{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/54.1-406.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/54.1-406.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/54.1-406.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/54.1-406.html"}],"law_id":57598,"edition_id":1,"section_id":57598,"structure_id":14278,"section_number":"54.1-406","catch_line":"License required","history":"1979, c. 408, \u00a7 54-26.1; 1982, c. 590; 1984, c. 470; 1988, c. 765; 1992, cc. 780, 783; 1994, c. 784; 1996, c. 329; 2004, c. 191; 2005, cc. 359, 440; 2010, c. 91.","full_text":"A\n\nUnless exempted by § 54.1-401, 54.1-402, or 54.1-402.1, a person shall hold a valid license prior to engaging in the practice of architecture or engineering which includes design, consultation, evaluation or analysis and involves proposed or existing improvements to real property.\n\t\t\tUnless exempted by § 54.1-401, 54.1-402, or 54.1-402.1, a person shall hold a valid license prior to engaging in the practice of land surveying.B\n\nUnless exempted by § 54.1-402, any person, partnership, corporation or other entity offering to practice architecture, engineering, or land surveying without being registered or licensed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, shall be subject to the provisions of § 54.1-111 of this title.C\n\nAny person, partnership, corporation or other entity which is not licensed or registered to practice in accordance with this chapter and which advertises or promotes through the use of the words “architecture,” “engineering” or “land surveying” or any modification or derivative thereof in its name or description of its business activity in a manner that indicates or implies that it practices or offers to practice architecture, engineering or land surveying as defined in this chapter shall be subject to the provisions of § 54.1-111.D\n\nNotwithstanding these provisions, any state agency or political subdivision of the Commonwealth unable to employ a qualified licensed engineer, architect, or land surveyor to fill a responsible charge position, after reasonable and unsuccessful search, may fill the position with an unlicensed person upon the determination by the chief administrative officer of the agency or political subdivision that the person, by virtue of education, experience, and expertise, can perform the work required of the position.E\n\nNotwithstanding the provisions of this section, a contractor who is licensed pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 11 (§ 54.1-1100 et seq.) of this title shall not be required to be licensed or registered to practice in accordance with this chapter when bidding upon or negotiating design-build contracts or performing services other than architectural, engineering or land surveying services under a design-build contract. The architectural, engineering or land surveying services offered or rendered in connection with such contracts shall only be rendered by an architect, professional engineer or land surveyor licensed in accordance with this chapter.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":211050,"text":"Unless exempted by § 54.1-401, 54.1-402, or 54.1-402.1, a person shall hold a valid license prior to engaging in the practice of architecture or engineering which includes design, consultation, evaluation or analysis and involves proposed or existing improvements to real property.\n\t\t\tUnless exempted by § 54.1-401, 54.1-402, or 54.1-402.1, a person shall hold a valid license prior to engaging in the practice of land surveying.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":211051,"text":"Unless exempted by § 54.1-402, any person, partnership, corporation or other entity offering to practice architecture, engineering, or land surveying without being registered or licensed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, shall be subject to the provisions of § 54.1-111 of this title.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":211052,"text":"Any person, partnership, corporation or other entity which is not licensed or registered to practice in accordance with this chapter and which advertises or promotes through the use of the words “architecture,” “engineering” or “land surveying” or any modification or derivative thereof in its name or description of its business activity in a manner that indicates or implies that it practices or offers to practice architecture, engineering or land surveying as defined in this chapter shall be subject to the provisions of § 54.1-111.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":211053,"text":"Notwithstanding these provisions, any state agency or political subdivision of the Commonwealth unable to employ a qualified licensed engineer, architect, or land surveyor to fill a responsible charge position, after reasonable and unsuccessful search, may fill the position with an unlicensed person upon the determination by the chief administrative officer of the agency or political subdivision that the person, by virtue of education, experience, and expertise, can perform the work required of the position.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"4":{"id":211054,"text":"Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, a contractor who is licensed pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 11 (§ 54.1-1100 et seq.) of this title shall not be required to be licensed or registered to practice in accordance with this chapter when bidding upon or negotiating design-build contracts or performing services other than architectural, engineering or land surveying services under a design-build contract. The architectural, engineering or land surveying services offered or rendered in connection with such contracts shall only be rendered by an architect, professional engineer or land surveyor licensed in accordance with this chapter.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14278,"edition_id":1,"name":"Architects, Engineers, Surveyors and Landscape Architects","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13996,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:35","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:35","permalink":{"id":240555,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14278,"identifier":"1","token":"54.1\/II\/4\/1","url":"\/54.1\/II\/4\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13996,"edition_id":1,"name":"Architects, Engineers, Surveyors, Landscape Architects and Interior Designers","identifier":"4","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12755,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:33","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:33","permalink":{"id":240553,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13996,"identifier":"4","token":"54.1\/II\/4","url":"\/54.1\/II\/4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12755,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professions and Occupations Regulated by the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation and Boards Within the Department","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12754,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":239415,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12755,"identifier":"II","token":"54.1\/II","url":"\/54.1\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12754,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professions and Occupations","identifier":"54.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":239313,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12754,"identifier":"54.1","token":"54.1","url":"\/54.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":76379,"structure_id":14278,"section_number":"54.1-400","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/54.1-400\/","token":"54.1\/II\/4\/1\/54.1-400","metadata":false},{"id":55543,"structure_id":14278,"section_number":"54.1-401","catch_line":"Exemptions","url":"\/54.1-401\/","token":"54.1\/II\/4\/1\/54.1-401","metadata":false},{"id":55882,"structure_id":14278,"section_number":"54.1-402","catch_line":"Further exemptions from license requirements for architects, professional engineers, and land surveyors","url":"\/54.1-402\/","token":"54.1\/II\/4\/1\/54.1-402","metadata":false},{"id":76750,"structure_id":14278,"section_number":"54.1-402.1","catch_line":"State and local government employees; license exemptions for persons employed prior to March 8, 1992","url":"\/54.1-402.1\/","token":"54.1\/II\/4\/1\/54.1-402.1","metadata":false},{"id":63753,"structure_id":14278,"section_number":"54.1-402.2","catch_line":"Cease and desist orders for unlicensed activity; civil penalty","url":"\/54.1-402.2\/","token":"54.1\/II\/4\/1\/54.1-402.2","metadata":false},{"id":67074,"structure_id":14278,"section_number":"54.1-403","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Board members and officers; quorum","url":"\/54.1-403\/","token":"54.1\/II\/4\/1\/54.1-403","metadata":false},{"id":77321,"structure_id":14278,"section_number":"54.1-404","catch_line":"Regulations; code of professional practice and conduct","url":"\/54.1-404\/","token":"54.1\/II\/4\/1\/54.1-404","metadata":false},{"id":56833,"structure_id":14278,"section_number":"54.1-404.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/54.1-404.1\/","token":"54.1\/II\/4\/1\/54.1-404.1","metadata":false},{"id":59827,"structure_id":14278,"section_number":"54.1-404.2","catch_line":"Continuing education","url":"\/54.1-404.2\/","token":"54.1\/II\/4\/1\/54.1-404.2","metadata":false},{"id":69257,"structure_id":14278,"section_number":"54.1-405","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Examinations and issuance of licenses and certificates","url":"\/54.1-405\/","token":"54.1\/II\/4\/1\/54.1-405","metadata":false},{"id":57598,"structure_id":14278,"section_number":"54.1-406","catch_line":"License required","url":"\/54.1-406\/","token":"54.1\/II\/4\/1\/54.1-406","metadata":false},{"id":73143,"structure_id":14278,"section_number":"54.1-406.1","catch_line":"Alternative to education requirement for licensure of architects","url":"\/54.1-406.1\/","token":"54.1\/II\/4\/1\/54.1-406.1","metadata":false},{"id":79139,"structure_id":14278,"section_number":"54.1-407","catch_line":"Land surveying","url":"\/54.1-407\/","token":"54.1\/II\/4\/1\/54.1-407","metadata":false},{"id":62825,"structure_id":14278,"section_number":"54.1-408","catch_line":"Practice of land surveying; 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This law was first created in 1979. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 408 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1979 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 9 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1982, chapter 590; in 1984, chapter 470; in 1988, chapter 765; in 1992, chapters 780 and 783; in 1994, chapter 784<\/a>; in 1996, chapter 329<\/a>; in 2004, chapter 191<\/a>; in 2005, chapters 359<\/a> and 440<\/a>; in 2010, chapter 91<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":55882,"section_number":"54.1-402","catch_line":"Further exemptions from license requirements for architects, professional engineers, and land surveyors","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-402\/"},{"id":76750,"section_number":"54.1-402.1","catch_line":"State and local government employees; license exemptions for persons employed prior to March 8, 1992","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-402.1\/"},{"id":77321,"section_number":"54.1-404","catch_line":"Regulations; code of professional practice and conduct","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-404\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":85110,"section_number":"54.1-1100","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-1100\/"},{"id":70430,"section_number":"54.1-111","catch_line":"Unlawful acts; prosecution; proceedings in equity; civil penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-111\/"},{"id":55543,"section_number":"54.1-401","catch_line":"Exemptions","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-401\/"},{"id":55882,"section_number":"54.1-402","catch_line":"Further exemptions from license requirements for architects, professional engineers, and land surveyors","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-402\/"},{"id":76750,"section_number":"54.1-402.1","catch_line":"State and local government employees; license exemptions for persons employed prior to March 8, 1992","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-402.1\/"}],"permalink":{"id":240597,"object_type":"law","relational_id":57598,"identifier":"54.1-406","token":"54.1\/II\/4\/1\/54.1-406","url":"\/54.1-406\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/54.1-406\/","token":"54.1\/II\/4\/1\/54.1-406","dublin_core":{"Title":"License required","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 54.1-406","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Unless exempted by § 54.1-401<\/a>, 54.1-402<\/a>, or 54.1-402.1<\/a>, a person shall hold a valid license prior to engaging in the practice of architecture<\/span> or engineering which includes design, consultation, evaluation or analysis and involves proposed or existing improvements to real property<\/span>.\n\t\t\tUnless exempted by § 54.1-401<\/a>, 54.1-402<\/a>, or 54.1-402.1<\/a>, a person shall hold a valid license prior to engaging in the practice of land surveying<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Unless exempted by § 54.1-402<\/a>, any person, partnership, corporation or other entity offering to practice architecture, engineering, or land surveying without being registered or licensed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, shall be subject to the provisions of § 54.1-111<\/a> of this title. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> Any person, partnership, corporation or other entity which is not licensed or registered to practice in accordance with this chapter and which advertises or promotes through the use of the words “architecture,” “engineering” or “land surveying” or any modification or derivative thereof in its name or description of its business activity in a manner that indicates or implies that it practices or offers to practice architecture, engineering or land surveying as defined in this chapter shall be subject to the provisions of § 54.1-111<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> Notwithstanding these provisions, any state agency or political subdivision of the Commonwealth unable to employ a qualified licensed engineer, architect<\/span>, or land surveyor<\/span> to fill a responsible charge<\/span> position, after reasonable and unsuccessful search, may fill the position with an unlicensed person upon the determination by the chief administrative officer of the agency or political subdivision that the person, by virtue of education, experience, and expertise, can perform the work required of the position. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, a contractor who is licensed pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 11 (§ 54.1-1100<\/a> et seq.) of this title shall not be required to be licensed or registered to practice in accordance with this chapter when bidding upon or negotiating design-build contracts<\/span> or performing services other than architectural, engineering or land surveying services under a design-build contract<\/span>. The architectural, engineering or land surveying services offered or rendered in connection with such contracts<\/span> shall only be rendered by an architect<\/span>, professional engineer<\/span> or land surveyor<\/span> licensed in accordance with this chapter. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nLICENSE REQUIRED (\u00a7 54.1-406)\n\nA. Unless exempted by § 54.1-401, 54.1-402, or 54.1-402.1, a person shall\nhold a valid license prior to engaging in the practice of architecture or\nengineering which includes design, consultation, evaluation or analysis and\ninvolves proposed or existing improvements to real property.\n\t\t\tUnless exempted by § 54.1-401, 54.1-402, or 54.1-402.1, a person shall\nhold a valid license prior to engaging in the practice of land surveying.\n\nB. Unless exempted by § 54.1-402, any person, partnership, corporation or\nother entity offering to practice architecture, engineering, or land surveying\nwithout being registered or licensed in accordance with the provisions of this\nchapter, shall be subject to the provisions of § 54.1-111 of this title.\n\nC. Any person, partnership, corporation or other entity which is not licensed or\nregistered to practice in accordance with this chapter and which advertises or\npromotes through the use of the words “architecture,”\n“engineering” or “land surveying” or any modification or\nderivative thereof in its name or description of its business activity in a\nmanner that indicates or implies that it practices or offers to practice\narchitecture, engineering or land surveying as defined in this chapter shall be\nsubject to the provisions of § 54.1-111.\n\nD. Notwithstanding these provisions, any state agency or political subdivision\nof the Commonwealth unable to employ a qualified licensed engineer, architect,\nor land surveyor to fill a responsible charge position, after reasonable and\nunsuccessful search, may fill the position with an unlicensed person upon the\ndetermination by the chief administrative officer of the agency or political\nsubdivision that the person, by virtue of education, experience, and expertise,\ncan perform the work required of the position.\n\nE. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, a contractor who is licensed\npursuant to the provisions of Chapter 11 (§ 54.1-1100 et seq.) of this\ntitle shall not be required to be licensed or registered to practice in\naccordance with this chapter when bidding upon or negotiating design-build\ncontracts or performing services other than architectural, engineering or land\nsurveying services under a design-build contract. The architectural, engineering\nor land surveying services offered or rendered in connection with such contracts\nshall only be rendered by an architect, professional engineer or land surveyor\nlicensed in accordance with this chapter.\n\nHISTORY: 1979, c. 408, \u00a7 54-26.1; 1982, c. 590; 1984, c. 470; 1988, c. 765;\n1992, cc. 780, 783; 1994, c. 784; 1996, c. 329; 2004, c. 191; 2005, cc. 359,\n440; 2010, c. 91.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}