Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between a title act and a practice act? Tennessee has had a title act in effect since April of 1991. A title act governs the use of a specific title. In Tennessee, that title is Registered Interior Designer.  In other words, you can practice interior design in a title act state, as long as you do not use the regulated title without proper qualification/registration. 

Title acts do not require individuals to become “licensed” to practice interior design. Title acts benefit the public by providing an identifiable choice when hiring a designer – consumers can be confident that state registered interior designers have met a minimum level of professional qualifications.

Practice acts, in addition to regulating who may call themselves an interior designer, require individuals practicing interior design to become licensed. It regulates the terms “interior design” and “interior designer” and requires a true ‘licensing’ of the practitioner rather than a ‘registration’ currently in place in Tennessee.

We’ve been proud to have title registration in Tennessee for the past 16 years but in order to truly protect consumers, we need to ensure that everyone who refers to themselves as an interior designer is a qualified, responsible professional.

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How many interior designers are currently registered under Tennessee’s Title Act? In June of 2005, there were 526 “Registered Interior Designers” in Tennessee.

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How many NCIDQ certified interior designers are there in Tennessee? As of October 2006, there were 511 NCIDQ certified interior designers in Tennessee. Of this number, only 31% are registered under the current Title Act. Nearly 70% of qualified interior designers in Tennessee are not registered. An average of 14 interior designers in Tennessee passes the NCIDQ examination each year.

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How does Tennessee law compare to other interior design regulation around the country? Currently, interior designers are legally recognized in 26 U.S. states and jurisdictions and 8 Canadian provinces. In order to become registered (in some states, “certified”) or licensed, interior designers must meet professional standards of education, experience and examination. Twenty U.S. states register interior designers by title: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Seven Canadian provinces register interior designers by title: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Ontairo, Saskatchewan, and Quebec. Six U.S. states and jurisdictions license the practice of interior designer: Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Nevada, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C. One Canadian province, Nova Scotia, currently license the practice of interior design. Additionally, although it does not register or license interior designers, Colorado interior designers who have met specified professional standards have sealing and other professional privileges.

Six U.S. states have legislation pending: Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, and Ohio. Minnesota, Tennessee, and Texas, three title act states, have introduced practice acts.

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How will the use of the titles Interior Designer and Interior Design change? You will no longer be able to refer to yourself as an interior designer or as someone providing interior design services under this Act unless you are a registered interior designer. For firms that provide interior design services but may employ individuals who are not registered interior designers, each location designated for the practice of interior design must have in that location a registered interior designer who must provide responsible supervisory control over non-registered persons working in the practice of interior design.

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What if my firm has the term Interior Design in the company name? Under the new law, in order for your company to use “Interior Design” within its company name, one of the principals or officers of the company must be a registered interior designer and must be in responsible charge or have responsible supervisory control of the work product. If your firm was doing business under the same name prior to April 16, 1991, you may keep the company name.

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If I am already registered under the existing Title Act, what types of projects will I be allowed to design?If you are currently registered, you are already determined to be a qualified interior designer licensed under the new law. You may work on all project types regardless of size, height, or occupancy type.

Of course, your training and expertise limits us to the practice of interior design. You may not undertake any work which affects structural issues or rated assemblies. And you may be required, depending on the specific project requirements, to collaborate with an architect to produce documentation relating to fire-rated construction and/or preparing a summary document of life-safety elements on the project.

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If I am not currently registered under the existing 1991 Title Act, what types of projects will I be allowed to design? Unless you meet the full requirements of registration under the new Practice Act, you may work on the following projects:

It is important to remember that you may not refer to yourself as an “interior designer” or as providing interior design services unless you are qualified and registered in the state.

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If I register under the new Practice Act, what types of projects will I be allowed to design? If you are a qualified interior designer licensed under the new law, you may work on all project types, regardless of size, height, or occupancy type.

Of course, our training and expertise limits us to the practice of interior design. You may not undertake any work which affects structural issues or rated assemblies. And you may be required, depending on the specific project requirements, to collaborate with an architect to produce documentation relating to fire-rated construction and/or preparing a summary document of life-safety elements on the project.

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How does the law define non-structural design work? Non-structural means interior elements or components that are not load bearing and do not assist in the seismic design and do not require design computations for a building’s structural frame - including those related to seismic forces. Common non-structural elements or components include, but are not limited to, ceiling and partition systems. These elements employ normal and typical bracing conventions and are not part of the structural integrity of the building.

In technical terms, the word “partition” means a wall which does not support a vertical load of a building's structural frame other than its own weight, but may support loads attached to it such as cabinetry, shelving, grab bars, and does not extend further from the floor of an interior area of a building designed for human habitation or occupancy to the underside of the structural deck above.

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Why is there a requirement to collaborate with an architect to prepare fire-rated separation details and a life safety plan? It is important to remember that our training and expertise limits us to the practice of interior design. Just as we are required to collaborate with structural, mechanical and electrical engineers, or specialized technical consultants for particular projects, so are we required to collaborate with architects in the design and detailing of required life safety systems of the total building. These building systems, which include fire-rated separations between interior spaces, fire-rated vertical shafts, fire-rated protection of structural elements, smoke evacuation and compartmentalization, and the preparation of the summary life safety plan, are interdependent systems which affect the performance of the entire structure during a life-safety emergency, not only an interior space.

In addition, many of these assemblies and fire-stopping details require specialized knowledge which is not currently a common component of the interior design career path of education, experience, or examination. This bill seeks to establish a basis for interaction and collaboration with relevant related professions and by differentiating the responsibilities and services of each of the design professions, safeguarding the health and safety of the public.

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Will interior designers have sealing privileges? Yes. The new law calls for sealing privileges for licensed interior designers. The seal, or stamp, which interior designers will place on documents produced under their responsible charge, is evidence that the person named on the seal is licensed with the licensing board and is entitled to all the rights and privileges of an interior designer.

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What if I am an architect in Tennessee and I provide interior design services to my clients? Under the new law, architects are permitted to practice interior design and to refer to those services as interior design services. You may practice interior design. However, you may not refer to yourself as an “interior designer” unless you meet the qualifications and have registered under the new law.

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What if I am an employee of an interior design firm but am not licensed personally? Individuals practicing interior design, providing they do so under the direct supervision of a licensed interior designer, are not required to be licensed themselves. This is an especially important provision that allows people new to the profession to practice interior design under a qualified practitioner while accumulating the needed years of experience and professional skills to eventually become licensed. However, you may not refer to yourself as an “interior designer” unless you meet the qualifications and have registered under the new law.

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What if I am a consultant from out of state and wish to practice interior design in Tennessee? Any qualified interior design professional may register to practice in Tennessee, including practitioners from other states.  You may simply make application to the licensing board. If, because of project schedule or for other reasons, you do not register with the licensing board, you may practice interior design in Tennessee if all of the following conditions are met:

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What if I provide interior design services for my employer only? Cooperatives, corporations, and other entities may employ individuals to provide interior design services for their company’s internal operations only and do not provide services to the public. If you are a member of such a facility staff and you do not provide services to the public, you may practice interior design in your job. You may not, however, refer to yourself as an “interior designer” unless you meet the qualifications and have registered under the new law.

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What if I work in a retail store that offers interior decoration services to our clients?  If you are an employee of a retail establishment providing consultation regarding interior decoration or furnishings (on or off the store premises in the furtherance of a retail sale), then you may continue to provide those services. You may not, however, refer to those services as “interior design” and you may not refer to yourself as an “interior designer” unless you meet the qualifications and have registered under the new law or work under the responsible supervisory control of a qualified registered interior designer. It is important to remember that that Tennessee values interior decorative services and recognizes their importance to the public. This law simply aims to help consumers differentiate the services of the various design professionals. Tennessee does not regulate terms such as design consultant, interior consultant, interior decorator, etc. It only seeks to regulate the terms “interior design” and “interior designer.”

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What if I provide interior decoration services to my clients?  If you provide decorative services or assistance in selection surface materials, window treatments, wall coverings, paint, floor coverings, surface-mounted fixtures, and loose furnishings not subject to regulation under applicable codes and regulations, you may continue to do so under the new law.  You may not, however, refer to those services as “interior design” and you may not refer to yourself as an “interior designer” unless you meet the qualifications and have registered under the new law or work under the responsible supervisory control of a qualified registered interior designer. It is important to remember that that Tennessee values interior decorative services and recognizes their importance to the public. The law simply aims to help consumers differentiate the services of the various design professionals. Tennessee does not regulate terms such as design consultant, interior consultant, interior decorator, etc. It only seeks to regulate the terms “interior design” and “interior designer.”

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What happens to individuals who don’t follow the new law? With respect to any registrant – or any person required to be registered in Tennessee according to the law – the licensing board may take lawful disciplinary action, including assessment of a civil monetary penalty against such registrant for each separate violation of a statute, rules of professional conduct, or other rule or order pertaining to the board.

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Which Tennessee Schools are accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (formerly known as FIDER) and what degrees do they offer?  There are six schools in total.

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What if my degree in interior design does not come from a Council for Interior Design Accreditation (formerly known as FIDER) accredited program? For those individuals who do not have a Council for Interior Design Accreditation accredited degree, there are several options.

	1.	If your degree meets the semester/quarter hour requirements for interior design-related coursework and was issued from a Tennessee School that had the interior design program in effect on April 16, 1991 (when the 1991 Interior Design Title Act was passed) and was also accredited either by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) or licensed by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC), your degree has already been determined by Tennessee’s licensing board to be substantially equivalent to a Council for Interior Design Accreditation accredited program. These programs include:
		Carson Newman College, Jefferson City, TN; BS Family and Consumer Sciences, major in Interior Design East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN; BS Applied Human Sciences, concentration in Interior Design Lambuth University, Jackson, TN; BA or BS Family and Consumer Sciences, concentration in Interior Design Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville, TN; BS Human Ecology, concentration in Housing and Design University of Tennessee Martin, Martin, TN; BS Family and Consumer Sciences, concentration in Interior Design
	2.	The state licensing board will review other programs for substantial equivalency to the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (formerly known as FIDER) accreditation. The process evaluates the curriculum under which you graduated and compares it to the Council for Interior Design Accreditation/FIDER standards from the same or nearest year. This process is appropriate for individuals who went to a school near to their school’s first accreditation cycle or if they graduated from a program before Council for Interior Design Accreditation/FIDER accreditation began. If your degree program is found to be substantially equivalent to a Council for Interior Design Accreditation degree, it will qualify toward the application requirements.
	3.	You may apply for registration to the state licensing board using the path for non-accredited programs which requires additional diversified and appropriate experience hours.

Of course, if you are just planning a career in interior design, it is important that you carefully consider the importance of a Council for Interior Design Accreditation accredited program to your interior design future.

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What is the NCIDQ examination like? The two-day NCIDQ examination consists of two comprehensive multiple-choice sections and a practicum section. The first of the multiple-choice sections, consisting of 125 scored questions and 25 unscored experimental questions, is titled Principles and Practices of Interior Design. It addresses the programming, schematic design and design development. The second multiple-choice section, consisting of 125 scored questions and 25 unscored experimental questions, is titled Contract Documents and Administration. It addresses contract documents, contract administration and professional practice. Many questions on both of these examinations incorporate drawings, pictures, symbols and textual formats typical in the interior design profession, requiring candidates to recall, apply and analyze information. Unscored questions are not identified on the examination; candidates should give their best effort on all test questions.

The NCIDQ examination also features a practicum section, Schematics and Design Development, which requires candidates to produce a design solution. Candidates receive a program based on a multifunctional facility including at least three of seven areas of specialization (residential, corporate/office, hospitality, retail, healthcare, institutional and educational). All candidates for a given test date receive the same problem. The problem requires candidates to (1) interpret the program into schematics; (b) produce plan drawings; and (c) develop appropriate specifications. Work products must address the principles of universal design. The examination is scored according to standardized guidelines by Qualified Council Jurors who have completed a comprehensive training program.

Candidates may take the three examination parts separately or in one two-day examination period.

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Are there other examinations besides the NCIDQ that an interior designer can take? There are currently other examinations that test areas related to interior design but none that may be taken as a substitute for the NCIDQ examination. These specialty examinations, developed by specialty organizations primarily to test their own memberships, include the Certified Kitchen Designer (CKD) and Certified Bath Designer (CBD) examinations, created and administered by the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), and the Council for Qualification of Residential Interior Designers (CQRID) examination, created by the Interior Design Society (IDS).

The new Act specifies the use of the NCIDQ examination for several reasons:

		The NCIDQ examination is developed and administered by an independent testing organization devoted to protecting the public by identifying those interior designers competent to practice. There is an obvious conflict of interest in examinations that are used for regulatory purposes but that are developed and/or administered by trade and professional memberships in order to promoting the members of that specific trade or profession.
		The NCIDQ tests minimum competency in the entire body of knowledge of the interior design profession, without regard to specialty. The CKD, CBD and CQRID examinations test in specialty areas only. The CQRID tests only residential design. The CBD tests specifically bathroom design and the CKD tests specifically kitchen design. It is perfectly acceptable for interior designers to specialize in one area of interior design. In order to be legally recognized as interior designers, however, they must demonstrate competency in the entire scope of interior design knowledge.
		The NCIDQ is a standard examination used in all twenty-five states and jurisdictions that legally recognize interior designers. Only California does not use the NCIDQ as the sole qualifying examination. The California Council for Interior Design Certification (CCIDC), an independent certifying organization in California, requires that practitioners must pass either the NCIDQ, the CQRID or both the CKD and CBD exams in addition to the California Codes and Regulations Exam (CCRE).
		In 2005, the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) commissioned a study of the examination programs used by the California Council for Interior Design Certification. The study evaluated each of the examination programs and determined that only the NCIDQ met the standards of the “Examination Validation Policy” in the state of California. Although this study is specific to California, the findings are valuable for all states.

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How does an Interior Designer protect the Health, Safety and Welfare of the Public? Every decision an interior designer makes in one way or another affects the health, safety, and welfare of the public. Those decisions include specifying furniture, fabrics, materials, and finishes that meet or exceed fire codes and space planning that provides proper means of egress. Additionally, interior designers deal with accessibility issues, ergonomics, sustainability, clean air issues, lighting, acoustics, and design solutions for those with special needs.

		Fire Safety. In a fire, interior materials play a major part in spreading flames and producing toxic gasses. Statistics prove that more people die in fires as a result of inhaling toxic fumes and smoke than from flames themselves.
		According to the NFPA, the National Fire Protection Association, the average annual number of fires in buildings accessed by the public (not including one- and two-family homes or apartments, industrial and manufacturing facilities, storage facilities, and garage dwellings) total 61,640and are responsible for 64 civilian deaths and nearly 1300 civilian injuries each year. The number of these fires where interior finishes and content, often within the purview of an interior designer, were ignited first total 8460 each year. That’s over 700 fires per month. That’s over 23 deaths and 330 injuries annually. And it makes up a whopping $399.1 million dollars each year in direct property damage.
		Even more significant to life safety is the fact that a large percentage of the loss of life and property occurs well outside the area or room of the initial fire. This is primarily due to the rapid spread of flame and toxic smoke to other areas and floors of the building, fed by poor performing interior finishes and content. In fact, in dormitories, sorority and fraternity houses, religious properties and eating and drinking establishments, 100% of the civilian deaths occurred outside the initial fire area – they are killed elsewhere on the floor, on another floor or even outside the building of the original fire. In public assembly sites (gymnasiums, arenas, theatres, airports, museums, libraries, courtrooms, etc.), one half of the civilian deaths occurred well outside the area of the fire. And nearly 80% of the direct property damage occurs outside the fire area as well.
		Many public and commercial spaces are finished by an interior designer long after the original building is completed. Interior designers are specially trained in interior materials and their properties, including flammability and toxicity, and are uniquely qualified to select interior finishes that meet or exceed local, state and national fire codes.
		Interior designers are also charged with establishing proper means of egress that meet or exceed code. Other considerations include audible and visible fire alarm systems and emergency exit lighting.
		Accessibility. With 79 million people over the age of 35, and the number growing daily, there is an increasing need for universal design, i.e. designing interiors and products to be useable by people of all ages and all physical abilities. With knowledge of the Americans with Disabilities Act design requirements, interior designers make the interiors of public spaces and residences barrier free. Interior designers are also capable of adapting existing environments to be barrier free for persons who are physically challenged.
		Trained and qualified interior designers study and implement accessibility codes and guidelines daily. In space planning, interior detailing, and interior specifications, the implementation of accessibility codes and guidelines is essential. Space must be allowed for the proper turning radius of a wheelchair. Telephones, electrical outlets, call buttons, etc. must be specified at an appropriate height for an individual in a wheelchair to access them. Additionally, hardware specifications must provide for individuals without the full use of their limbs. Interior designers ensure public way finding in large facilities.
		As problem solvers, interior designers combine their knowledge of colors and textures, and the physical, emotional, and psychological response to those colors and textures to create maneuverable interiors for people with physical, mental, and visual disabilities.
		Special Needs of the Elderly. According to the National Safety Council, the leading cause of death in the home is falling. Falls took the lives of 10,700 people in 1998. More than 86% of these people were 65 years old or older. Understanding environmental needs for the aging (both physical and mental) has become a special design imperative for this country. In 2000, people 65 years of age or older represented almost 13% of the population. This number is expected to grow to be 20% of the population by 2030. Interior designers are creating environments that focus on the special mental and physical needs of seniors, providing safer and more easily maneuverable spaces.
		Indoor Air Quality. Typically we spend 90% of our time indoors. Indoor air quality on average is nine times worse than outdoor air quality. Interior designers pay attention to details within their control that impact air quality standards of their clients by specifying materials, furniture, fabrics and products manufactured without formaldehyde or other unhealthy volatile organic compounds such as those found in carpet, wall covering installations and cabinet construction. Interior designers are knowledgeable of products that are compliant with air quality standards.
		Ergonomics. Ergonomics is a growing concern not only in the workplace but in residences. It is the obligation of a qualified interior designer to design environments that are ergonomic and functional. Interior designers create ergonomic spaces that relieve body stresses, provide healthy lighting options, and decrease physical discomfort by specifying products that work well with the human body. These products not only include furniture such as chairs, desks and tables, but lighting and millwork items as well.

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What is the economic impact of interior design? It’s hard to arrive at an accurate dollar value of interior design in today’s economy. The highly specialized and technical knowledge of professional interior designers can have a significant positive impact by reducing injury, sick leave and medical insurance costs; increasing wellbeing and productivity, and conserving energy and other scarce resources, thereby reducing costs to consumers and business.

Interior designers play an important role in this country today. In 2000, Interior Design Magazine surveyed the 100 largest commercial interior design firms to determine the economic role of interior designers in the United States. The survey provided the following information:

Keep in mind that the results were 21.1% higher in 2000 than the 1999 results. While we don’t have more recent figures, imagine what the increase has been since the recent popularity of HGTV and similar design-related programs.

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