Colorado § 12-120-404 - Forms of organizations permitted to practice - requirements.

§ 12-120-404. Forms of organizations permitted to practice - requirements.

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, no firm, partnership, entity, or group of persons shall be licensed to practice architecture; except that a partnership, entity, or group of persons may use the term "architects" in its business name if a majority of the individual officers and directors or members or partners are either licensed architects under this part 4 or persons who qualify for a license by endorsement under section 12-120-413 (3).

(2) The practice of architecture by the following entities is permitted, subject to subsection (3) of this section:

(a) A corporation that complies with the "Colorado Business Corporation Act", articles 101 to 117 of title 7;

(b) A limited liability company that complies with the "Colorado Limited Liability Company Act", article 80 of title 7;

(c) A registered limited liability partnership that has registered in accordance with section 7-60-144 or qualified in accordance with section 7-64-1002.

(3) An entity listed in subsection (2) of this section may practice architecture, but only if:

(a) The practice of architecture by the entity is under the direct supervision of an architect, licensed in the state of Colorado, who is an officer of the corporation, a member of the limited liability company, or a partner in the registered limited liability partnership;

(b) The architect remains individually responsible to the board and the public for the architect's professional acts and conduct; and

(c) All architectural plans, designs, drawings, specifications, or reports that are involved in the practice, issued by or for the entity, bear the seal and signature of an architect in responsible control of, and directly responsible for, the architectural work when issued.

(4) (a) Nothing in this part 4 shall be construed as prohibiting the formation of a corporation, limited liability company, registered limited liability partnership, joint venture, partnership, or association consisting of one or several architects or corporations meeting the requirements of subsection (3) of this section and one or several professional engineers, all duly licensed under the respective provisions of the applicable laws of this state.

(b) It is lawful for an entity described in subsection (4)(a) of this section to use in its title the words "architects and engineers".

(c) No identifying media used by any member of the entity shall mislead the public as to the fact that the member is licensed as an architect or as a professional engineer.

Source: L. 2019: Entire title R&RE with relocations, (HB 19-1172), ch. 136, p. 909, § 1, effective October 1. L. 2024: (3)(b) amended, (HB 24-1329), ch. 342, p. 2318, § 22, effective August 7.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 12-25-304 as it existed prior to 2019.

ANNOTATION

Law reviews. For article, "Operating a Personal Service Corporation", see 17 Colo. Law. 2011 (1988).

Formerly practice by corporations of architecture was not approved of. Johnson-Olmsted Realty Co. v. City & County of Denver, 89 Colo. 250, 1 P.2d 928 (1931) (decided under repealed laws antecedent to CSA, C. 10, § 14).