Advocacy

To advocate for interior design means to support, champion, and commend the profession to people, organizations, and legislators. It also means knowing how to communicate what interior designers do to various stakeholders. Public perception influences your practice in many ways, including your legal standing as a professional at both the state and national levels, access to resources, salaries, and the way you are treated by clients and colleagues alike.

Interior designers follow life-safety, fire, and building codes, and American with Disabilities Act (ADA) specifications, as well as best practices for wellness, sustainability and green building practices, and ergonomics. Professionals maintaining current interior design certification are knowledgeable of new codes, initiatives, and key design strategies and act as advocates for the general public and their own communities. They also have the opportunity to mentor students and younger design professionals on the realities of the practice and create a dialogue of issues relevant to the industry.

The NCIDQ exam, follow the link to confirm eligibility requirements and apply. NCIDQ EXAMS | Applying for the Exams

After a state legislature passes a law that creates a titles of “registered interior designer” (RID), only those who have submitted the necessary education, experience, and examination to the state can call themselves a “RID”. Sometimes these laws also allow RIDs to stamp and seal drawings for permits and/or bid on state projects. In some states, registration is used interchangeably with certification.

Registration ensures public protection because it shows consumers and clients that we have met the minimum standards to call ourselves a RID. Clients can be assured we have the education, examination, and experience necessary to be a professional interior designer. Additionally, registration laws give consumers a venue for the redress of grievances and complaints against RIDs.

Numbers don’t lie. If we want to enhance our state’s interior design legislation, high numbers of RIDs show legislators that registration matters to the profession. Registration shows that interior designers are professionals on par with architects, landscape architects, and engineers for their specific are of expertise.

There are three types of interior design:

Title Act: Protects a certain title such as “Registered Interior Designer” or “Certified interior Designer” but does not define interior design practice and does not allow for stamp and seal privileges of interior construction documents.

Practice Act: Legally defines the scope and practice of RIDs or CIDs, protects a certain title such as RID or CID, outlines registration requirements for interior designers, and establishes penalties for violations.

Stamp & Seal Privileges: In conjunction with a Practice Act, this allows RIDs the additional ability to sign and seal commercial, code-impacted work in order to be submitted for a construction permit. This type of legislation allows RIDs to perform commercial work independently of an architect, if they so choose, and obtain permits for their own work.

Follow the link 375-0278(7-2023) MISSOURI COUNCIL APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS (mo.gov)

Commercial Interior Designers are not included in the definition of “design professionals” as our architect, engineering and landscape architect colleagues are.

Since (DATE), the title Certified Interior Designer has been the only title recognized by the State of Missouri. While the codification of this title is a great start, the qualifying exam, regulating body, and privileges associated with the current CID law are not ideal. Because the interior design industry is ever-evolving, the legislation that regulates the industry must also evolve. IIDA’s advocates are committed to the modernization of past law to reflect the landscape of the profession today.

The ability to stamp & seal drawings within a defined scope and for the acceptance of that stamp to be codified in state law to ensure consistent acceptance at building departments throughout Missouri.

Interior Design Council. The division and the council, in collaboration with each other, will, for the health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of this state, regulate the use of the title “registered interior designer”; protect against the unlawful use of the title “registered interior designer”; and implement and sustain a system for the regulation of the use of the title “registered interior designer”.

Senator Missouri Senate | Missouri Senate (mo.gov)

Senators – Missouri Senate (mo.gov)

Missouri House of Representative – Members (mo.gov)

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