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Legislative News

Position

California Self-Certification
Important Information to Know

February 2010
 
Interior design is a complex profession, and interior designers have many career options. In order to make the best choices that support your career, it is important for you to understand some facts.  
 
Question: What does California have for regulatory recognition of interior designers? 
 
Answer: California has an independent private company, the California Council for Interior Design Certification (CCIDC). This private company implements the requirement in California's Business and Professions code 5800 to provide certification for interior designers. It is called self-certification because of the private company and California is the only state to have these circumstances. In all other states that have certification or licensure, the interior design laws are implemented by an agency that is operated by that state. 
 
Background Information about CCIDC and examinations: 
  • Originally only the NCIDQ was accepted as a qualification for certification. Then, CCIDC decided to accept additional exams. These were the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) exams and the Council for Qualified Residential Interior Designers (CQRID) exam. One of these three exams plus CCIDC's CCRE exam was used to become certified.
  • CCIDC withdrew from the NCIDQ Council of Delegates. Members of this Council can use their own state criteria to allow candidates to take the NCIDQ. When CCIDC withdrew, they eliminated the opportunity for candidates to take the NCIDQ exam using specific California requirements.
  • CCIDC made another unilateral decision, without input from the interior design community, to create their own exam, the IDEX. All the national exams were eliminated and now only the IDEX is accepted for certification in California and nowhere else.
Historical note on California only exams: In the past, the California Architect Board (CAB) decided to create their version of a qualifying exam and to eliminate the use of the nationally accepted Architect Registration Examination (ARE). This lasted for three years and was disbanded when architects were unable to use the California exam in another state for licensure. The ARE has been the accepted exam in California ever since. 
 
Compiled by the Interior Design Coalition of California (IDCC)
Copyright 2010 Interior Design Coalition of California. All rights reserved.
 
 

 
Events Calendar
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PUBLIC POLICY SYMPOSIUM
March 17 - 18, 2012
Join legislative leaders across the country in this unique opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge on state-level grassroots movements and lobbying efforts.

NCIDQ SPRING 2012 EXAMINATION
Friday, March 30, 2012

NCIDQ FALL 2012 APPLICATION DEADLINE
Friday, June 1, 2012

NCIDQ FALL 2012 EXAMINATION
October 5 - 6, 2012