The Tennessee Interior Design Act of 2009 (SB 2078/HB 2016) is a practice act that provides needed consumer protection in large commercial spaces and high-risk occupancies.
Currently, anyone in Tennessee can represent himself or herself as an Interior Designer. Such a broad categorization without qualification can place consumers and the public at risk in large complex projects that require a competent professional. Although Tennessee’s existing voluntary interior design title act has standards for registrants, it does not provides regulatory oversight for individuals who choose not to use the title “registered interior designer.” Licensure mandates professional standards that protect the health, safety and welfare of the general public. Licensed Interior Designers are trained to address issues like fire safety, code compliance, accessibility, productivity and sustainability in order to provide a safe, healthy environment. The only law that can truly protect the public from unqualified practice of Interior Design is a practice act. Protect the public and make it possible to prohibit unqualified or unethical practitioners.    Read More   

The Tennessee Interior Design Act of 2009 corrects an existing artificial restraint of trade and promotes equal opportunity for interior designers that leads to a more vibrant, competitive marketplace.
Interior Designers who have extensive qualifications cannot practice to the full extent of their training and capabilities because Tennessee architectural law and regulatory board policy unfairly limits and/or restricts their scope of work and imposes artificial financial and construction-related barriers that prevent consumers from utilizing interior design services.    Read More   

The Tennessee Interior Design Act of 2009 increases state revenue yet has minimal annual cost.
Interior Designers are not subject to the Tennessee Professional Privilege Tax because they are not currently recognized as licensed professionals. This bill, by licensing Interior Designers, taxes them the same as other licensed professionals. Since Interior Designers will be licensed by the same State board of examiners that licenses Architects, Engineers and Landscape Architects and since there is already a Registered Interior Design member on the board, additional costs will be confined mainly to the expansion of registration services now provided.    Read More   

The Tennessee Interior Design Act of 2009 recognizes the practice of Interior Design as a distinct profession; it does not allow Interior Designers to practice as Architects.
This legislation actually clarifies the differences between the services provided by an Interior Designer and those provided by an Architect. The work of an Interior Designer is limited to non-structural interior elements or components that are not load-bearing and do not require design computations for a building’s structural frame.    Read More