Listed below are the types of projects we are allowed to complete without a Licensed Architect. We can assist on any building type and size as long as there is a Licensed Professional involved from the beginning. We do not have access to licensed Architects or Engineers.
Alabama: Exemptions
- Buildings other than Assembly Occupancy that are less that (2500) square feet total gross area.
- One-family residence building; or
- Any building on any farm for the use of the farmer, irrespective of the cost.
Alaska: Exemptions
- Farm or ranch buildings and their grounds unless the public health, safety, or welfare is involved
- A building that is intended to be used only as a residence by not more than four families and that is not more than two stories high and the grounds of the building
- A building that is intended to be used only as a residence by not more than two families and that is not more than three stories high and the grounds of the building, if the building complies with any applicable building or residential code adopted by a municipality where the building is located
- A garage, workshop, or similar building that contains less than 2,000 square feet of floor space to be used for a private noncommercial purpose and the grounds of the building
- Alterations or repairs to a building or its grounds that do not change or affect the structural system or the safety of the building, or that do not affect the public health, safety, or welfare
Arizona: Exemptions
- Detached single family dwellings
- One or two story building or structure in which the square footage of the floor area measured to the outside surface of the exterior walls does not exceed three thousand square feet, that is not intended for occupancy by more than twenty persons on a continuous basis and in which the maximum span of any structural member does not exceed twenty feet unless a greater span is achieved by the use of wood or steel roof or floor trusses or lintels approved by an engineer registered by the Board
- A one time single addition, to a building as specified in the previous point, not exceeding one thousand five hundred square feet as measured to the outside surface of the exterior walls and designed for the purpose of storage
Arkansas: Exemptions
- We cannot design for buildings in Arkansas because to be eligible for the exemptions you must first be a resident of the state.
California: Exemptions
- Single-family dwellings of woodframe construction not more than two stories and basement in height
- Multiple dwellings containing no more than four dwelling units of woodframe construction not more than two stories and basement in height. However, this shall not be construed as allowing multiple clusters of up to four dwelling units each to form apartment or condominium complexes where the total exceeds four units on any lawfully divided lot.
- Garages or other structures appurtenant to buildings of woodframe construction not more than two stories and basement in height
- Agricultural and ranch buildings of woodframe construction, unless the building official having jurisdiction deems that an undue risk to the public health, safety, or welfare is involved
Colorado: Exemptions
- One-, two-, three-, and four-family dwellings, including accessory buildings commonly associated with such dwellings
- Garages, industrial buildings, offices, farm buildings, and buildings for the marketing, storage, or processing of farm products, and warehouses, that do not exceed one story in height, exclusive of a one-story basement, and, under applicable building codes, are not designed for occupancy by more than ten persons
- Additions, alterations, or repairs to the buildings referred to above that do not cause the completed buildings to exceed the applicable limitations set forth
- Nonstructural alterations of any nature to any building if such alterations do not affect the life safety of the occupants of the building
Connecticut: Exemptions
- The construction or alteration of a residential building to provide dwelling space for not more than two families
- A private garage or other accessory building intended for use with such residential building
- Any farm building or structure for agricultural use
Delaware: Exemptions
- Detached, single and two-family dwellings, and any sheds, storage buildings and garages incidental to such dwellings
- Farm buildings, including barns, silos, sheds or housing for farm equipment and livestock, provided such structures are designed to be occupied by no more than ten (10) persons
- Alteration, renovation or remodeling of a structure which does not affect structural or other safety features of the structure, regardless of whether local authorities require a building permit for such work and when the work contemplated by the design does not require the issuance of a permit under applicable building codes
Florida: Exemptions
- Any building upon any farm for the use of any farmer, regardless of the cost of the building
- Any one-family or two-family residence building, townhouse, or domestic outbuilding appurtenant to any one-family or two-family residence, regardless of cost
- Any other type of building costing less than $25,000, except a school, auditorium, or other building intended for public use
Georgia: Exemptions
- One and two-family residences and domestic outbuildings regardless of cost
- Any building classified as an agricultural occupancy upon any farm for the use of any farmer; any state owned farmer’s market
- Any building which is a single story building, not exceeding 5,000 square feet in area, except new or existing assembly occupancies, educational occupancies, health care occupancies, correctional or detention facilities, hotels, dormitories or lodging facilities, multifamily housing or apartment complexes, and care facilities
- Preengineered metal buildings that are one story in height, except new or existing assembly occupancies, educational occupancies, health care occupancies, correctional or detention facilities, hotels, dormitories or lodging facilities, multifamily housing or apartment complexes, care facilities, and facilities classified as high hazard; provided, however, that the services of a duly registered architect shall be required for the design of any business or mercantile occupancies that exceed 5,000 square feet in area that are incidental to the operation in such building
- No Exemptions
Idaho: Exemptions
- The erection, enlargement, alteration, or repair of any building, where such building is to be, or is used as a single family residence
- The erection, enlargement, alteration, or repair of any building, where such building is to be, or is used as a multiple family residence not exceeding three (3) units or three (3) stories in height
- A farm building
- For the purpose of outbuildings or auxiliary buildings in connection with such residential or farm premises
- The erection, enlargement, alteration, or repair of any building which does not involve the public health or safety
Illinois: Exemptions
- The building, remodeling or repairing of any building or other structure outside of the corporate limits of any city or village, where such building or structure is to be, or is used for farm purposes, or for the purposes of outbuildings or auxiliary buildings in connection with such farm premises.
- The construction, remodeling or repairing of a detached single family residence on a single lot.
- The construction, remodeling or repairing of a two-family residence of wood frame construction on a single lot, not more than two stories and basement in height.
- Interior design services for buildings which do not involve life safety or structural changes.
Indiana: Exemptions
- Enlargement or alteration of buildings or any parts thereof specifically exempted from the rules of the fire prevention and building safety commission
- Detached residential buildings containing 12 or fewer family dwelling units of not more than three stories and outbuildings in connection with the buildings.
- Buildings used primarily for agricultural purposes including grain elevators and feed mills.
- Nonstructural alterations to existing buildings which do not change the use of a building: a) From any other use to a place of assembly of people or public gathering b) From any other use to a place of residence not previously exempted c) From an industrial or warehouse use to a commercial or office use not previously exempted
- Warehouses and commercial buildings not more than one story in height, and not exceeding 10,000 square feet in gross floor area
- Commercial buildings not more than two stories in height and not exceeding 6,000 square feet in gross floor area
- Light industrial buildings.
- Factory-built buildings which are not more than two stories in height and not exceeding 20,000 square feet in gross floor area or which are certified by a professional engineer registered under Iowa Code chapter
- Churches and accessory buildings, whether attached or separate, not more than two stories in height and not exceeding 2,000 square feet in gross floor area
Kansas: Exemptions
- One and two family dwellings
- Agricultural buildings, not intended for human habitation or emplloyment
- Store fronts or facades, interior alterations or additions, fixtures, cabinet work, furniture, appliances or other equipment to include work necessary to provide for installation of any item designated in this subsection
Kentucky: Exemptions
- Assembly use group having a capacity of less than one hundred (100) persons
- Business use group having a capacity of less than one hundred (100) persons
- Mercantile use group having a capacity of less than one hundred (100) persons
- Residential use group of less than twelve (12) dwelling units or having a capacity of less than fifty (50) persons
Louisiana: Exemptions
- Single family residences
- Buildings or projects that are to be constructed for personal use, provided such buildings are not intended, or adaptable for public employment, assembly or other occupancy by the public,
- New Commercial Buildings or Building additions that do not cause the gross floor areas to exceed those listed in the Louisiana Law. (We have all of these numbers but just didn’t want to post it online)
- Multi Family Residential not to exceed (4000) square feet.
Maine: Exemptions
- Detached single or 2-family dwellings, including those to be utilized for home occupations, as defined by local ordinances, and sheds, storage buildings and garages incidental to the dwellings
- Farm buildings, including barns, silos, sheds or housing for farm equipment and machinery, livestock, poultry or storage, if the structures are designed to be occupied by no more than 10 persons
- Alterations, renovations or remodeling of a building when the cost of the work contemplated by the design does not exceed 15% of the assessed value of the building or $50,000, whichever is the lesser, or does not require the issuance of a permit under applicable building codes or when the work involves those structures as provided earlier
- Buildings that do not have as their principal purpose human occupancy or habitation
- Single-story, above-grade buildings of less than 1,000 square feet that are designed to be occupied by no more than 10 persons
- Pre-engineered manufactured buildings. For the purposes of this section, “preengineered manufactured building” means a structural unit, other than a dwelling, that is designed by a person licensed as an engineer in the State and is constructed in a manufacturing facility.
Maryland: Exemptions
- New or existing single-family or two-family dwellings, or structures ancillary to them, or farm buildings
- Addition, alteration, construction, design, or repair of a single-family dwelling and appurtenances to
- Alteration or repair of existing building or structure does not exceed $ 5,000 in estimated costs, including labor and materials and is limited to interior alterations or repairs, storefronts or facades, fixtures, cabinetwork or furniture, or exterior stairways, landings, decks, and ramps and does not adversely affect the structural system of the building, including foundations, footings, walls, floors, roofs, bearing partitions, beams, columns, joists, or the mechanical, electrical, or plumbing systems
Massachusetts: Exemptions
- Any building containing less than thirty-five thousand cubic feet of enclosed space, the computation to be made according to rules to be established by the board
- Any single or two-family house or any accessory building thereto
- Any building used for farm purposes
- Alteration of any building not involving substantial and major structural change
Michigan: Exemptions
- Any residential building containing not more than 3,500 square feet of calculated floor area
Minnesota: Exemptions
- Dwellings for single families, and outbuildings in connection therewith, such as barns and private garages
- Two family dwellings
- Any farm building or accessory thereto
- Temporary buildings or sheds used exclusively for construction purposes, not exceeding two stories in height, and not used for living quarters.
Mississippi: Exemptions
- Any Building on any farm for the use by any farmer.
- Any one-family or two-family residence buildings, regardless of cost.
- Any domestic outbuilding appurtenant to any one-family or two-family residence, regardless of cost.
- Any other type of building which contains less than (5000) square feet and is less than (3) stories in height.
Missouri: Exemptions
- A dwelling house
- A multiple family dwelling house, flat or apartment containing not more than two families
- A commercial or industrial building or structure which provides for the employment, assembly, housing, sleeping or eating of not more than nine persons
- Any one structure containing less than twenty thousand cubic feet, except as provided above, and which is not a part or a portion of a project which contains more than one structure
- A building or structure used exclusively for farm purposes
Montana: Exemptions
- Residential construction consisting of less than eight living units regardless of size or cost
- Farm buildings that are not intended for use or used as a public building
- Construction of a building by its owner if the building is not intended for use or used as a public building
Nebraska: Exemptions
- A detached single-family through four family dwelling of less than five thousand square feet of above grade finished space
- a one-story commercial or industrial building or structure of less than five thousand square feet of above grade finished space which does not exceed thirty feet in height unless such building or structure, or the remodeling or repairing thereof, provides for the employment, housing, or assembly of twenty or more persons
- Farm buildings, including barns, silos, sheds, or housing for farm equipment and machinery, livestock, poultry, or storage, if the structures are designed to be occupied by no more than twenty persons Any public works project with contemplated expenditures for a completed project that do not exceed one hundred thousand dollars
- Alteration, renovation, or remodeling does not affect architectural or engineering safety features of the building
Nevada: Exemptions
- We do not hold a certificate to perform residential design in the state of Nevada. There are no exemptions.
New Hampshire: Exemptions
- A single-family or 2-family residence or of any building used for farm purposes
- The alteration of an existing building not involving structural changes
- Any structure which does not have as its principal structural members reinforced concrete or structural steel and is 2-1/2 stories or less, and 4,000 square feet or less, and is not a building of assembly, which includes schools, churches, auditoriums, theaters, hospitals and any building for the elderly.
- We cannot provide services in New Jersey. The only exemption is for a single family residence designed by an immediate family member and a resident of the state.
New Mexico: Exemptions
- Single-family dwellings which are not more than two stories in height
- Multiple dwellings containing no more than four dwelling units which are of woodframe construction not more than two stories in height and not more than four dwelling units per lawfully divided lot
- Garages or other structures added to dwellings described above which are not more than two stories in height
- Certain commercial buildings having an occupant load of less than 10
New York: Exemptions
- Farm buildings, including barns, sheds, poultry houses and other buildings used directly and solely for agricultural purposes
- Residence buildings of gross area of fifteen hundred square feet or less, not including garages, carports, porches, cellars, or uninhabitable basements or attics
- Alterations, costing ten thousand dollars or less, to any building or structure within the city of New York and twenty thousand dollars or less, to any building or structure outside the city of New York which do not involve changes affecting the structural safety or public safety thereof
- A family residence, up to eight units attached with grade level exit, which is not a part of or physically connected with any other buildings or residential units
- A building upon any farm for the use of any farmer, unless the building is of such nature and intended for such use as to substantially involve the health or safety of the public
- An institutional or commercial building if it does not have a total value exceeding ninety thousand dollars ($90,000)
- An institutional or commercial building if the total building area does not exceed 2,500 square feet in gross floor area
- Alteration, remodeling, or renovation of an existing building that is already exempt, or alteration, remodeling, or renovation of an existing building or building site that does not alter or affect the structural system of the building
- A private residence
- A building that under applicable building code does not exceed two stories in height exclusive of a one-story basement, and is:
- A garage
- A building not considered to have a primary building code occupancy classification of assembly group A-1, educational group E, high-hazard group H, or institutional group I
- A building considered to have a primary building code occupancy classification of assembly groups A-2, A-3, A-4, or A-5; business group B; factory industrial group F; mercantile group M; or residential group R
- A preengineered metal building
- A building for the marketing, storage, or processing of farm products; or
- A warehouse
- Rental apartment units that do not exceed three stories in height exclusive of a one-story basement
- A farm building; or
- A building remodeling or an addition or both, which does not change its use to a primary building code occupancy classification of assembly group A-1, educational group E, high-hazard group H, or institutional group I.
- Residential building, a one-family, two-family, or three-family dwelling house, and any accessory structure incidental to that dwelling house.
- A building no more than two (2) stories in height and with a code – defined occupancy of no more than fifty (50) persons for the Code Use Groups A-2 and A-3 – Assembly and Code Use Group E – Education
- A building no more than two (2) stories in height and no more than sixty-four (64) transient lodging units per building for the Code Use Group R1 — Residential, including, but not limited to, hotels and motels
- A building no more than two (2) stories in height and with a gross square footage not exceeding one hundred thousand (100,000) in the Code Use Group B – Business
- A building no more than two (2) stories in height and with a gross square footage not exceeding two hundred thousand (200,000) in the Code Use Group M – Mercantile
- A building no more than two (2) stories in height in the following Code Use Groups or buildings:
- Code Use Group U — Utility,
- Code Use Group F – Factory and Industrial,
- Code Use Group H – High hazard,
- Code Use Group S – Storage,
- Code Use Group R2 — Residential, including apartments containing no more than thirty-two (32) dwelling units or thirty-two (32) guest units per building,
- Code Use Groups R3 and R4 — Residential,
- All buildings used by a municipality, county, state, public trust, public agency or the federal government with a construction value under One Hundred Fifty-eight Thousand Dollars ($158,000.00),
- Incidental buildings or appurtenances associated with paragraphs 1 through 5 of this subsection, and
- All uninhabitable, privately owned agricultural buildings.
- Single family residential dwelling or farm building
- Auxiliary to a single family residential dwelling or farm building, including but not limited to a three-car garage, barn or shed or a shelter used for the housing of domestic animals or livestock.
- A building with a ground area of 4,000 square feet or less and is not more than 20 feet in height from the top surface of lowest flooring to the highest interior overhead finish of the structure.
- A building if:
- The structural part of the building, including but not limited to the foundation walls, floors, roof, footings, bearing partitions, beams, columns and joists, is not involved;
- The building code classification by use or occupancy of the building is not changed; and
- The building code classification by type of construction of the building is not changed
- Single family residences
- Buildings or structures which are used for group habitation in which living units or apartments are not mixed vertically
- Farm buildings occupied by less than ten employes, which are used for the production or storage, or both, of agricultural products, or used in the storage of farm equipment by the owner or tenant of the building
- Buildings with less than four persons housed, employed or assembled throughout the building
- Any single-family or two-family house or any minor accessory building to it
- Any building used for farm purposes, as long as it is not for human habitation or occupancy
- A building which is to be used for farm purposes only;
- A building less than three stories high and containing fewer than five thousand square feet of total floor area except buildings of assembly, institutional, educational, and hazardous occupancies as defined by the Standard Building Code, regardless of area;
- A detached single-family or two-family dwelling, as defined in Group R3 of the Standard Building Code, regardless of size, with each unit having a grade level exit and sheds, storage buildings, and garages incidental to the dwelling;
- Alterations to a building already listed, if the alterations do not increase the areas and capacities beyond the limits previously defined or affect the structural safety of the building.
- Any dwelling for a single family, and any outbuilding in connection therewith, such as a barn or private garage
- Any two, three, or four family dwelling
- Any five to sixteen family dwelling, inclusive, located in a governmental subdivision of this state which provides a detailed building code review of building projects by a building inspection department which is a Class A member of the International Conference of Building Officials
- Any farm or ranch building or accessory thereto except any building regularly used for public purposes;
- Any temporary building or shed used exclusively for construction purposes, not exceeding two stories in height, and not used for living quarters
- Business, Factory Industrial, Hazardous, mercantile, residential, and Storage Occupancies which are:
- Less than (3) stories in height; and
- Less than (5000) square feet in total gross area
- One-family and two-family dwellings and domestic outbuildings appurtenant thereto; or
- Farm buildings not designed or intended for human occupancy.
- A building used primarily for farm, ranch, or agricultural purposes
- A building used primarily for storage of raw agricultural commodities
- A single-family or dual-family dwelling or a building or appurtenance associated with the dwelling
- A multifamily dwelling not exceeding a height of two stories and not exceeding 16 units per building
- A commercial building that does not exceed a height of two stories or a square footage of 20,000 square feet
- A warehouse that has limited public access
- One, two, three, or four-family residence not exceeding two stories in height, exclusive of basement
- Alteration of or repair to an existing building affecting an area not exceeding 3,000 square feet when structural elements of a building are not changed, such as foundations, beams, columns, and structural slabs, joists, bearing walls, and trusses
- A detached single, two-family, three-family, or four-family dwelling, or a shed, storage building or garage incidental to that dwelling
- A farm building, including barns, silos, sheds or housing for farm equipment and machinery, livestock, poultry or storage
- A pre-engineered building, or a building, plans for which have been stamped or sealed by a licensed professional in the appropriate field.
- Single- and two-family homes, townhouses and multifamily dwellings, excluding electrical and mechanical systems, not exceeding three stories
- All farm structures used primarily in the production, handling or storage of agricultural products or implements, including, but not limited to, structures used for the handling, processing, housing or storage of crops, feeds, supplies, equipment, animals or poultry
- Buildings and structures classified with respect to use as business (Use Group B) and mercantile (Use Group M), as provided in the Uniform Statewide Building Code and churches with an occupant load of 100 or less, excluding electrical and mechanical systems, where such building or structure does not exceed 5,000 square feet in total net floor area, or three stories
- Buildings and structures classified with respect to use as factory and industrial (Use Group F) and storage (Use Group S) as provided in the Uniform Statewide Building Code, excluding electrical and mechanical systems, where such building or structure does not exceed 15,000 square feet in total net floor area, or three stories
- Additions, remodeling or interior design without a change in occupancy or occupancy load and without modification to the structural system or a change in access or exit patterns or increase in fire hazard
- A residential building of up to and including four dwelling units or a farm building or is a structure used in connection with or auxiliary to such residential building or farm building such as a garage, barn, shed, or shelter for animals or machinery
- Any building of any occupancy up to a total building size of four thousand square feet
- Alteration of or repairs to a building where the project size is not more than four thousand square feet in a building greater than four thousand square feet and when the work contemplated by the design does not affect the life safety or structural systems of the building. The combined square footage of simultaneous projects allowed under this rule may not exceed four thousand square feet
- A detached single family dwelling and any sheds, storage buildings and garages incidental thereto
- A multi-family residential structure not in excess of three stories excluding any basement area
- Farm buildings, including barns, silos, sheds or housing for farm equipment and machinery, livestock, poultry or storage, if such structures are designed to be occupied by no more than ten persons
- Any alteration, renovation or remodeling of a building, if such alteration, renovation or remodeling does not affect structural or other safety features of the building or if the work contemplated by the design does not require the issuance of a permit under any applicable building code
- Preengineered buildings, including mobile classrooms purchased by county school boards
- A commercial structure which is to contain not more than seventy-six hundred square feet and not in excess of one story excluding any basement area
- Dwellings for single families, and outbuildings in connection with single-family dwellings, including, but not limited to, barns and private garages.
- Apartment buildings used exclusively as the residence of not more than 2 families.
- Buildings used exclusively for agricultural purposes.
- Temporary buildings or sheds used exclusively for construction purposes, not exceeding 2 stories in height, and not used for living quarters.
- Private Residences
- Garages, commercial or industrial buildings, office buildings, per-engineered metal buildings and buildings for the marketing, storage or processing of farm products and warehouses, which do not exceed two (2) stories in height, exclusive of a one (1) story basement, and which under applicable building code or codes, are not designed for occupancy by more than ten (10) persons
- Farm Buildings
- Nonstructural alterations of any nature to any building if the alterations do not affect the safety of the occupants of the building