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The information below is archived for historical purposes only. The NCIDQ is no
longer required for Certification in California.
Read about IDEX, our new single certification exam
Position Paper on Design Examinations
August 19, 2006 - -
In response to questions from CID's and others
on the issue of multiple examinations for interior designers in California,
this paper is the official position of the CCIDC Board of Directors which is in compliance with California law.
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Statement on the NCIDQ exam (relative to CCIDC’s Position Paper on Exams)
The
NCIDQ examination was adopted by the CCIDC board in 1992 as a suitable examination for certifying interior designers in California. The NCIDQ became non-compliant with California law on January 1, 1998
when their exam eligibility requirements changed to a minimum of two years interior design education.
As CCIDC's Category D requirement is "A combination of interior design education and /or
diversified interior design experience totaling eight years or more (plus passage of the required exams), it became quickly evident that NCIDQ's new requirement stopped certain Category D designers
from taking the NCIDQ exam.
The NCIDQ Board of Directors appropriately responded to CCIDC’s needs by issuing a waiver letter (2.17 MB .pdf _ see alternate view below) for our Category D applicants. The waiver letter allowed interior designers in California with less than a two year minimum education to sit
for the NCIDQ exam.
CCIDC appreciated NCIDQ's waiver. The waiver essentially made the NCIDQ compliant with California law. In 2004, however, NCIDQ retracted the waiver, making the NCIDQ,
once again, non compliant with California law.
NCIDQ's reason for their retraction was that CCIDC withdrew from the NCIDQ board of delegates.
CCIDC did, in fact, withdraw from their board of delegates as the CCIDC board perceived NCIDQ as becoming involved with *legislative and lobbying efforts (as opposed to their original mission as an examination organization).
*In the January 2004 edition of their newsletter, NCIDQ Update, it stated that one of
NCIDQ's goals, amongst many, was "To assist non-regulated jurisdictions, we will continue to offer model legislation and testify for state legislatures and boards as needed". In the same
publication it further stated "A panel of legislative experts led Saturday's discussion on 'Strategizing for the Future of Interior Design Legislation', and went on to say "They touched on
such points as policing unlicensed practice; developing alternatives to a board's education and experience requirements for licensure; and envisioning the day when all states and provinces in North
America have interior design regulation".
In the January/February 2002 issue of ISdesignNET under "NCIDQ News" Shirley Hammond, the then NCIDQ President states that a part of
the NCIDQ charter is "to study and present new plans, programs and guidelines for new legislation for the control of the practice of interior design".
Nowhere in the NCIDQ waiver letter was a requirement for CCIDC to be (or to remain) a delegate in order for the waiver to be in
effect. The waiver letter's last paragraph clearly states "Our intent is to provide access to the exam for those individuals who meet CCIDC's requirements, but do not meet NCIDQ's exam
eligibility". This was the spirit of the arrangement at that time.
It should also be noted,
for the record, that when the NCIDQ examination was first adopted by the CCIDC board in 1992, the eligibility standards were less stringent and allowed "experienced only" candidates to register. This is no longer the case.
It is the CCIDC board's opinion now, as it was in 2004, that the NCIDQ is not just a pure examining body, but is involved in lobbying and legislation which includes this activity to be through
third parties it associates with.
Under the reporting requirements to the California legislature the CCIDC board is not allowed to participate in such activities but is to pursue only the
certification program in California as it relates to protecting the consumer. Given such a mandate the CCIDC board felt there was a conflict and withdrew itself as a delegate to the NCIDQ.
CCIDC hopes that NCIDQ will reinstate
their original waiver. By doing so,
they will have more candidates for their exam, and NCIDQ will, in spirit (and by waiver) once again comply with California law.
(Also refer to CCIDC’s response to a letter issued by NCIDQ to its certificate holders in December 2004.)
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