Alaska Establishes Interior Design Regulation and Independent Practice Rights

Juneau, Alaska – Alaska has become the 31st state and 33rd U.S. jurisdiction to institute reasonable regulation of the interior design profession. House Bill (HB) 314 was passed by the Legislature on June 4, 2026, and became law on June 19, 2026. HB 314 creates a protected title for qualified interior designers and grants them the authority to stamp interior design plans for nonstructural, nonseismic interior construction projects, reinforcing the essential role of interior designers and helping ensure the health, safety, and welfare of public building occupants.

HB 314 creates a registration pathway for registered interior designers through the Board of Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors (AELS Board), formally recognizing interior designers as regulated design professionals in commercial practice.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Mike Prax, with statewide co-sponsors including Rep. Will Stapp, Rep. Frank Tomaszewski, Rep. Alyse Galvin, and Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson, Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, Sen. Forrest Dunbar, Sen. Mike Cronk, and longtime champion Sen. Matt Claman.

“HB 314 represents an important step forward for Alaska and for the design professions nationwide,” said Sen. Claman. “By granting qualified interior designers the ability to work independently on commercial projects, we are strengthening public safety, supporting the economy and recognizing the essential contributions of interior designers.”

“We continue to see a groundswell of support for the interior design profession, showing the importance of this type of legislation to protect health, safety and well-being of communities like Alaska’s,” said IIDA Executive Vice President and CEO, Cheryl S. Durst, Hon. FIIDA. “The passage of HB 314 also speaks to the collaboration among design and construction professionals. This is a testimony to the tenacity of design professionals and their shared goal of protecting public safety.”

The bill makes Alaska the latest state to establish or modernize its interior design legislation, following Idaho, and Utah, which also passed legislation in 2026. The creation of Alaska legislation represents a multiple-year effort by the local chapters of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), with support and guidance from The Consortium for Interior Design, a collaborative advocacy group comprising ASID, IIDA and the Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ).