Interior Design Requirements and Responsibilities

In 1991, California passed a law requiring all interior designers to become certified. Anyone interested in becoming an interior designer must meet a number of requirements or face severe penalties.

One of the following requirements must be met before a license will be granted:

1. The interior designer must pass a four or five year accredited college offering interior design degrees and has interned for at least two years.
2. The interior designer must pass a three-year certificate program from an accredited certificate program institute and intern for at least three years.
3. The interior designer must pass a two-year accredited college program and completed four years as an intern.
4. The interior designer has at least eight years of combined education and internship specializing in interior design.

While training to become an interior designer in California, the intern may not submit interior design drawings or documents to the client unless they have been approved and stamped by the trainee's supervisor. The trainee is not authorized to put on his or her business cards, advertisement, website, or other professional papers that he or she is state certified until the state certification papers are completed and in hand.

Interior designers start a job by talking to the potential client and getting a feel for that client's likes and dislikes. They then come up with an interior design plan that they feel fits their client's needs while remaining aesthetically pleasing to that client. Once the design has been completed, the art renderings are taken to the client who then either approves or asks for changes. Until approval is granted, a client has the right to seek out another interior designer. Until a contract is drawn up, they are not under any obligation to choose your designs. Once all plans have been approved and the contract is set, the interior designer can start hiring the necessary crew including painters, builders (if necessary), and ordering furnishings. The interior designer will supervise everyone to ensure all work is completed on time. Once the work is done, the client must be completely satisfied or they can withhold final payment until they are happy.

Certified Interior Designers in California must adhere to a strict code of conduct. At all times, a certified interior designer must treat clients and suppliers with the utmost of respect. They must follow zoning and building codes at all times. A certified interior designer may never jeopardize a customer or the general publics health or safety with their design plans and changes. He or she may never go outside the law to get a job done.

In addition, certified interior designers may not accept money for a job that per California law should have been performed by a licensed contractor. They cannot take credit for work performed by other members of the staff. They are not ever to give misleading information or engage in false advertising. All qualifications must be true.

In California, a certified interior designer cannot turn down a job due to race, gender, religion, culture, handicap, or age. If a handicapped client approaches an interior designer looking to have a room redesigned to make it more handicapped accessible (placement of furniture, height of shelving, etc.), the interior designer must consider the job. The only reason he or she could turn it down is if it is not going to fit into his or her schedule. If this is the case, the potential client can ask for proof that the schedule is too full.

In terms of responsibilities to the client, a California interior designer must come up with a full plan of the time and money that is involved in the project. If the client accepts the proposal, a written contract must be put in writing before any work can be done. The proposal must contain information regarding the schedule for which different payments must be made.

Certified interior designers cannot copy another designer's work without permission. They also cannot badmouth another interior designer for any reason, including to draw additional clientele away from another interior designer. A certified interior designer cannot endorse another person to become an interior designer if there is any thought that the person lacks the specific traits necessary to becoming an interior designer including ethics, professionalism, and personal character.

Last but not least, if you want to work as a certified interior designer in California, you should realize that continuing education is required. You will be required to attend interior design seminars and classes on a yearly basis in an effort to stay up to date with laws and fashion trends.

View a list of interior design schools in California.