544A.21  Practice by business entities.
  1.  Corporations may be formed under the Iowa business corporation Act, chapter 490, for the purpose of engaging in the practice of architecture. A corporation may be either a business corporation or a professional corporation. A corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, or other business entity is not eligible for registration under this chapter. Only an individual natural person is eligible for registration. A domestic or foreign corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, or other business entity may engage in the practice of architecture in this state, but only if all of the following requirements are met:
  a.  The entire practice of architecture by the corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, or other business entity in this state and in connection with buildings, structures, and projects located in this state shall be performed by or under the direct supervision and responsible charge of one or more architects.
  b.  No less than two-thirds of the directors, if a corporation, or no less than two-thirds of the general partners, if a partnership, or the sole proprietor shall be qualified by registration to perform either professional architectural services or professional engineering services, by a registration authority recognized by the board, where the qualifications for registration are, in the opinion of the board, substantially equivalent to those prescribed by the laws of this state.
  c.  No less than one-third of the directors, if a corporation, or no less than one-third of the general partners, if a partnership, or the sole proprietor shall be qualified by registration to perform professional architectural services, by a registration authority recognized by the board, where the qualifications for registration are, in the opinion of the board, equivalent to those prescribed by this chapter.
  d.  A person engaging in the practice of architecture in the state of Iowa and in responsible charge on behalf of a business entity engaged in the practice of architecture must be registered to practice architecture in this state, and shall be a director, if a corporation, a general partner, if a partnership, or a sole proprietor of the business entity.
  e.  Before engaging in the practice of architecture in this state, a corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship shall acquire an “authorization to practice architecture as a business entity” from the board. The board shall adopt rules establishing the required information concerning officers, directors, beneficial owners, limitations on the name of the business entity, and other aspects of its business organization, which must be submitted to the board upon forms prescribed by the board in order to qualify for authorization.
  2.  The practice of architecture by or through a corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, or other business entity does not relieve a person of liability for professional errors or omissions which liability would exist if the person were practicing as an individual, including, but not limited to, liability arising out of negligent supervision of the work of subordinates.
[C66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §118.21]
87 Acts, ch 92, §10

2001 Acts, ch 24, §62; 2012 Acts, ch 1023, §157
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