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Florida Statute 481.203 | Lawyer Caselaw & Research
F.S. 481.203 Case Law from Google Scholar
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Link to State of Florida Official Statute Google Search for Amendments to 481.203

The 2023 Florida Statutes (including Special Session C)

Title XXXII
REGULATION OF PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS
Chapter 481
ARCHITECTURE, INTERIOR DESIGN, AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
View Entire Chapter
F.S. 481.203
481.203 Definitions.As used in this part, the term:
(1) “Architect” or “registered architect” means a natural person who is licensed under this part to engage in the practice of architecture.
(2) “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.
(3) “Board” means the Board of Architecture and Interior Design.
(4) “Business organization” means a partnership, a limited liability company, a corporation, or an individual operating under a fictitious name.
(5) “Certificate of registration” means a license or registration issued by the department to a natural person to engage in the practice of architecture or interior design.
(6) “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.
(7) “Department” means the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
(8) “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 (10).
(9) “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.
(10) “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.
(11) “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.
(12) “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.
(13) “Registered interior designer” means a natural person who holds a valid certificate of registration to practice interior design.
(14) “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.
(15) “Space planning” means the analysis, programming, or design of spatial requirements, including preliminary space layouts and final planning.
(16) “Townhouse” means 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.
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; s. 41, ch. 2020-160; s. 40, ch. 2021-51.

F.S. 481.203 on Google Scholar

F.S. 481.203 on Casetext

Amendments to 481.203


Arrestable Offenses / Crimes under Fla. Stat. 481.203
Level: Degree
Misdemeanor/Felony: First/Second/Third

Current data shows no reason an arrest or criminal charge should have occurred directly under Florida Statute 481.203.



Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Cases from cite.case.law:

DIAZ RUSSELL CORPORATION, v. DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION,, 140 So. 3d 662 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2014)

. . . prohibits a person from knowingly practicing architecture unless the person is an architect, and section 481.203 . . .

LOCKE, v. SHORE, P., 634 F.3d 1185 (11th Cir. 2011)

. . . . §§ 481.223(1)(b) and 481.203(8), (15). . . . Stat. § 481.203(8). . . . Stat. § 481.203(15). . . . Stat. § 481.203(9). . . . Stat. § 481.203(9). . . .

TRIKON SUNRISE ASSOCIATES, LLC, v. BRICE BUILDING COMPANY, INC. a k a LLC, L. El- El-, 41 So. 3d 315 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2010)

. . . .” § 481.203(6), Fla. Stat. (2005). . . . Consider the definition of “Architecture” pursuant to section 481.203(6): “Architecture” means the rendering . . .

LOCKE v. SHORE, 682 F. Supp. 2d 1283 (N.D. Fla. 2010)

. . . . § 481.203(9). . . . Second, the definition of “interior design,” as set out in § 481.203(8), is not so broad as the plaintiffs . . . To be sure, the second sentence of § 481.203(8) lists items that the term “interior design” “includes . . . Reading the second sentence of § 481.203(8) more broadly would make no sense. . . . The statute does indeed define “interior designer” in this way. § 481.203(9), Fla. Stat. . . .

BUTLER, v. CLARENDON AMERICA INSURANCE CO., 494 F. Supp. 2d 1112 (N.D. Cal. 2007)

. . . [California] Code of Civil Procedure sections 481.203 and 680.320 define the term to “[include] any right . . .

KITCHENS BY DESIGN, INC. f k a v. CONFINO,, 687 So. 2d 364 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1997)

. . . . § 481.203(8), Fla. Stat. (Supp.1994); § 481.229(1)(b), Fla. Stat. (Supp.1994). Affirmed. . . .

O KON AND COMPANY, INC. v. A. RIEDEL, C. Jr. G. d b a RSW a, 588 So. 2d 1025 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1991)

. . . Chick performed some services which might be within the section 481.203(6) definition of “architecture . . . architectural services through licensees, every corporate employee performing services coming within the 481.203 . . .

O KON AND COMPANY, INC. v. A. RIEDEL, C. Jr. G. d b a RSW, 540 So. 2d 836 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1988)

. . . (Emphasis supplied.) 481.203 Definitions. — As used in this act: (1) “Board” means the Board of Architecture . . .

CITY OF LYNN HAVEN, v. BAY COUNTY COUNCIL OF REGISTERED ARCHITECTS, INC., 528 So. 2d 1244 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1988)

. . . language of the CCNA because the project requires the use of architectural services as defined by Section 481.203 . . .

L. ROLLS, A. v. BLISS NYITRAY, INC., 408 So. 2d 229 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1981)

. . . .” [§ 481.203(6) Fla.Stat. (1979).] . . . retaining many of the basic provisions, adds new sections including, inter alia, § 481.201 “Purpose” and § 481.203 . . .