Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Maryland General Assembly, fetched 2026-09-25. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. This is the chaptered version. The official bill page.
WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 246
Chapter 246
(House Bill 1180)
AN ACT concerning
State Board of Architects – Grounds for Discipline – Requirements and
Anonymous Complaints
FOR the purpose of requiring instead of authorizing the State Board of Architects to deny,
reprimand, or suspend a license to practice architecture or a permit to operate a
business through which an individual may practice architecture under certain
circumstances; providing that the Board may deny, reprimand, or suspend a certain
license or permit if a certain individual fraudulently misrepresents that the
individual holds a certain license or permit; requiring the Board to notify certain
county code officials if a license is suspended or revoked; authorizing the Board to
establish an electronic portal to allow the anonymous reporting of a suspected
violation of certain provisions of law relating to the practicing of architecture;
requiring a code official to verify a licensee’s credentials; and generally relating to
the State Board of Architects.
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
Article – Business Occupations and Professions
Section 3–208.1
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2018 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article – Business Occupations and Professions
Section 3–311
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2018 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
BY adding to
Article – Business Occupations and Professions
Section 3–502
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2018 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
BY adding to
Article – Local Government
Section 13–908
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2013 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
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Ch. 246 2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND
Article – Business Occupations and Professions
3–208.1.
(a) In this section, “code official” means a public official responsible for the review
of building permit documents or the issuance of building permits.
(b) The Board shall:
(1) keep a list of the names and mailing addresses of all licensees;
(2) provide each code official with a copy of the list annually; and
(3) provide any other person who makes a request with a copy of the list at
a reasonable fee set by the Board.
(c) (1) The Board shall provide all licensees and code officials with a periodic
newsletter not less than semiannually on the activities of the Board.
(2) The Board shall publish, on the Department website, the newsletter
jointly with the State Board for Professional Engineers, the State Board of Certified
Interior Designers, the State Board of Examiners of Landscape Architects, and the State
Board for Professional Land Surveyors.
(d) The Board shall distribute:
(1) to each applicant for a license and each code official, a copy of the
Maryland Architects Act and the Board’s rules and regulations;
(2) on each renewal of a license, to each licensee, a copy of any amendments
to the Maryland Architects Act and the Board’s rules and regulations that took effect during
the 2–year period ending on the date of renewal; and
(3) to each code official, a copy of any amendments to the Maryland
Architects Act and the Board’s rules and regulations.
(e) A licensee shall designate the licensee’s mailing address at the time of
issuance of the license and on each renewal of the license.
3–311.
(a) (1) Subject to the hearing provisions of § 3–313 of this subtitle, the Board,
on the affirmative vote of a majority of its authorized membership, [may] SHALL deny a
license to any applicant, reprimand any licensee, or suspend or revoke a license if:
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WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 246
(i) the applicant or licensee fraudulently or deceptively obtains or
renews or attempts to obtain or renew a license or permit for the applicant or licensee or
for another;
(ii) the applicant or licensee fraudulently or deceptively uses a
license, OR MISREPRESENTS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL HOLDS A LICENSE OR A PERMIT;
(iii) the applicant or licensee is guilty of any fraud, gross negligence,
incompetence, or misconduct while practicing architecture;
(iv) the applicant or licensee violates any regulation adopted by the
Board;
(v) the applicant or licensee violates any provision of this title;
(vi) the applicant or licensee aids or abets an unauthorized person to
practice architecture;
(vii) under the laws of the United States or of any state, the applicant
or licensee is convicted of:
1. a felony; or
2. a misdemeanor that is directly related to the fitness and
qualification of the applicant or licensee to practice architecture; or
(viii) the applicant or licensee has had a license to practice
architecture in another state revoked or suspended for grounds that would justify
revocation or suspension of a license under this title, except for failure to pay a license fee.
(2) (i) Instead of or in addition to reprimanding the licensee or
suspending or revoking a license under this subsection, the Board may impose a penalty
not exceeding $5,000 for each violation.
(ii) To determine the amount of the penalty imposed under this
subsection, the Board shall consider:
1. the seriousness of the violation;
2. the harm caused by the violation;
3. the good faith of the licensee; and
4. any history of previous violations by the licensee.
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Ch. 246 2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND
(3) The Board shall pay any penalty collected under this subsection into
the General Fund of the State.
(b) The Board shall consider the following facts in the granting, denial, renewal,
suspension, or revocation of a license or the reprimand of a licensee when an applicant or
licensee is convicted of a felony or misdemeanor described in subsection (a)(1)(vii) of this
section:
(1) the nature of the crime;
(2) the relationship of the crime to the activities authorized by the license;
(3) with respect to a felony, the relevance of the conviction to the fitness
and qualification of the applicant or licensee to practice architecture;
(4) the length of time since the conviction; and
(5) the behavior and activities of the applicant or licensee before and after
the conviction.
(C) IF THE BOARD SUSPENDS OR REVOKES A LICENSE UNDER SUBSECTION
(A) OF THIS SECTION, THE BOARD SHALL NOTIFY EACH COUNTY’S CODE OFFICIAL
OF THE SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 3–208.1 OF THIS
TITLE.
3–502.
THE BOARD MAY ESTABLISH AN ELECTRONIC PORTAL TO ALLOW THE
ANONYMOUS AND CONFIDENTIAL REPORTING OF A SUSPECTED VIOLATION OF §
3–601, § 3–602, § 3–603, OR § 3–604 OF THIS TITLE.
Article – Local Government
13–908.
(A) THIS SECTION APPLIES TO ALL COUNTIES.
(B) WHEN REVIEWING AND APPROVING ARCHITECTURAL DOCUMENTS FOR
THE PURPOSE OF COMPLIANCE WITH A BUILDING CODE ADOPTED UNDER THIS
SUBTITLE, A CODE OFFICIAL SHALL VERIFY THAT THE SEAL AND LICENSE OF THE
ARCHITECT MATCHES THE PERSON WHO FILES THE DOCUMENTS WITH THE CODE
OFFICIAL A CODE OFFICIAL THAT REVIEWS ARCHITECTURAL DOCUMENTS FOR
COMPLIANCE WITH A BUILDING CODE ADOPTED UNDER THIS SUBTITLE SHALL
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WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 246
VERIFY WITH THE ARCHITECT WHO SIGNED THE DOCUMENTS THE SEAL AND
LICENSE OF THE ARCHITECT BEFORE A PERMIT IS PROCESSED.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 2026.
Approved by the Governor, April 28, 2026.
–5–Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.