TO: ALL INTERIOR DESIGNERS, ALL DESIGNERS WHO WISH TO BECOME LICENSED INTERIOR DESIGNERS, EDUCATORS, AND INTERIOR DESIGN STUDENTS, OR THOSE WHO WORK WITH INTERIOR DESIGNERS AND ARCHITECTS WHO SUPPORT INTERIOR DESIGN REGULATION IN FLORIDA:
THE INTERIOR DESIGN COALITION, IDAF, IS URGENTLY ASKING FOR YOUR HELP TO DO SEVERAL LETTERS. HERE IS INFO FOR THE FIRST TWO. THERE ARE THREATS BEING MADE AGAINST INTERIOR DESIGN AND EVEN ARCHITECTURE LEGISLATION . FOR INTERIOR DESIGN, WE HAVE SPENT OVER 20 YEARS TO ACHIEVE THIS LEGISLATION THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR 20 YEARS. THESE ARE THE FIRST ONES WE ARE ASKING YOU TO WRITE.
REMEMBER: PARTICIPATION WILL HELP TO KEEP OUR PROFESSION A PROFESSION,SEPARATE AND DISTINCT, REGULATED AND RECOGNIZED, AND NOT SUBLIMATED TO ONLY BE A PART OF ANOTHER.

Please DOWNLOAD the PDF and print the letter on your business stationary and send to your Florida State Representative and Florida State Senator where you live/vote, or should you not be a registered voter, where you work or live.

To find out who to send your two letters to:

1. If you are a voter, you will find the "Districts" on your voter card. Go to www.myflorida.gov website and go to the tab on the top left "Government". You will then see a choice in the left column for "legislative branch". Select this and then "Visit Florida Senate". This will identify the person who is your Florida Senator, with address, etc. To find your House Representative, do the same but when you get to the " legislative branch", select "Florida House of Representatives", then "Meet House Representatives". This list will have the district number of your state representative. Click on the name of your Florida House Representative and you will find their mailing address.

2. If you are not a registered voter, (become one!) go to www.myflorida.gov website and go to the tab on the top left "Government". You will then see a choice in the left column for "legislative branch". Select this and then "Visit Florida Senate". This will identify the person who is the Florida Senator, with address, etc. to send your letter, based upon where you work or live. To find your House Representative, do the same but when you get to the " legislative branch", select "Florida House of Representatives", then "Meet House Representatives". This list will have the area of the state each representative serves. You can click on the one you think includes the place you are using for the 'base' for your letter, and a page will open with that Florida Representatives' district, so you can 'see' if that is correct. This will provide the Florida House Representative to receive your letter. Here is your letter,keep it on a single page on your business letterhead (but no smaller than 10 pt font please). Make any changes that make the letter feel more like it is "yours" and not a form letter, but keep the message.

Here please put your full name, and personal telephone contact information and your home address if you are writing to your Rep. or Senator from your residence base, but use your business stationary if possible.
If you are a student or educator, and not a licensed interior designer, Go to the first paragraph, second sentence and change it to read : "I am an educator for the Florida regulated profession of interior design where regulations define and limit the practices of...." and continue on. In the Third paragraph, simply remove "Today I am one of...." and change it to read "Today there are 3003 licensed interior designers...." Again, change any thing to be comfortable for YOU.

If you are a designer but not a licensed interior designer yet, or you might work in a licensed business for interior design and architecture, and wish to assist in this effort, and support the regulation , change the First Paragraph , second sentence to read: " Florida regulates the professions of interior design and architecture with regulatory language"and continue on. In the Third Paragraph, delete "Today I am one of 3003...." and simply start that paragraph with "Today there are 3003 licensed interior designers....."
If you have any questions, please contact me by email janice@janiceyoung.com or call 904-571-6149.

Return to Top

Licensing in the State of Florida

Our National ASID has prepared a policy statement regarding interior design licensure--a task they identified as necessary, organized and started more than 40 years ago. ASID is sending this statement to all members, but it is important for Florida ASID members and industry to know that this DOES NOT AFFECT YOU OR FLORIDA INTERIOR DESIGN LEGISLATION, in place for 21 years, nor your membership in ASID. for 21 years, nor your membership in ASID.

Why send this out now? There are 52 US states, districts and territories, and some still have no interior design legislation in place. Only three other than Florida have practice legislation in place. This will provide guidance for those still working on laws.

While the statement says that 'No two states have the same....laws in place", that is significantly understated. Today's laws in Florida are totally unique and affected and shaped by:

1. Circumstances (threats, opponents, restraints, culture, economy)
2. Precedence (other laws of allied professionals in place, court decisions)
3. Other Florida Statutes (such as FL Admin codes and statutes affecting same areas)
4. Negotiations (with legislators, opponents)


The FL legislation was changed from title to practice legislation due to "circumstances" created by architects, in the majority on the Board of Architecture and Interior Design, and rules they passed that immediately restricted interior designer from submitting plans to building departments. "Precedence" is shown by exemptions for farm outbuildings and also residential projects in Chapter 481, Architectural Practice, and thus interior design has exemptions, including that no license is needed for interior design for residences. "Other Florida Statutes" identify "responsible parties" for any business that is a corporation or partnership in Florida and that determination is reflected in the identification of those who are accepted as the qualifiers for businesses and their Certificates of Authorization, as required for both interior design and architecture practice. "Negotiation" is exemplified in many, many places but specifically can be cited in the definition of interior design as modified in l994. The very long, unwieldy sentence completing that definition is specific language written by the FL Fire Protection Association and required to be included, or that powerful group would totally oppose ALL of the legislation proposed for interior design at that time.

In summary, many of you have received e-mails from the Institute of Justice and the Interior Design Protection Council. Some of you have also attended NKBA or Institute of Justice meetings. These organizations have been attacking ASID and for us, Licensing in the state of Florida. Please know much of the information they are saying is misleading and misrepresentative. If the practice act is going to stay in place those in support of it are going to need to defend it and have their voices heard. The grass roots efforts have started to mobilize again as they did over 20 years ago in our state when licensing was enacted. If you have received an email to write your legislators please do so immediately. Our grass roots are starting to have town hall meeting around the state to help everyone understand the issues. When you receive an announcement that one is near you please attend to learn the truth of the issues.

Florida Interior Designers

Many of you have received e-mails from the Institute of Justice and the Interior Design Protection Council. Some of you have also attended NKBA or Institute of Justice meetings. These organizations have been attacking licensing and the design Community of Florida. Please realize much of the information they are saying is misleading and misrepresentative.

The practice act protects & defines both Residential Design and Interior Design. We need you to stand up and be counted as the Entire Interior Design community in Florida, is being attacked.

Those in support of it.... will need to defend it and have their voices heard!!!!!!

A grass roots efforts has started to mobilize again as they did over 20 years ago in our state when licensing was enacted.

Return to Top