Colorado § 12-130-109 - Licensure - application - qualifications - rules.

§ 12-130-109. Licensure - application - qualifications - rules.

(1) Application.

(a) An application for licensure shall include evidence of the education and practical experience required by this section and the rules of the board.

(b) A person applying for licensure under this article 130 shall disclose whether he or she has been denied licensure or disciplined as a landscape architect or practiced landscape architecture in violation of this article 130. If an applicant has violated this article 130, the board may deny an application for licensure. When determining whether a person has violated this article 130, section 24-5-101 shall govern the board's actions.

(c) Applicants may seek licensure in one of the following manners:

(I) Licensure by examination as described in subsection (3) of this section;

(II) Licensure by endorsement pursuant to the occupational credential portability program; or

(III) Licensure by prior practice as described in subsection (5) of this section.

(2) Education and experience. The board shall set minimum educational and experience requirements for licensure by examination, subject to the following guidelines:

(a) The board may require either:

(I) (A) Practical experience for a specified period, not to exceed three years, or education or experience determined by the board to be substantially equivalent; and

(B) A professional degree from a program accredited by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board, or any successor organization, or education or experience determined by the board to be substantially equivalent; or

(II) Practical experience for a specified period, not to exceed ten years, under the direct supervision of a licensed landscape architect or a landscape architect with an equivalent level of competence as defined by rules of the board; or

(III) A combination of such practical experience and education, not to exceed ten years.

(b) One year of the experience required by this subsection (2) may be practical field experience in construction techniques, teaching, or research in a program accredited by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board or an equivalent successor organization.

(c) Subject to review and approval by the board pursuant to rules, a graduate of an unaccredited program of landscape architecture or a related field shall be eligible to substitute education for the practical experience required by the board pursuant to this subsection (2).

(d) (I) Prior to licensure, an applicant by examination shall pass an examination developed or adopted by the board that measures the minimum level of competence necessary to be a licensed landscape architect. The board shall designate and notify applicants of the time and location for examinations. The board may engage a private contractor to administer the examinations.

(II) The board may adopt the examinations, recommended grading procedures, and educational and practical experience requirements and equivalents of the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards or a successor organization if the examinations, procedures, and requirements and equivalents do not conflict with the requirements of this article 130.

(3) Licensure by examination.

(a) Before being licensed pursuant to this subsection (3), an applicant for licensure by examination shall pass an examination developed or adopted by the board to measure the minimum level of competence.

(b) The board shall designate a time and location for examinations and shall notify applicants of this time and location in a timely manner. The board may contract for assistance in administering the examinations.

(c) The board may adopt the examinations, recommended grading procedures, and educational and practical experience requirements of the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards or any substantially equivalent successor organization if the examinations, procedures, and requirements do not conflict with the requirements of this article 130.

(4) Repealed.

(5) Licensure by prior practice.

(a) The board shall adopt rules authorizing the issuance of a license to qualified candidates who practiced landscape architecture before January 1, 2008.

(b) The following evidence, as verified by the board, shall be acceptable as proof that a candidate is qualified for licensure by prior practice:

(I) (A) A diploma or certificate of graduation from a landscape architecture degree program accredited by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board or its successor organization; and

(B) Evidence of at least six years of practical experience in the practice of landscape architecture sufficient to satisfy the board that the applicant has minimum competence in the practice of landscape architecture; or

(II) Evidence that the applicant has at least ten years of practical experience in the practice of landscape architecture sufficient to satisfy the board that the applicant has minimum competence in the practice of landscape architecture.

(c) All experience required to qualify for licensure by prior practice shall be obtained before January 1, 2008; except that one year of required experience for licensure by prior practice may accrue after January 1, 2008.

(d) The board may develop or adopt a supplementary examination to measure the minimum competence of applicants for licensure by prior practice. The supplementary examination shall be administered at the discretion of the board when an applicant for licensure by prior practice has otherwise failed to sufficiently demonstrate minimum competence.

(6) Issuance of license. Upon application and satisfaction of the requirements of this section, the board shall issue a license to practice landscape architecture. The board is not required to issue a license if the applicant is subject to discipline pursuant to this article 130.

(7) Lapse of application. If an applicant fails to meet the licensing requirements within three years after filing an application, the application shall be void. The board may authorize an applicant for licensure by examination to reattempt the examination without limitation and may exempt an applicant from this subsection (7) so long as the applicant reattempts the examination within thirty-one months after the last examination.

(8) Renewal and reinstatement. All licenses issued pursuant to this article 130 are subject to the renewal, expiration, reinstatement, and delinquency fee provisions specified in section 12-20-202 (1) and (2). Any person whose license has expired shall be subject to penalties provided in this article 130 or in section 12-20-202 (1).

Source: L. 2019: Entire title R&RE with relocations, (HB 19-1172), ch. 136, p. 929, § 1, effective October 1. L. 2020: (1)(c)(II) amended and (4) repealed, (HB 20-1326), ch. 126, p. 535, § 18, effective June 25.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 12-45-110 as it existed prior to 2019.

Cross references: For the short title ("Red Tape Reduction Act") and the legislative declaration in HB 20-1326, see sections 1 and 2 of chapter 126, Session Laws of Colorado 2020.