Becoming a Licensed Interior Designer
Licensing Requirements for Interior Designers
As you start your interior designer career, all of the education, job experience and testing leads up to one last hurdle: licensure. Many U.S. states and jurisdictions (including Puerto Rico) and seven Canadian provinces currently have some kind of legislation regulating interior designers.
Each governing body has a unique set of criteria an interior designer must meet in order to practice. It is important to understand the requirements early in the process of becoming an interior designer, so that there will be no surprises when you apply for licensure. The following states and jurisdictions (shown in dark green) have interior designer licensing requirements:
U.S. States with Interior Designer Licensure Requirements
| Alabama | Illinois | Michigan | Oklahoma |
| Arkansas | Indiana | Minnesota | Puerto Rico |
| California | Iowa | Missouri | Tennessee |
| Colorado | Kentucky | Nevada | Texas |
| Connecticut | Louisiana | New Jersey | Virginia |
| Florida | Maine | New Mexico | Washington, DC |
| Georgia | Maryland | New York | Wisconsin |
Canadian Provinces with Interior Designer Licensure Requirements
Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Saskatchewan.
Interior Design Resources
Getting Started
Interior Designer: Job Description
Planning an Interior Design Education
Prepare for Interior Design School
Top Ten Interior Design Schools
Interior Design Training Courses
Get an Interior Design Degree Online
Getting Interior Design Job Experience
NCIDQ Certification
Getting Your Interior Designer License
Interior Design School Spotlight
Industry Information
Interior Design Career Outlook
Interior Designer Salary Info
Interior Design Specialties
Home Interior Design
Sustainable Interior Design
Career Path: Interior Decorating
Interview: Starting Your Interior Designer Career
Interview: Interior Designer Career Perspective
Helpful Interior Design Links