HB374 Alabama 2012 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Mark Tuggle
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2012
Title: Landscape architects, registered landscape architects, licensing, examination, and education requirements, payment of annual license fee, date due and date of mailing of delinquency notice altered, Secs. 34-17-20, 34-17-21, 34-17-22, 34-17-24, 34-17-25 am'd.
Summary: HB374 updates Alabama's landscape-architecture licensing rules by allowing a 'registered landscape architect' title, clarifying education requirements, removing the broad eight-year experience exemption, enabling digital exams, updating delinquency notice timing, and adding a fee for a supplemental exam.
What This Bill Does
The bill allows the title 'registered landscape architect' to be used in addition to 'landscape architect' and clarifies that master's or doctoral degrees can count toward education requirements. It changes how education and experience are counted, removing the general eight-year experience path for licensure while preserving a grandfathering provision for those who began practical work before enactment. It permits licensing exams to be administered digitally and requires continuing education for license renewal. It also changes when delinquency notices can be mailed for unpaid fees and introduces a new $150 fee to administer a supplemental exam related to landscape-architecture statutes, with penalties for late payment and potential suspension if not paid by the deadline.

Who It Affects
Applicants for landscape-architecture licensure and current licensees who will be subject to revised education and experience requirements, may use the 'registered landscape architect' title, and will take digital exams when applicable.
The Board of Examiners of Landscape Architects, which will implement the digital exam format, manage education equivalencies (including master's/doctoral degrees), enforce license renewals with continuing education, and administer new and existing fees.

Key Provisions
Allows the use of the title 'registered landscape architect' in addition to 'landscape architect' for licensed individuals and clarifies title usage.
Education requirements: master's or doctoral degrees count toward the five-year combined education and practical experience requirement; those who began practical experience before enactment may qualify for an eight-year exemption only if they meet the prior conditions (grandfathering provision).
Eliminates the broad eight-year practical experience pathway for licensure; practical-experience-based exemption is restricted by the grandfathering provision for those who started before the act.
Licensing examinations may be digital; the board may determine the subjects and scope of exams and may use digital formats.
Delinquency notices for unpaid license fees are changed in timing; penalties apply for late payment and suspension of the license certificate can occur if payment is not completed by a specified deadline after notice.
Adds a new fee of $150 to administer the supplemental examination on landscape-architecture statutes; other existing fees (application, original certificate, duplicate certificate, annual license, and penalty) remain as specified.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Landscape Architects, Board of Examiners of