or training. The bill would make it a misdemeanor, punishable by an unspecified fee or by imprisonment in a county jail, or both, to engage in certain acts, including engaging in the practice of professional interior design without a license. By creating new crimes, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would exempt professional engineers, architects, land surveyors, and licensed contractors from the bill's provisions governing professional interior design. The bill would require any stamp used by a licensed professional interior designer to be of a design authorized by the board and would prescribe the information contained in the stamp. The bill would establish requirements for professional interior instruments of service, as defined, and would prohibit a public entity from accepting professional interior instruments of service submissions from an individual who is not a licensed professional interior designer. By imposing requirements on local agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would prescribe acts that are subject to discipline by the board and the manner of discipline, and would specify conditions of renewal and expiration of a license. The bill would require the board to fix certain fees relating to licensure at specified and unspecified amounts, to be deposited into the California Professional Interior Designer Fund, established by the bill, to be made available to the board upon appropriation by the Legislature to be used to defray the expenses of the board in carrying out and enforcing the provisions of the bill. The bill would require the board to implement its provisions by July 1, 2028. The bill would make other related and conforming changes to the Architects Practice Act and the provisions governing interior designers.
Existing law allows a design professional, as defined, to claim a lien on certain works of improvement, as specified.
This bill would include licensed interior designers in the definition of "design professional" for purposes of the above-referenced lien provisions.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Statutes affected:
AB1796: 5510 BPC, 5510.1 BPC, 5514 BPC, 5515 BPC, 5515.5 BPC, 5526 BPC, 5528 BPC, 5601 BPC, 5602 BPC, 5801 BPC, 5801.1 BPC, 5811.1 BPC, 8014 CIV
02/10/26 - Introduced: 5510 BPC, 5510.1 BPC, 5514 BPC, 5515 BPC, 5515.5 BPC, 5526 BPC, 5528 BPC, 5601 BPC, 5602 BPC, 5801 BPC, 5801.1 BPC, 5811.1 BPC, 8014 CIV
03/27/26 - Amended Assembly: 5510 BPC, 5510.1 BPC, 5514 BPC, 5515 BPC, 5515.5 BPC, 5526 BPC, 5528 BPC, 5601 BPC, 5602 BPC, 5801 BPC, 5801.1 BPC, 5811.1 BPC, 8014 CIV
04/13/26 - Amended Assembly: 5510 BPC, 5510.1 BPC, 5514 BPC, 5515 BPC, 5515.5 BPC, 5526 BPC, 5528 BPC, 5601 BPC, 5602 BPC, 5801 BPC, 5801.1 BPC, 5811.1 BPC, 8014 CIV
04/16/26 - Amended Assembly: 5510 BPC, 5510.1 BPC, 5514 BPC, 5515 BPC, 5515.5 BPC, 5526 BPC, 5528 BPC, 5601 BPC, 5602 BPC, 5801 BPC, 5801.1 BPC, 5811.1 BPC, 8014 CIV