ASID Position
ASID believes that, in the interest of the public good, the professional responsibilities of interior designers warrant state regulation. As such, the Society supports the examination and registration of the interior design profession as a whole. Further, ASID advocates that the interior design profession is a single profession, regardless of specialty, and that the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) examination (including all its parts) is the basis for testing minimum competency for interior designers.
Action Sought
ASID urges state legislatures to pass legislation to legally recognize the interior design profession through state registration of qualified interior designers.
Explanation and Justification
Professional interior designers are qualified by education, experience and examination to enhance the function, safety and quality of interior spaces to the benefit of the occupants of such spaces. Constant advances in construction techniques, technology and human factors make the design of interior spaces an increasingly complicated undertaking. Interior designers combine knowledge of building codes, critical and creative thinking, communication and technology for the purpose of improving the quality of life, increasing productivity and significantly protecting the health, safety and welfare of the public.
Every decision an interior designer makes in one way or another affects safety and quality of life. Some of those decisions include designing safe environments for everyone from infants to the aged; meeting or exceeding all applicable building and fire codes and toxicity standards; and providing solutions for the handicapped and other persons with special needs.
In many jurisdictions, anyone - regardless of qualification - can offer interior design services. State registration of qualified interior designers establishes enforceable standards of minimum competency - including education, experience and examination - and ensures that only qualified individuals design interior spaces and represent themselves as having the qualifications to do so. The public benefits from knowing that the individuals they entrust with the design of their interior spaces are qualified.
Further, professional registration enables a state or jurisdiction to discipline an interior designer. It provides standards of practice embodied in applicable laws, rules and regulations, which incorporates professional responsibilities. Additionally, it allows consumers a means of addressing grievances with interior designers and prevents unethical designers from continuing to practice. Without the ability to regulate and discipline a profession, a jurisdiction cannot protect the public from unqualified practitioners.