NCIDQ Information
The National Council for Interior Design Qualification protects public health, safety and welfare by identifying interior designers who have the knowledge and experience to create interior spaces that are not just aesthetically pleasing, but also functional and safe.
The core purpose of NCIDQ is to protect the health, life safety and welfare of the public by establishing standards of competence in the practice of interior design.
An independent, nonprofit organization of state and provincial credentialing bodies, NCIDQ has issued professional certificates to competent interior design professionals since 1974. Interior designers who meet NCIDQ’s eligibility requirements for education and experience and pass the rigorous NCIDQ Examination are assigned a unique NCIDQ Certificate number that attests to their qualifications for employers, state regulators and the general public.
In addition to developing and administering the examination, NCIDQ provides research and expertise that informs state and provincial licensing laws and regulations for the interior design profession.
Why Hire an NCIDQ Certificate Holder?
The right mix of specialists on a project can save you time and money—and reduce your liability as well. Make sure you require the same level of competence from your interior designers as you do from the architectural, engineering and other building professionals on your team.
All NCIDQ Certificate holders have been educated, trained and examined to protect public health, safety and welfare. When you hire an NCIDQ Certificate holder, you hire a professional with proven knowledge, experience and proficiency in the latest interior design principles and practices, contract documents and administration and decision-making skills.
Like the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, NCIDQ is composed of U.S. and Canadian regulatory boards—and we take our responsibility to protect the public seriously. NCIDQ Certificate holders have completed a minimum of six years of specialized education and experience and passed a rigorous, two-day exam based on NCIDQ’s independent, comprehensive analysis of the profession and the daily practice of interior designers in a range of settings.
The NCIDQ Certificate meets the interior design profession’s legal and regulatory standards established by 29 U.S. states and Canadian provinces as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. However, unlike architecture, in most of these states and provinces the practice of interior design is unregulated. That means your greatest assurance of high qualifications is the NCIDQ Certificate.
Earning Your NCIDQ Certificate:
NCIDQ administers the NCIDQ Examination for interior designers. Successful completion of the examination leads to the respected NCIDQ Certificate, the credential of choice for interior designers. You must have completed a formal course of study in interior design and a period of supervised work experience before being able to take the examination. NCIDQ continually updates the examination to be sure it closely aligns with expanding professional knowledge interior designers must have. Although interior designers must possess a wide range of knowledge, the NCIDQ Examination only tests aspects of the practice of interior design that affect the public health, life safety and welfare.
Administered over two days every six months, the NCIDQ Examination is composed of three sections:
· Section 1: Codes, Building Systems and Construction Standards consists of 150 multiple-choice questions designed to assess knowledge of codes, building systems, construction standards and contract administration
· Section 2: Design Application, Project Coordination and Professional Practice consists of 150 multiple-choice questions designed to assess knowledge of design application, project coordination and professional practice.
· Section 3: Interior Design Practicum is a full-day examination, consisting of seven unique exercises that will focus on the following areas: space planning, lighting design, egress, life safety, restroom (washroom) design, systems integration and millwork.
Click here for information on how the exam is scored.
For additional information regarding testing, eligability, costs, and study materials please visit: www.ncidq.org
