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Business and Professions Code - BPC


Published: 2015-07-08

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Business and Professions Code - BPC

DIVISION 3. PROFESSIONS AND VOCATIONS GENERALLY [5000 - 9998.8]

  ( Heading of Division 3 added by Stats. 1939, Ch. 30. )

CHAPTER 3. Architecture [5500 - 5610.7]

  ( Chapter 3 added by Stats. 1939, Ch. 33. )
ARTICLE 6. Revenue [5600 - 5604]
  ( Article 6 added by Stats. 1939, Ch. 33. )

5600.  

(a) All licenses issued or renewed under this chapter shall expire at 12 midnight on the last day of the birth month of the licenseholder in each odd-numbered year following the issuance or renewal of the license.

(b) To renew an unexpired license, the licenseholder shall, before the time at which the license would otherwise expire, apply for renewal on a form prescribed by the board and pay the renewal fee prescribed by this chapter.

(c) The renewal form shall include a statement specifying whether the licensee was convicted of a crime or disciplined by another public agency during the preceding renewal period and that the licensee’s representations on the renewal form are true, correct, and contain no material omissions of fact, to the best knowledge and belief of the licensee.

(Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 240, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2011.)

5600.05.  

(a) (1) As a condition of license renewal, a licensee shall have completed coursework regarding disability access requirements pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (3). A licensee shall certify to the board, as a part of the license renewal process, that he or she has completed the required coursework prior to approval of his or her license renewal and shall, until the conclusion of the license renewal cycle beginning January 1, 2011, provide documentation to the board from the course provider that shall include the course title, subjects covered, name of provider and trainer or educator, date of completion, number of hours completed, and a statement about the trainer’s or educator’s knowledge and experience background. Commencing with the license renewal cycle beginning January 1, 2013, a licensee shall, upon a board audit, provide the documentation from the course provider to the board. A licensee who provides false or misleading information as it relates specifically to the requirements of this paragraph shall be subject to an administrative citation, which may include an administrative fine pursuant to Section 125.9, or to disciplinary action by the board.

(2) (A) For licenses renewed on and after July 1, 2009, and before January 1, 2010, a licensee shall have completed one hour of coursework.

(B) For licenses renewed on and after January 1, 2010, and before January 1, 2011, a licensee shall have completed two and one-half hours of coursework.

(C) For licenses renewed on and after January 1, 2011, a licensee shall have completed five hours of coursework within the previous two years.

(3) Coursework regarding disability access requirements shall include information and practical guidance concerning requirements imposed by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-336; 42 U.S.C. Sec. 12101 et seq.), state laws that govern access to public facilities, and federal and state regulations adopted pursuant to those laws. Coursework provided pursuant to this paragraph shall be presented by trainers or educators with knowledge and expertise in these requirements.

(b) The board may audit the records of a licensee to verify the completion of the coursework requirements of subdivision (a). A licensee shall maintain records of completion of the required coursework, containing the information specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), for two years from the date of license renewal and shall make those records available to the board for auditing upon request.

(c) Until January 1, 2015, the board shall audit at least 3 percent of the license renewals received each year to verify the completion of the continuing education requirements of this subdivision.

(d) On or before January 1, 2019, the board shall submit a letter to the Legislature on the disability access continuing education provisions required under this subdivision, including the level of licensee compliance with the requirements, any actions taken by the board for noncompliance with the requirements, the findings of board audits, and any recommendations of the board for improving the process.

(Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 240, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2011.)

5600.1.  

The board shall give written notice to a licensee 30 days in advance of the regular renewal date and shall give written notice by registered mail 90 days in advance of the expiration of the fifth year that a renewal fee has not been paid.

The board shall also notify licensees of the availability of abstract and other informational materials on requirements for interior and exterior barrier-free design to permit access to and use of the architectural environment by the physically handicapped.

(Amended by Stats. 1985, Ch. 1223, Sec. 40.)

5600.2.  

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a license which has expired may be renewed at any time within five years after its expiration on filing of application for renewal on a form prescribed by the board, and payment of all accrued and unpaid renewal fees. If a license is renewed more than 30 days after its expiration, the licenseholder, as a condition precedent to renewal, shall also pay the delinquency fee prescribed by this chapter. Renewal under this section shall be effective on the date on which the application is filed, on the date on which the renewal fee is paid, or on the date on which the delinquency fee, if any, is paid, whichever last occurs. If so renewed, the license shall continue in effect through the expiration date provided in this chapter which next occurs after the effective date of the renewal, when it shall expire if it is not again renewed.

(Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 566, Sec. 10.)

5600.3.  

A license which is not renewed within five years after its expiration may not be renewed, restored, reissued, or reinstated thereafter. The holder of the expired license may apply for and obtain a new license only if he or she pays all of the fees, and meets all of the requirements set forth in this chapter for obtaining an original license, except as follows:

(a) An examination shall not be required if the expired license was issued without an examination.

(b) Examination may be waived by the board if it finds that with due regard for the public interest, the holder of the expired license is qualified to practice architecture.

(c) The holder of the expired license shall not be required to meet the qualifications set forth in this chapter relating to education.

The board may, by regulation, authorize the waiver or refund of all or any part of the application fee paid by a person to whom a license is issued without an examination under this section.

(Amended by Stats. 1996, Ch. 184, Sec. 14. Effective January 1, 1997.)

5600.4.  

(a) The board shall issue, upon application and payment of the fee fixed by this chapter, a retired license to an architect who holds a license that is current and active or capable of being renewed pursuant to Section 5600.2 and whose license is not suspended, revoked, or otherwise punitively restricted by the board or subject to disciplinary action under this chapter.

(b) The holder of a retired license issued pursuant to this section shall not engage in any activity for which an active architect’s license is required. An architect holding a retired license shall be permitted to use the title “architect retired” or “retired architect.”

(c) The holder of a retired license shall not be required to renew that license.

(d) In order for the holder of a retired license issued pursuant to this section to restore his or her license to active status, the holder of a retired license shall comply with Section 5600.3.

(Added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 862, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1993.)

5601.  

Within 10 days after the beginning of every month, all fees collected by the department for the month preceding, under the provisions of this chapter, shall be paid into the State Treasury to the credit of the California Architects Board Fund.

(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 1054, Sec. 14. Effective January 1, 2001.)

5602.  

The money paid into the California Architects Board Fund, which is hereby continued in existence, shall be used in the manner prescribed by law to defray the expenses of the board in carrying out and enforcing the provisions of this chapter.

(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 1054, Sec. 15. Effective January 1, 2001.)

5603.  

The board shall make available to local building departments, and others upon request, an official roster listing the name, license number, and address of all its licensees issued licenses pursuant to this chapter and who are in good standing. The roster shall be open to inspection by the public during office hours of the board. Except for local building departments, the board may charge a fee for the maintenance, publication, and distribution of the roster, not to exceed the actual cost. All fees collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the California Architects Board Fund.

(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 1054, Sec. 16. Effective January 1, 2001.)

5604.  

The fees prescribed by this chapter for architect applicants or architect licenseholders shall be fixed by the board as follows:

(a) The application fee for reviewing a candidate’s eligibility to take any section of the examination may not exceed one hundred dollars ($100).

(b) The fee for any section of the examination administered by the board may not exceed one hundred dollars ($100).

(c) The fee for an original license at an amount equal to the renewal fee in effect at the time the license is issued, except that, if the license is issued less than one year before the date on which it will expire, then the fee shall be fixed at an amount equal to 50 percent of the renewal fee in effect at the time the license is issued. The board may, by appropriate regulation, provide for the waiver or refund of the fee for an original license if the license is issued less than 45 days before the date on which it will expire.

(d) The fee for an application for reciprocity may not exceed one hundred dollars ($100).

(e) The fee for a duplicate license may not exceed twenty-five dollars ($25).

(f) The renewal fee may not exceed four hundred dollars ($400).

(g) The delinquency fee may not exceed 50 percent of the renewal fee.

(h) The fee for a retired license may not exceed the fee prescribed in subdivision (c).

(Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 385, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2010.)