California Architects

The California Architects Board (Board) recently completed a comprehensive review process before the California State Legislature. This review occurs every four years and resulted in the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 608 (Glazer, Chapter 376, Statutes of 2019), which extends the operation of the Board for four more years, until January 1, 2023.

SB 608 also made several changes to the Board and the Architects Practice Act. Beginning January 1, 2021, all new applicants for licensure will be required to submit fingerprints to the Department of Justice for the purpose of conducting a criminal background check. As the Board gets closer to implementation of this requirement, it will publicize the change and how that will impact new applicants.

Additionally, SB 608 authorized a continuing education provider to submit evidence of coursework to the Board directly and mandated that the Board promulgate regulations to establish qualifications for disability access coursework and course providers. Finally, SB 608 enhanced the existing written contract requirements to include: a description of the project for which the client is seeking services; the project address; a description of the procedure to be used to accommodate changes in the description of the project, in the description of the services, or in the description of the compensation and method of payment; a statement identifying the ownership and use of instruments of service prepared by the architect; and a statement that architects are licensed and regulated by the California Architects Board located at 2420 Del Paso Road, Suite 105, Sacramento, CA 95834.

Please contact the Board at cab.@dca.ca.gov with any questions.