On April 21, bipartisan House Bill (HB) 1258 was introduced to the General Assembly by several Pennsylvania legislators. H.R. 1258, 205th Gen. Assemb., Reg. Sess. (Pa. 2021). HB 1258, if passed, would create the Interior Designer Registration Act. Currently, Pennsylvania’s interior designers cannot become registered. The Interior Designer Registration Act would permit, but not require, interior designers to register with the Bureau of Consumer Protection.

To qualify as a “registered interior designer,” an applicant must pass the Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ) examination and maintain a valid and active National Council for Interior Design Qualifications (NCIDQ) certification. The CIDQ is an independent, nonprofit organization of state and provincial credentialing bodies that develops and administers the NCIDQ examination with “the purpose of establishing minimum standards of competence for the professional practice of interior design relative to building codes and industry standards.” Applicants must provide proof of general liability insurance of at least $50,000. A registration issued under the act would be valid for two years and may be subsequently renewed pending several conditions being met, including a minimum 10 hours of continuing education.