Florida Statutes
Fla. Stat. § 481.223 (2025)
Prohibitions; penalties; injunctive relief.
✓ 2025 Florida Statutes — current through the 2025 Regular Session
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481.223 Prohibitions; penalties; injunctive relief.—
(1) A person may not knowingly:
(a) Practice architecture unless the person is an architect or a registered architect; however, a licensed architect who has been licensed by the board and who chooses to relinquish or not to renew his or her license may use the title “Architect, Retired” but may not otherwise render any architectural services.
(b) Use the name or title “architect,” “registered architect,” or “registered interior designer” when the person is not then the holder of a valid license or certificate of registration issued pursuant to this part. This paragraph does not restrict the use of the name or title “interior designer” or “interior design firm.”
(c) Present as his or her own the license of another.
(d) Give false or forged evidence to the board or a member thereof.
(e) Use or attempt to use an architect license or interior design certificate of registration that has been suspended, revoked, or placed on inactive or delinquent status.
(f) Employ unlicensed persons to practice architecture.
(g) Conceal information relative to violations of this part.
(2) Any person who violates any provision of subsection (1) commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
(3)(a) Notwithstanding chapter 455 or any other law to the contrary, an affected person may maintain an action for injunctive relief to restrain or prevent a person from violating paragraph (1)(a) or paragraph (1)(b). The prevailing party is entitled to actual costs and attorney fees.
(b) For purposes of this subsection, the term “affected person” means a person directly affected by the actions of a person suspected of violating paragraph (1)(a) or paragraph (1)(b) and includes, but is not limited to, the department, any person who received services from the alleged violator, or any private association composed primarily of members of the profession the alleged violator is practicing or offering to practice or holding himself or herself out as qualified to practice.
History.—ss. 14, 19, ch. 79-273; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 15, 23, 24, ch. 88-383; s. 111, ch. 91-224; s. 4, ch. 91-429; ss. 234, 305, ch. 94-119; s. 417, ch. 97-103; s. 4, ch. 2001-269; s. 3, ch. 2006-276; s. 51, ch. 2020-160.
Arrestable Offenses under F.S. 481.223
M = misdemeanor · F = felony · degree: F=1st S=2nd T=3rd§481.223(1a)PUBLIC ORDER CRIMESPRACTICE ARCHITECTURE WITHOUT BEING REGISTERED
§481.223(1b)FRAUD-IMPERSONUSE REG ARCHITECT INTER DESIGN TITLE W/O LIC
§481.223(1b)PUBLIC ORDER CRIMESREMOVED
§481.223(1c)FRAUD-IMPERSONPRESENT ARCHITECT LICENSE OF ANOTHER
§481.223(1c)FRAUD-IMPERSONRENUMBERED. SEE REC # 9131
§481.223(1d)FRAUD-IMPERSONRENUMBERED. SEE REC # 9132
§481.223(1d)PASS FORGEDEVIDENCE TO ARCHITECT LICENSE BOARD OR MEMBER
§481.223(1d)FRAUD-FALSE STATEMENTEVIDENCE TO ARCHITECT LICENSE BOARD OR MEMBER
§481.223(1e)FRAUD-FALSE STATEMENTRENUMBERED. SEE REC # 9134
§481.223(1e)PUBLIC ORDER CRIMESUSE REVOKED INACTIVE ARCHITECT/INT DESIGN LIC
§481.223(1e)PASS FORGEDRENUMBERED. SEE REC # 9133
§481.223(1f)PUBLIC ORDER CRIMESEMPLOY UNLIC PERSON PRACT ARCHITECT/INT DESIGN
§481.223(1f)PUBLIC ORDER CRIMESRENUMBERED. SEE REC # 9135
§481.223(1g)PUBLIC ORDER CRIMESCONCEAL INFO ARCHITECT/INT DESIGN VIOLATIONS
§481.223(1g)PUBLIC ORDER CRIMESRENUMBERED. SEE REC # 9136
§481.223(1h)PUBLIC ORDER CRIMESRENUMBERED. SEE REC # 9137
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 11
cases, 1989–2014 · leading case: Locke v. Shore, 634 F.3d 1185 (11th Cir. 2011).
Locke v. Shore, 634 F.3d 1185 (11th Cir. 2011). “See Fla. Stat. §§ 481.223 (1)(b) and 481.203(8), (15).”
Byrum v. Landreth, 566 F.3d 442 (5th Cir. 2009). “Some states only prevent unlicensed interior designers from advertising as "registered,” "certified,” or "licensed” interior designers.”
Locke v. Shore, 682 F. Supp. 2d 1283 (N.D. Fla. 2010). “§ 481.223, Fla. Stat. 1 A “registered interi- or designer” is one with a Florida license.”
Oravec v. Sunny Isles Luxury Ventures L.C., 469 F. Supp. 2d 1148 (S.D. Fla. 2006). “See Fla. Stat. § 481.223 . 20 This argument fails for several reasons.”
O'Kon & Co., Inc. v. Riedel, 540 So. 2d 836 (Fla. 1st DCA 1989). “James O'Kon, was holding himself and his corporation out as "architect" while knowing that he was not registered, certified or otherwise authorized to practice architecture in the state of Florida, contrary to section 481.223, Florida Statutes. In his deposition, the only…”
Benitez v. State, 852 So. 2d 386 (Fla. 3d DCA 2003). “In June 1999, Benitez was charged with practicing architecture without a license in violation of section 481.223 of the Florida Statutes and with two counts of grand theft.”
Miller Const. Co. v. First Indus. Tech. Corp., 576 So. 2d 748 (Fla. 3d DCA 1991). “2d at 840 ; see also § 481.223(1), Fla.Stats. (1987) (person may not practice architecture unless he is a registered architect).”
Diaz & Russell Corp. v. Dep't of Bus. & Prof'l Reg., 140 So. 3d 662 (Fla. 3d DCA 2014). “The Board’s construction of the exemption language purports to mandate that, in order to meet the exemption’s requirement that a licensed architect “offer” the architectural services of a design-build project, the identity of the architect must actually be specified in the…”
O'Kon & Co., Inc. v. Riedel, 588 So. 2d 1025 (Fla. 1st DCA 1991). “(emphasis supplied) Section 481.223 provides in pertinent part: (1) No person shall knowingly: (a) Practice architecture unless the person is a registered architect; Addressing first O'Kon's contentions that this case presents a mere technical violation of Chapter 481, we must…”
Eva Locke v. Joyce Shore (11th Cir. 2011). “See Fla. Stat. §§ 481.223 (1)(b) and 481.203(8), (15).”
State v. Pavon, 792 So. 2d 665 (Fla. 4th DCA 2001). “" Section 481.223, Florida Statutes (1999), provides in relevant part that: (1) A person may not knowingly: (b) Practice interior design unless the person is a registered interior designer unless otherwise exempted herein; (c) Use the name or title "architect" or "registered…”
— 481.223(1) — 1 case
Miller Const. Co. v. First Indus. Tech. Corp., 576 So. 2d 748 (Fla. 3d DCA 1991). “2d at 840 ; see also § 481.223(1), Fla.Stats. (1987) (person may not practice architecture unless he is a registered architect).”
— 481.223(1)(c) — 1 case
State v. Pavon, 792 So. 2d 665 (Fla. 4th DCA 2001). “" Section 481.223, Florida Statutes (1999), provides in relevant part that: (1) A person may not knowingly: (b) Practice interior design unless the person is a registered interior designer unless otherwise exempted herein; (c) Use the name or title "architect" or "registered…”
— 481.223(2) — 1 case
Locke v. Shore, 682 F. Supp. 2d 1283 (N.D. Fla. 2010). “§ 481.223, Fla. Stat. 1 A “registered interi- or designer” is one with a Florida license.”
— 481.223(l)(a) — 1 case
Diaz & Russell Corp. v. Dep't of Bus. & Prof'l Reg., 140 So. 3d 662 (Fla. 3d DCA 2014). “The Board’s construction of the exemption language purports to mandate that, in order to meet the exemption’s requirement that a licensed architect “offer” the architectural services of a design-build project, the identity of the architect must actually be specified in the…”
— 481.223(l)(b) — 1 case
Locke v. Shore, 682 F. Supp. 2d 1283 (N.D. Fla. 2010). “§ 481.223, Fla. Stat. 1 A “registered interi- or designer” is one with a Florida license.”
— 481.223(l)(c) — 1 case
Locke v. Shore, 682 F. Supp. 2d 1283 (N.D. Fla. 2010). “§ 481.223, Fla. Stat. 1 A “registered interi- or designer” is one with a Florida license.”
— 481.223(l)(e) — 1 case
Locke v. Shore, 682 F. Supp. 2d 1283 (N.D. Fla. 2010). “§ 481.223, Fla. Stat. 1 A “registered interi- or designer” is one with a Florida license.”
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