United States

Architects and engineers are licensed state by state. We work with firms registered in the state of the project, and a locally licensed architect or engineer of record seals the documents. The agreement names the firm and the state. See Jurisdictions and governing law.

Building codes are adopted by each state and locality, usually based on the International Building Code with local amendments, alongside zoning, energy and accessibility rules such as the Americans with Disabilities Act. We identify the authority having jurisdiction at the start.

State law governs contracts and professional liability, and the agreement may be based on an industry standard form. Disputes go to the courts of the state or to arbitration, as the agreement provides.