Sec. 20-298. Exempted activities. The following activities are exempted from the
provisions of this chapter: (1) The practice of engineering by a professional engineer
licensed under the provisions of chapter 391, and the performance by such professional
engineer of architectural work for which such professional engineer is qualified by
education and experience and which is incidental to such professional engineer's engineering work; (2) the construction or alteration of a residential building to provide dwelling space for not more than two families, or of a private garage or other accessory
building intended for use with such residential building, or of any farm building or
structure for agricultural use; (3) the preparation of details and shop drawings by persons
other than architects, for use in execution of the work of such persons, when buildings
are designed in accordance with the requirements of this chapter; (4) the activities of
employees of architects licensed in this state acting under the instructions, control or
supervision of their employers; (5) the superintendence by builders, or properly qualified
superintendents employed by such builders, of the construction or structural alteration
of buildings or structures; (6) the activities of officers and employees of any public
utility corporation whose operations are under the jurisdiction of the Department of
Public Utility Control; (7) the activities of officers and employees of the government
of the United States while engaged in this state in the practice of architecture for said
government; and (8) the making of plans and specifications for or supervising the erection of any building, any building addition or any alteration to an existing building,
where the building, including any addition, contains less than five thousand square feet
total area, provided (A) this subdivision shall not be construed to exempt from the
provisions of this chapter buildings of less than five thousand square feet total area of
the use groups as defined in the State Building Code as follows: Assembly, educational,
institutional, high hazard, transient residential, which includes hotels, motels, rooming
or boarding houses, dormitories and similar buildings, and (B) the area specified in this
subdivision is to be calculated from the exterior dimensions of the outside walls of the
building and shall include all occupiable floors or levels.
(1953, S. 2310d; 1971, P.A. 703, S. 6; P.A. 75-486, S. 50, 69; P.A. 77-614, S. 162, 610; P.A. 80-482, S. 174, 348; P.A.
82-419, S. 20, 47; P.A. 86-159, S. 5; P.A. 98-3, S. 7; P.A. 02-59, S. 1.)
History: 1971 act replaced "registered architects" with "architects registered in this state" in Subdiv. (d); P.A. 75-486
replaced public utilities commission with public utilities control authority in Subdiv. (f); P.A. 77-614 replaced public
utilities control authority with division of public utility control within the department of business regulation, effective
January 1, 1979; P.A. 80-482 established division of public utility control as independent department and deleted reference
to abolished department of business regulation; P.A. 82-419 changed term "registered" to "licensed"; P.A. 86-159 exempted
engineers who perform architectural work provided they are qualified by education and experience and made other technical
changes; P.A. 98-3 made technical changes; P.A. 02-59 made technical changes for the purpose of gender neutrality,
amended Subdiv. (8) by adding as exempted activities the making of plans and specifications for or supervising the erection
of buildings, additions or alterations, where the building, including addition, contains less than 5000 square feet total area,
deleting a provision re making plans and specifications for or supervising the erection of any addition containing less than
5000 square feet total area to any building, or the making of alterations to any existing building containing less than 5000
square feet total area, deleting a provision in Subpara. (A) re the alteration of buildings of more than 5000 square feet total
area, involving the safety or stability of such buildings, and adding to the exclusion from the exemption, buildings of less
than 5000 square feet total area of the use groups defined in the State Building Code as "assembly, educational, institutional,
high hazard, transient residential, which includes hotels, motels, rooming or boarding houses, dormitories and similar
buildings", and made other technical changes.
Cited. 148 C. 121.
Cited. 20 CS 238.
Sec. 20-298a. Partnerships of architects and professional engineers. Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter and chapter 391, one or more architects and one
or more professional engineers, each of whom is licensed under the provisions of said
chapters, may form a partnership, joint enterprise or association, the title of which may
include the words "architects" and "engineers". At least half of the partners or principals
in any such partnership, joint enterprise or association shall be licensed architects and
all of its announcements, cards, printed matter and listings shall indicate as to each
member whether he is an architect or a professional engineer.
(February, 1965, P.A. 495; P.A. 82-419, S. 21, 47.)
History: P.A. 82-419 changed term "registered" to "licensed".
Cited. 207 C. 496, 502, 503.
Sec. 20-298b. Practice of architecture by corporations. (a) The practice of architecture or the offer to practice architecture in this state by individual licensed architects
under the corporate form or by a corporation, a material part of the business of which
includes architecture, is permitted, provided (1) such personnel of such corporation as
act in its behalf as architects, its chief executive officer and the holder or holders of not
less than two-thirds of the voting stock thereof are licensed under the provisions of this
chapter, and (2) such corporation has been issued a certificate of authorization by the
board. No such corporation shall be relieved of responsibility for the conduct or acts of
its agents, employees or officers by reason of its compliance with the provisions of this
section, nor shall any individual practicing architecture be relieved of responsibility for
architectural services performed by reason of his employment or relationship with such
corporation.
(b) A qualifying corporation desiring a certificate of authorization shall file with
the board an application upon a form prescribed by the board. Such application shall
state (1) the name and address of such corporation, (2) the city or town and the street
and number where such corporation is to maintain its principal office in this state, (3)
the names and addresses of all of its stockholders, directors and officers, (4) a statement
as to whether or not the holder or holders of at least two-thirds of the voting stock of
such corporation are persons holding a license issued by the board, and (5) such other
information as may be required by the board. The application shall be accompanied by
an application fee of fifty dollars. If all requirements of this chapter are met, the board
shall issue to such corporation a certificate of authorization within sixty days of such
application, provided the board may refuse to issue a certificate if any facts exist which
would entitle the board to suspend or revoke an existing certificate. After obtaining such
certificate of authorization, any such corporation may practice architecture subject to
the regulations adopted under this chapter. All plans, specifications, sketches, drawings
and documents pertaining to any such services rendered by the corporation shall be
signed and bear the seal of a Connecticut licensed architect in accordance with the
provisions of section 20-293 and the regulations adopted under this chapter. Each certificate of authorization issued under this section shall be renewable annually if all requirements of this chapter are met, provided the board may refuse to renew a certificate if
any facts exist which would entitle the board to suspend or revoke an existing certificate.
A corporation holding a certificate of authorization under this section shall report any
changes in the ownership of its shares of stock or in the person holding the chief executive
office to the board within thirty days after any such change.
(c) Any certificate of authorization issued by the board under this section may be
suspended, for a period not to exceed one year, or revoked by the board after notice and
hearing in accordance with the regulations adopted by the Commissioner of Consumer
Protection, if it is shown that: (1) The holder of such certificate of authorization does
not conform to the requirements of this section; (2) the certificate was obtained through
fraud or misrepresentation; or (3) the chief executive officer, the holder of any of the
stock of the corporation holding such certificate of authorization or any licensed architect
employed by or acting on behalf of such corporation has been censured or has had his
certificate of registration suspended or revoked by the board pursuant to the provisions
of section 20-294.
(d) Each corporation holding a certificate of authorization under this section shall
file with the board a designation of an individual or individuals licensed to practice
architecture in this state who shall be in charge of architectural work by such corporation
in this state. Such corporation shall notify the board of any change in such designation
within thirty days after such change becomes effective.
(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit any corporation in existence
prior to 1933, whose charter authorizes the practice of architecture, from continuing
to make plans and specifications and supervise construction as authorized by section
20-290.
(1969, P.A. 422, S. 1-5; June, 1971, P.A. 8, S. 87; 1972, P.A. 223, S. 18; P.A. 74-31; P.A. 77-614, S. 177, 178, 610;
P.A. 82-419, S. 22, 47; P.A. 83-574, S. 15, 20; P.A. 84-546, S. 59, 173; P.A. 85-613, S. 125, 154; P.A. 94-36, S. 16, 42;
P.A. 98-3, S. 8; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(c); P.A. 04-189, S. 1.)
History: 1971 act raised renewal fee in Subsec. (b) from fifty to one hundred fifty dollars; 1972 act reduced renewal
fee to one hundred dollars; P.A. 74-31 required issuance of certificate to corporation meeting requirements within sixty
rather than thirty days of the application, changed expiration date from one year after date of issuance to June thirtieth
following issuance and deleted provision for one hundred dollar renewal fee; P.A. 77-614 replaced reference to regulations
of board in Subsec. (b) with reference to regulations established under chapter and replaced provision for fifteen days'
notice of hearing in Subsec. (c) with statement that notice and hearing are to be in accordance with regulations of consumer
protection commissioner, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 82-419 changed "registration" to "licensure"; P.A. 83-574 required that not less than two-thirds of voting stock of corporation for practice of architecture be owned by licensed architects;
P.A. 84-546 changed "Corporations holding a certificate ..." to "A corporation holding a certificate ..." in provision of
Subsec. (b) dealing with reporting of "changes in ownership of its shares of stock or in the person holding the chief executive
office ..."; P.A. 85-613 reiterated amendment made by P.A. 84-546 which due to error was not printed in the 1985 revision;
P.A. 94-36 amended Subsec. (b) to eliminate the reference to the "June thirtieth" license expiration date, effective January
1, 1995; P.A. 98-3 made technical changes; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced Commissioner of Consumer Protection
with Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of
June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection,
effective June 1, 2004.
See Sec. 21a-10(b) re staggered schedule for license renewals.