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The Florida Senate

2017 Florida Statutes

Title XXXII REGULATION OF PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS
Chapter 481 ARCHITECTURE, INTERIOR DESIGN, AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE Entire Chapter
SECTION 203
Definitions.
F.S. 481.203
481.203 Definitions.—As used in this part:
(1) “Board” means the Board of Architecture and Interior Design.
(2) “Department” means the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
(3) “Architect” or “registered architect” means a natural person who is licensed under this part to engage in the practice of architecture.
(4) “Certificate of registration” means a license issued by the department to a natural person to engage in the practice of architecture or interior design.
(5) “Certificate of authorization” means a certificate issued by the department to a corporation or partnership to practice architecture or interior design.
(6) “Architecture” means the rendering or offering to render services in connection with the design and construction of a structure or group of structures which have as their principal purpose human habitation or use, and the utilization of space within and surrounding such structures. These services include planning, providing preliminary study designs, drawings and specifications, job-site inspection, and administration of construction contracts.
(7) “Townhouse” is a single-family dwelling unit not exceeding three stories in height which is constructed in a series or group of attached units with property lines separating such units. Each townhouse shall be considered a separate building and shall be separated from adjoining townhouses by the use of separate exterior walls meeting the requirements for zero clearance from property lines as required by the type of construction and fire protection requirements; or shall be separated by a party wall; or may be separated by a single wall meeting the following requirements:
(a) Such wall shall provide not less than 2 hours of fire resistance. Plumbing, piping, ducts, or electrical or other building services shall not be installed within or through the 2-hour wall unless such materials and methods of penetration have been tested in accordance with the Standard Building Code.
(b) Such wall shall extend from the foundation to the underside of the roof sheathing, and the underside of the roof shall have at least 1 hour of fire resistance for a width not less than 4 feet on each side of the wall.
(c) Each dwelling unit sharing such wall shall be designed and constructed to maintain its structural integrity independent of the unit on the opposite side of the wall.
(8) “Interior design” means designs, consultations, studies, drawings, specifications, and administration of design construction contracts relating to nonstructural interior elements of a building or structure. “Interior design” includes, but is not limited to, reflected ceiling plans, space planning, furnishings, and the fabrication of nonstructural elements within and surrounding interior spaces of buildings. “Interior design” specifically excludes the design of or the responsibility for architectural and engineering work, except for specification of fixtures and their location within interior spaces. As used in this subsection, “architectural and engineering interior construction relating to the building systems” includes, but is not limited to, construction of structural, mechanical, plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, ventilating, electrical, or vertical transportation systems, or construction which materially affects lifesafety systems pertaining to firesafety protection such as fire-rated separations between interior spaces, fire-rated vertical shafts in multistory structures, fire-rated protection of structural elements, smoke evacuation and compartmentalization, emergency ingress or egress systems, and emergency alarm systems.
(9) “Registered interior designer” or “interior designer” means a natural person who is licensed under this part.
(10) “Nonstructural element” means an element which does not require structural bracing and which is something other than a load-bearing wall, load-bearing column, or other load-bearing element of a building or structure which is essential to the structural integrity of the building.
(11) “Reflected ceiling plan” means a ceiling design plan which is laid out as if it were projected downward and which may include lighting and other elements.
(12) “Space planning” means the analysis, programming, or design of spatial requirements, including preliminary space layouts and final planning.
(13) “Common area” means an area that is held out for use by all tenants or owners in a multiple-unit dwelling, including, but not limited to, a lobby, elevator, hallway, laundry room, clubhouse, or swimming pool.
(14) “Diversified interior design experience” means experience which substantially encompasses the various elements of interior design services set forth under the definition of “interior design” in subsection (8).
(15) “Interior decorator services” includes the selection or assistance in selection of surface materials, window treatments, wallcoverings, paint, floor coverings, surface-mounted lighting, surface-mounted fixtures, and loose furnishings not subject to regulation under applicable building codes.
(16) “Responsible supervising control” means the exercise of direct personal supervision and control throughout the preparation of documents, instruments of service, or any other work requiring the seal and signature of a licensee under this part.
History.—ss. 2, 19, ch. 79-273; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 27, 48, ch. 82-179; ss. 3, 23, 24, ch. 88-383; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 297, ch. 94-119; s. 171, ch. 94-218; s. 2, ch. 95-389; s. 1, ch. 2006-276.