All profits from this store directly support the ASID Tennessee Advocacy Fund.
These funds are essential to our mission: informing legislators about the critical role Interior Design plays in safeguarding Tennesseans’ health, safety, and welfare, and advancing modern, effective policy for our profession.
Your support strengthens our advocacy efforts and ensures we can retain a qualified lobbyist to represent and protect the interests of Interior Designers in Tennessee.
Your purchase makes a meaningful impact.
ASID leads the charge in advancing and protecting the interior design profession through comprehensive advocacy efforts at the federal, state, and local levels. Our program champions key legislative and regulatory issues that shape the future of interior design, ensuring that designers can practice to the fullest extent of their expertise. The Government and Public Affairs (GPA) team works tirelessly to educate policymakers and the public on how thoughtful design enhances health, safety, and well-being in every space we inhabit. ASID empowers the design community to inform and influence decision-makers on the issues that matter most. Backed by our passionate members and local chapters, ASID’s advocacy network continues to be the most powerful voice for the profession nationwide
What’s Changed?
How ASID in Tennessee engages in Advocacy
Advocacy Symposium: Held each March, this event equips designers and students with the latest updates and insights on advocacy efforts both nationally and locally.
Community Building: During the month of October, ASID and IIDA host “Better Together,” an annual networking event that brings together architects, engineers, designers, students, families, and industry reps.
Local Representation: ASID TN and IIDA TN actively participate in (A&ELS)Architects and Engineers and Land Surveyors Board of Examiners meetings to keep regulators informed about our advocacy initiatives.
National Engagement: ASID hosts quarterly advocacy forums with chapter leadership and provides dedicated support through a National Advocacy Committee advisor for each Zone, along with additional national resources.
Every other September, ASID members from across the country gather in Washington, D.C., for Washington Day on Capitol Hill
ASID’s Government & Public Affairs Team is consistently engaged in 22-24 states at any given time, focusing on legislation and regulations that impact our ability to practice. Their primary mission is to safeguard and strengthen interior designers’ right to practice.
To Join the advocacy movement here in Tennessee, reach out to us at asid@asidtn.org
Unlike Architecture, which is regulated in all the states, there is a wide variety of regulations in Interior Design. You need to verify with your jurisdiction (state or province) regarding your title and the requirements to practice in your state.
Tennessee currently has a title act, which legally recognizes the title “Registered Interior Designer.”However, this law does not extend to permitting privileges.
🟣 Practice Act
A law granting qualified interior designers full practice rights, including the ability to independently sign, seal, and submit documents for permitting. It regulates who may practice interior design and ensures compliance with health, safety, and welfare standards.
💜 Commercial Practice Act
A variation of a practice act that applies specifically to commercial interior design projects. It allows qualified designers to work independently on non‑residential spaces while maintaining regulatory oversight for public safety.
🟤 Title Act with Permitting Privileges
Legislation that protects the use of the professional title “Registered Interior Designer” and grants limited permitting authority to those meeting education, examination, and registration requirements.
🩵 Title Act with No Permitting Privileges
A law that restricts the use of the professional title but does not grant independent permitting rights. Designers may use the title but must work under another licensed professional for code‑regulated submissions.
⚪ No Legislation with No Permitting Privileges
States without any interior design law or title protection. Designers may practice but cannot use a regulated title or independently submit documents for permitting.
💗 State‑Specific Framework
Unique legislative structures that combine elements of title or practice acts with customized provisions. These frameworks reflect each state’s approach to regulating interior design within its broader professional licensing system.
2026 Modernization & New Laws
Five‑Year Progress (2019–2024)
2027 Legislative Momentum- A dozen states are preparing bills for legal recognition of qualified interior designers, including: South Carolina, Ohio, Michigan and more
Goals for Modern Interior Design Legislation
Our goal is to advance modern interior design legislation that reflects today’s building standards, professional competencies, and public expectations. Modern legislation recognizes that interior designers are trained, tested, and qualified to contribute to the safety, accessibility, and performance of the built environment — and should be authorized to practice to the full scope of their expertise.
We advocate for:
At its core, modern legislation affirms a simple truth: Interior designers are essential contributors to safe, functional, and resilient spaces — and the law should reflect the modern realities of our profession.
“Better Together” is a series of events hosted in collaboration by ASID and IIDA, designed to advocate for the interior design industry. These events emphasize the essential role of interior designers in working with industry partners and other allied professionals to shape our built environment and communities. Our gatherings aim to bring together interior designers, architects, engineers, and industry representatives through engaging networking opportunities that promote collaboration, innovation, and education. At the same time, we support ongoing efforts to advance interior design legislation in Tennessee.
At ASID and IIDA, our mission with our ‘Better Together’ series is to champion the interior design industry by demonstrating its integral role in shaping the built environment and enhancing communities. We connect interior designers, architects, engineers, and industry representatives through dynamic networking and educational events, fostering collaboration and innovation while supporting continued efforts to elevate and protect interior design legislation in Tennessee.
