193D—2.8 (17A,272C,544B) Renewal of certificates of registration. Certificates of registration expire biennially on June 30. In order to maintain authorization to practice in Iowa, a registrant is required to renew the certificate of registration prior to the expiration date. A registrant who fails to renew by the expiration date is not authorized to practice landscape architecture in Iowa until the certificate is reinstated as provided in rule 193D—2.9(544B,17A).
	 2.8(1) It is the policy of the board to e-mail to each registrant a notice of the pending expiration date at the registrant’s last-known address approximately one month prior to the date the certificate of registration is scheduled to expire. Failure to receive this notice does not relieve the registrant of the responsibility to timely renew the certificate and pay the renewal fee. A registrant should contact the board office if the registrant does not receive a renewal notice prior to the date of expiration.
	 2.8(2) If grounds exist to deny a timely and sufficient application to renew, the board shall send written notification to the applicant by restricted certified mail, return receipt requested. Grounds may exist to deny an application to renew if, for instance, the registrant failed to satisfy the continuing education as required as a condition for registration. If the basis for denial is pending disciplinary action or disciplinary investigation that is reasonably expected to culminate in disciplinary action, the board shall 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).
	 2.8(3) When a registrant 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), offer a registrant 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 registrant complete hours equal to double the deficiency in addition to the required hours; and may impose additional educational requirements on the registrant. 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 registrant is free to accept or reject the offer. If the offer of settlement is accepted, the registrant will be issued a renewed certificate of registration 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 registrant pursuant to 193—subrule 7.40(1).
	 2.8(4) The board may notify registrants whose certificates of registration have expired. The failure of the board to provided this courtesy notification or the failure of the registrant to receive the notification shall not extend the date of expiration.
	 2.8(5) A registrant who continues to practice landscape architecture in Iowa after registration has expired shall be subject to disciplinary action. Such unauthorized activity may also be grounds to deny a registrant’s application for reinstatement.
	 2.8(6) Licensees shall notify the board within 30 days of any change of address or business connection.
	 2.8(7) Retired status. A person who held a registration as a professional landscape architect, who is retired from the practice of landscape architecture in all states of registration, and who has applied for and has been granted retired status from the board may use the title “professional landscape architect, retired” or “PLA, retired.” If the board determines an applicant is eligible, the retired status would become effective on the first scheduled registration renewal date. Applicants do not need to reinstate an expired registration to be eligible for retired status. Applicants may apply for retired status on forms provided by the board. The board will not provide a refund of biennial registration fees if an application for retired status is granted in a biennium in which the applicant has previously paid the biennial fees for either active or inactive status. Licensees with retired status are exempt from the renewal requirement.
	  a.   	 Permitted practices. Persons registered in retired status may engage in the practices identified in paragraph 2.8(8)“c.” Such persons may also provide services as technical experts before a court, including pre-litigation preparation, discovery, and testimony, on matters directly related to landscape architectural services provided by such persons prior to registering with the board in retired status.
	  b.   	 Exemption. A person whose registration as a landscape architect has been placed on probation, suspended, revoked, or voluntarily surrendered in connection with a disciplinary investigation or proceeding shall not be eligible for retired status unless the board, upon appropriate application, first reinstates the registration to good standing.
	 2.8(8) Inactive status. This subrule establishes a procedure under which a person issued a certificate of registration as a landscape architect may apply to the board to register as inactive. Registration under this subrule is available to a registrant residing within or outside the state of Iowa who is not using the title “landscape architect” while offering services as a landscape architect. A person eligible to register as inactive may, as an alternative to such registration, allow the certificate of registration to lapse. During any period of inactive status, a person shall not engage in the practice of landscape architecture while using the title “landscape architect” or any other title that might imply that the person is offering services as a landscape architect in violation of Iowa Code section 544B.18. The board will continue to maintain a database of persons registered as inactive, including information which is not routinely maintained after a certificate of registration has lapsed through the person’s failure to renew. A person who registers as inactive will accordingly receive a renewal notice if the notice is sent by the board, board newsletters, and other mass communications from the board.
	  a.   	 Affirmation. The renewal application shall contain a statement in which the applicant affirms that the applicant will not engage in the practice of landscape architecture while using the title “landscape architect” in violation of Iowa Code section 544B.18, 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 193D—2.9(544B,17A).
	  b.   	 Renewal. A person registered as inactive may renew the person’s certificate of registration on the biennial schedule described in 193D—2.8(544B,272C,17A). This person shall be exempt from the continuing education requirements and will be charged a reduced renewal fee as provided in 193D—2.10(544B,17A). An inactive certificate of registration shall lapse if not timely renewed.
	  c.   	 Permitted practices. A person may, while registered as inactive or retired, perform for a client, business, employer, government body, or other entity those services which may lawfully be provided by a person to whom a certificate of registration has never been issued. For an “inactive” registrant, such services may be performed as long as the person does not in connection with such services use the title “landscape architect” or any other title restricted for use only by landscape architects pursuant to Iowa Code section 544B.18 (with or without additional designations such as “inactive”). Restricted titles may be used only by active landscape 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. A “landscape architect, retired” may use the “landscape architect, retired” title; however, the person shall inform anyone to whom the person is providing services that the person once held an active landscape architect license but is no longer actively licensed or permitted to practice landscape architecture.
	  d.   	 Prohibited practices. A person who, while registered as inactive, engages in any of the practices described in Iowa Code section 544B.18 is subject to disciplinary action.
[ARC 0213C, IAB 7/25/12, effective 8/29/12]