Nevada news & updates
February 2024 | Vol. 33, No. 1
Continuing Education Audits
A percentage of registrants who renewed their licenses for 2024 were randomly selected for audit of their continuing education units this month. The selected registrants were notified by email. The notice of audit explains the audit process and requires a response by a specified date.

Submittals will be reviewed to determine if the continuing education requirements were met. Supporting documentation to prove completion of a course or activity is required. Registrants who fail to meet the requirements will be notified and offered an opportunity to resolve the violation. Registrants who choose not to resolve the violation will be subject to the board’s disciplinary process.

For more information on the continuing education requirement or audit process, please refer to the continuing education page of the board website.
New Registrants By Examination
New registrants at the January board meeting
RID Christine A. vanRooy (Santa Ana, CA) #309-ID, Architect Yang Ding (Las Vegas) #9343, and RID Nancy L. Moore (Reno) #307-ID
RID Jennifer Harpe (Baltimore, MD) #308-ID, joined online.
Continuing Education Opportunities
EduCode Conference, Feb 26 - March 1

2024 EduCode is scheduled for February 26 to March 1 at the Orleans Hotel. Classes will be offered both in-person and virtually. EduCode offers training for building and fire inspectors, plan examiners, permit technicians, code enforcement officers, managers and supervisors, architects, engineers, building officials, students and all code professionals.

Free Online Code Classes

The American Wood Council has launched two videos covering “Significant Changes to the 2021 IBC.” Registrants can earn 1 HSW CEU in codes-related learning for each video, which could be used as a self-directed learning credit towards Nevada license renewal.

Classes can be found on the American Wood Council YouTube page, or directly through the following links:


New Work Experience Requirements in Effect for NCIDQ Exam Candidates
Effective February 1, 2024, all applicants for the NCIDQ Exam must meet a minimum number of hours in delineated task areas. The total number of hours required (3,520) remains unchanged. Additionally, all work experience must be obtained within 10 years prior to the date of application submittal.

More details can be found on the CIDQ website.

Nevada registration requirements for registered interior designers include two years of experience and passage of the NCIDQ Exam.
ARE 5.0 Guidelines Updated Effective Feb. 27
NCARB announced it is updating the ARE Guidelines, with updates going into effect at the end of the month. The new ARE 5.0 Guidelines include the following changes:

Building Code References
All code-related items on the ARE will reference the 2021 International Code Council (ICC) family of codes and related standards, rather than the 2018 family. When necessary, NCARB will provide excerpts from the 2021 ICC family of codes as references on case studies.

Item Types
NCARB is retiring quantitative-fill-in-the-blank (QFIB) item types from the exam. The exam will continue to include questions that require numerical responses; however, they will now be formatted as one of the exam’s other four item types rather than as QFIB.

Reference Guide
The new reference guide replaces the reference matrix to provide candidates with a shorter, more focused list of recommended study resources for each division.

Exam Security
New protocols are being implemented to enhance security. Candidates will continue to see provisional test results after their exam administration. However, official score reports will now be analyzed for a period of seven to ten days before they are released. Additionally, updated exam security and candidate misconduct policies detail what is and isn’t acceptable before, during, and after the exam appointment.
Formal Contested Administrative Hearings
Board Finds Registrant in Violation of NRS 623.270.1(f)(1), NRS 623.325.1, NAC 623.900.1(b) and ROC 1.1: Case No. 23-018R
The board found the respondent, Michael Peterson (147-RD), violated NRS 623.270.1(f)(1), NAC 623.900.1(b), and ROC 1.1 by not acting with reasonable care and competence nor applying the knowledge and skill ordinarily applied by residential designers in good standing practicing in Washoe County, Nevada. The board also found Peterson violated NRS 623.270.1(f)(1) and NRS 623.325.1 by failing to have a written contract.

The board ordered the respondent to pay restitution in the amount of $1,500, imposed an administrative fine of $5,000, and ordered the respondent to pay all costs and fees for the investigation and hearing. Additionally, the respondent was placed on two years of probation and ordered to send future contracts to the board during the probation period.

Board Finds Non-Registrant in Violation of NRS 623.360.1(a)(b)(c): Case No. 23-031N
The board found Jonathan Wirkkala and High Sierra Drafting violated NRS 623.360.1(a)(b)(c) by holding themselves out as being able to practice as registered interior designers and practicing architecture and residential design, without having a certificate of registration issued by the board. The board imposed an administrative fine of $10,000 and ordered the respondents to pay all costs and fees for the investigation and hearing.
Disciplinary Actions
(October 19, 2023 through January 17, 2024)
Inquiries are routinely sent to both registrants and non-registrants for alleged violations of Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) and Nevada Administrative Codes (NAC).

There were four cases this period that were submitted for board consideration and approved. Additionally, eight cases were closed because there was no basis for the allegations or the complaint did not fall within the board's jurisdiction.

The following cases were closed by means of settlement agreement; as part of the agreement respondents agreed to assure compliance with Chapter 623. Should the respondents be involved in a subsequent case and found to have again violated NRS, NAC or Rules of Conduct, the case may be used as an aggravating factor.

Every effort is made to ensure that the following information is correct. Before making any decision based on this information you should contact the NSBAIDRD.

Holding Oneself Out, Advertising, and Unlicensed Practice of Architecture, Registered Interior Design or Residential Design: NRS 623.360.1(a)(b)(c) 

Case 24-017N
The allegations against Bradley Peterson and Bradley/Collins, LLC were that they held themselves out as being qualified to provide services that fall under the practice of architecture and engaged in the practice of architecture without having a certificate of registration with the board. The matter was resolved through a settlement agreement incorporating an administrative penalty of $5,300 plus investigative costs of $1,200.

Case 24-023N
The allegations against Gary Beyerl and bba Architects were that they held themselves out as being qualified to provide services that fall under the practice of architecture and engaged in the practice of architecture without having a certificate of registration with the board. The matter was resolved through a settlement agreement incorporating an administrative penalty of $8,000 plus investigative costs of $1,500.

Advertising and Unlicensed Practice of Architecture, Registered Interior Design or Residential Design: NRS 623.360.1(b)(c) 

Case 23-043N
The allegations against Richard Rifkin and SKSI were that they held themselves out as being qualified to provide services that fall under the practice of architecture and engaged in the practice of architecture without having a certificate of registration with the board. The matter was resolved through a settlement agreement incorporating an administrative penalty of $4,000 plus investigative costs of $1,500.

Case 24-022N
The allegations against Christopher Sawaya and Sawaya Architectural Corporation were that they held themselves out as being qualified to provide services that fall under the practice of architecture and engaged in the practice of architecture without having a certificate of registration with the board. The matter was resolved through a settlement agreement incorporating an administrative penalty of $2,000 plus investigative costs of $1,500.
Expired Certificates of Registration

Late Registration Policy
Registrants whose certificate of registration expired and have failed to renew their registration must pay a late renewal fee of $220, in addition to the $180 annual registration fee.

Registrants who do not renew their certificate of registration within one year of its expiration can renew it before the end of the third year by: submitting a letter of application for renewal; paying the required late registration fees ($220 late fee plus $180 for every year lapsed); paying the renewal fee for the current year ($180); and completing the required CEUs for each year the license was lapsed.

For further questions regarding late registration, please contact the board office at (702) 486-7300.