Oklahoma legislation passed last week changes the legally recognized title of interior design to provide clarity for scopes of practice within the profession. HB 1793, signed into law by Governor Kevin Stitt on April 26, 2024,
recognizes interior design as a distinct profession in the built environment and acknowledges the vital role that
professional interior designers play in safeguarding occupant health, safety, and well-being.

HB 1793 changes the title “Registered Commercial Interior Designer” to “Licensed Interior Designer” with a specified scope of practice. The title of “Interior Designer” is not a protected title and is not restricted to those licensed by the state board, meaning that interior designers or decorators practicing outside of this scope will remain unaffected. The law goes into effect immediately.

This bill makes Oklahoma the latest state to establish or modernize legislation for registered interior designers, following Nebraska in March 2024; Iowa in 2023; Illinois and Wisconsin in 2022; and North Carolina in 2021. It represents a multiple-year effort by the Oklahoma Interior Design Coalition (OIDC), in cooperation with the Consortium for Interior Design, a collaborative advocacy group comprising of ASID, IIDA, and CIDQ.