193B—2.3(17A,272C,544A) Renewal of certificates of licensure.
	2.3(1) Active status. Certificates of licensure expire biennially on June 30. In order to maintain authorization to practice in Iowa, a licensee is required to renew the certificate of licensure prior to July 1 of the year of expiration. A licensee who fails to renew by the expiration date is not authorized to practice architecture in Iowa until the certificate is reinstated as provided in rule 193B—2.4(544A,17A).
	a. 	A licensee whose last name begins with the letter A through K will renew in even-numbered years, and a licensee whose last name begins with the letter L through Z will renew in odd-numbered years. However, a license issued on or after May 1 but before June 30 will not expire until June 30 of the next renewal. For example, a license issued on May 17, 2020, would not expire until June 30, 2022.
	b. 	It is the policy of the board to send to each licensee a notice of the pending expiration date at the licensee’s last-known address approximately one month prior to the date the certificate of licensure is scheduled to expire. The notice, when provided, may be by email communication. Failure to receive this notice does not relieve the licensee of the responsibility to timely renew the certificate and pay the renewal fee. A licensee should contact the board office if the licensee does not receive a renewal notice prior to the date of expiration.
	c. 	Upon the board’s receipt of a timely and sufficient renewal application as provided in 193—subrule 7.40(3), the board’s administrator will issue a new certificate of licensure reflecting the next expiration date unless grounds exist for denial of the application.
	d. 	If grounds exist to deny a timely and sufficient application to renew, the board will send notification to the applicant. Grounds may exist to deny an application to renew if, for instance, the licensee failed to satisfy the continuing education as required as a condition for licensure. If the basis for denial is pending disciplinary action or disciplinary investigation that is reasonably expected to culminate in disciplinary action, the board will proceed as provided in 193—Chapter 7. If the basis for denial is not related to a pending or imminent disciplinary action, the applicant may contest the board’s decision as provided in 193—subrule 7.40(1).
	e. 	When a licensee appears to be in violation of mandatory continuing education requirements, the board may, in lieu of proceeding to a contested case hearing on the denial of a renewal application as provided in rule 193—7.40(546,272C), and after or in lieu of giving the licensee an opportunity to come into compliance under 193B—subrule 3.3(3), offer a licensee the opportunity to sign a consent order. While the terms of the consent order will be tailored to the specific circumstances at issue, the consent order will typically impose a penalty between $50 and $250, depending on the severity of the violation; establish deadlines for compliance; and require that the licensee complete hours equal to double the deficiency in addition to the required hours; and may impose additional educational requirements on the licensee. Any additional hours completed in compliance with the consent order cannot again be claimed at the next renewal. The board will address subsequent offenses on a case-by-case basis. A licensee is free to accept or reject the offer. If the offer of settlement is accepted, the licensee will be issued a renewed certificate of licensure and will be subject to disciplinary action if the terms of the consent order are not complied with. If the offer of settlement is rejected, the matter will be set for hearing, if timely requested by the applicant pursuant to 193—subrule 7.40(1).
	f. 	The board may notify a licensee whose certificate of licensure has expired. The failure of the board to provide this courtesy notification or the failure of the licensee to receive the notification will not extend the date of expiration.
	g. 	A licensee who continues to practice architecture in Iowa after the license has expired may be subject to disciplinary action. Such unauthorized activity may also be grounds to deny a licensee’s application for reinstatement.
	2.3(2) Inactive status. This subrule establishes a procedure under which a person issued a certificate of licensure as an architect may apply to the board to be licensed as inactive. Licensure under this subrule is available to a license holder who is not engaged in Iowa in any practice for which licensure as an architect is required. A person eligible to be licensed as inactive may, as an alternative to such licensure, allow the certificate of licensure to lapse. During any period of inactive status, a person may use the title “inactive architect” or “retired architect,” but may not use the sole title of “architect” or any other title that might imply that the person is offering services as an architect by such an action in violation of Iowa Code section 544A.15. The board will continue to maintain a database of persons licensed as inactive, including information that is not routinely maintained after a certificate has lapsed through the person’s failure to renew. A person who is licensed as inactive will accordingly receive renewal applications, board newsletters and other mass communications from the board.
	a. 	Affirmation. The renewal application form will contain a statement in which the applicant affirms that the applicant will not engage in any of the practices in Iowa that are listed in Iowa Code section 544A.16 without first complying with all rules governing reinstatement to active status. A person in inactive status may reinstate to active status at any time pursuant to rule 193B—2.5(544A).
	b. 	Renewal. A person licensed as inactive may renew the person’s certificate of licensure on the biennial schedule described in this rule. This person shall be exempt from the continuing education requirements and will be charged a reduced renewal fee as provided in rule 193B—2.9(544A,17A). An inactive certificate of licensure will lapse if not timely renewed.
	c. 	Permitted practices. A person may, while licensed as inactive, perform for a client, business, employer, government body, or other entity those services that may lawfully be provided by a person to whom a certificate of licensure has never been issued. Such services may be performed as long as the person does not in connection with such services use the title “architect” or any other title restricted for use only by architects pursuant to Iowa Code section 544A.15 (without additional designations such as “inactive” or “retired”). Restricted titles may be used only by active architects who are subject to continuing education requirements to ensure that the use of such titles is consistently associated with the maintenance of competency through continuing education.
	d. 	Prohibited practices. A person who, while licensed as inactive, engages in any of the practices described in Iowa Code sections 544A.15 and 544A.16 is subject to disciplinary action.
	e. 	Exemption. A person whose license as an architect has been placed on probation, suspended, revoked, or voluntarily surrendered in connection with a disciplinary investigation or proceeding shall not be eligible for inactive status unless, upon appropriate application, the board first reinstates the license to good standing.
[ARC 7757C, IAB 4/17/24, effective 5/22/24]