Architect License Defense
Representation Before the State Architects Licensure Board
The State Architects Licensure Board licenses architects, registers architectural firms and, since the 2024 amendments to the Architects Licensure Law, certifies interior designers. The Board enforces the Law and its regulations, including the rules governing the architect's seal and the ownership and management of architectural firms.
Board matters most often begin with a complaint from a client, a contractor or a municipal official concerning a project, a set of drawings or the use of an architect's seal. Because the sealing of documents is closely regulated, questions about who prepared or supervised the work frequently lie at the center of a Board matter.
Mimm Law, LLC represents architects, interior designers and firms before the Board at every stage, from the initial inquiry through final order.
Governing Law
- Board
- State Architects Licensure Board
- Statute
- Architects Licensure Law, Act of December 14, 1982, P.L. 1227, No. 281, as amended, 63 P.S. §§ 34.1-34.22 (Purdon's numbering of the pre-2024 sections; Act 144 of 2024 renumbered the Law's own sections, for example section 19 is now section 901)
- Regulations
- 49 Pa. Code Chapter 9
- Licensees
- Architects and firms
- Renewal
- Biennial; licenses expire on the date set by Board regulation
Who the Board Regulates
- Registered architect license
- Architectural firm registration
- Certified interior designer certificate
Grounds for Discipline
Section 901 of the Architects Licensure Law (formerly section 19) authorizes the Board to discipline a licensee for, among other things:
- Bribery, fraud, misstatement or misrepresentation in an application
- Practicing architecture, or offering interior design services, in violation of the Law
- Revocation or suspension of a license by another jurisdiction
- Violation of the Board's standards of professional conduct
- Aiding or abetting the unlawful practice of another
- Bribery, fraud, deceit, recklessness, gross negligence or incompetence in practice
- Misuse of an architect's seal or an interior designer's certificate number
- Conviction of a felony or of a crime involving moral turpitude
Sanctions the Board May Impose
The Board may refuse, suspend or revoke a license and may impose other discipline authorized by the Law. Available sanctions include censure, a letter of reprimand, restrictions and conditions. The Board may also levy its own civil penalty of up to $1,000; an unlicensed practitioner must also return fees collected. A licensee whose license is revoked may reapply only after five years, absent court order. The Law also provides criminal penalties for unlicensed practice.
In addition to the sanctions in the Board's own statute, Chapter 31 of Title 63 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes authorizes each licensing board to impose a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per violation and to assess the costs of investigation against a licensee found to have violated the law.
Obligations That Often Lead to Board Matters
The Architect's Seal
An architect may seal only documents prepared by the architect or under the architect's personal supervision, and may not use the seal while a license is expired, suspended or revoked. Sealing another's work without adequate supervision is a frequent subject of Board matters in our experience
Firm Requirements
An architectural firm must satisfy the ownership and management requirements of the Law and must register with the Board and file information about its owners and managers. Changes in ownership or in the architects responsible for the firm's practice should be addressed promptly.
Reporting Obligations
Architects must report discipline in another jurisdiction and criminal dispositions (including misdemeanors, nolo pleas and ARD) to the Board; under the general reporting rule for Pennsylvania licensees, notice is due in writing within 30 days. Architects must also complete at least 24 hours of health, safety and welfare continuing education each biennial renewal period.
Matters We Handle
- Client complaints concerning services or design defects
- Sealing and stamping of plans prepared by others
- Firm practice and ownership requirements
- Practice without a current license
- Continuing education audits
- Criminal charges and convictions affecting licensure
How We Can Help
Board Investigations
Upon receipt of a letter of inquiry, a subpoena or contact from an investigator, the firm evaluates the allegations, reviews the licensee's records, prepares a written response and attends any investigative interview. In some matters, an early, well-documented response may resolve the matter before formal charges are filed.
Formal Charges and Hearings
When the Commonwealth files an Order to Show Cause, the time to respond is short, and a respondent who misses the deadline may be held in default and the facts alleged deemed admitted. The firm prepares and files the answer, negotiates a consent agreement where one serves the client's interests, and tries the matter before the hearing examiner or the Board where it does not.
Applications and Reinstatement
For applicants whose history may raise questions, and for licensees seeking reinstatement after suspension, revocation or lapse, the firm assembles the application and supporting record and presents the matter to the Board.
Questions Licensees Ask
May I seal drawings prepared by a consultant or another firm?
Only if the drawings were prepared by you or under your personal supervision, direction and control, as the Law and the Board's regulations require. Sealing documents that were merely reviewed, rather than prepared under supervision, exposes the architect to discipline even where the documents themselves are sound.
A client is unhappy with a project. Will a complaint to the Board follow?
Not every dispute results in a complaint, and not every complaint results in discipline. The Board's concern is whether the architect violated the Law or the standards of professional conduct, not whether the client is satisfied. An early, documented response that addresses the professional standards at issue can be important.
I also hold licenses in other states. How does a Pennsylvania matter affect them?
Discipline in one jurisdiction is a ground for discipline in others, and most boards require it to be reported. A Pennsylvania matter should be resolved with the consequences in each licensing jurisdiction in view.
Should I speak with an investigator before I have counsel?
A licensee who receives a letter of inquiry, a subpoena or a telephone call from an investigator with the Bureau of Enforcement and Investigation should be courteous and should note the investigator's name and contact information, but should not give a substantive statement before obtaining advice. Anything said to an investigator may be included in the report reviewed by the prosecuting attorney and, later, by the Board. Counsel can determine what is being alleged, gather the relevant records and prepare a response that is accurate, complete and appropriately limited.
Must I report a criminal conviction, plea or ARD, or discipline in another state?
Yes. Pennsylvania law requires every licensee to notify the licensing board in writing within 30 days of discipline imposed by a licensing authority in another jurisdiction and of a finding of guilt, guilty plea, plea of nolo contendere, probation without verdict, disposition in lieu of trial or Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition on a felony or misdemeanor charge. Some boards' regulations impose additional or earlier reporting duties, including, for nurses and massage therapists, a duty to report the filing of criminal charges within 30 days. A failure to report is itself a ground for discipline, and it is frequently charged alongside the underlying conduct.
Meet Your Attorney
Steven A. Mimm, Esq.
Founder, Mimm Law, LLC. Admitted in Pennsylvania (2008) and New Jersey (2022).
From 2014 to 2022, Attorney Steven A. Mimm served as a prosecuting attorney bringing disciplinary actions on behalf of the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs before Pennsylvania's licensing boards. That experience informs how the firm evaluates evidence, negotiates with the Commonwealth and prepares cases for hearing. Where a licensee also faces criminal charges, the firm handles the licensing matter and coordinates with the licensee's criminal defense counsel.
Related: All Licensing Boards · Licensing and FAQs
Last reviewed September 2026. The information on this page is general in nature and is not legal advice. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship.