CheckMyDesignerCalifornia architect license lookup
Only someone licensed by the California Architects Board (CAB) may call themselves an architect in California (B&P Code §5536). Before you sign, check that the name and license number on the proposal match a current license.
What a license check tells you
- Whether the person holds a California architect license, and its number.
- The license status, issue date and expiration date.
- Board actions on record, such as citations or discipline.
It doesn't tell you whether they're right for your project. The board licenses individual architects, not firms (CAB license search), so check the person who will be responsible for your drawings, not only the firm name.
A licensed architect must give you a written contract that includes their license number before work starts, with a few exceptions (B&P Code §5536.22). That number is the one to look up.
How to read the license status
The official record shows the board's own wording. Some statuses have a hint that explains them (DCA Search FAQ). In plain terms:
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Current / Active | The license is in effect. This alone doesn't tell you about past board actions; check those on the same record. |
| Delinquent or Expired | The license wasn't renewed by its expiration date. It is not current. Ask them about it, and check again before you sign. |
| Retired | The architect retired the license. A retired license doesn't allow work that requires an active license (CAB licensee FAQ). |
| Revoked, Suspended or Surrendered | The license was ended or limited. Read the board's enforcement actions for the decision. |
Verify it on the official site
- Open DCA License Search, the state's lookup for licenses issued by the California Architects Board and other boards.
- Under “Boards and Bureaus”, choose “Architects Board, California”. Then enter a last name or the license number.
- Open “More details” on the matching record. An icon on that button means the record has public record or disciplinary actions (DCA Search FAQ).
- Confirm the name and number match the proposal and the contract.
What if you can't find a license?
Not every designer needs one. Many homeowners hire a building designer who isn't licensed, and for some projects that's allowed. They still may not call themselves an architect or an “architectural designer” (B&P Code §5536).
California lets people without a license prepare plans for some buildings: a wood-frame house of up to two stories plus a basement, wood-frame housing of up to four units and the same height, and garages or other structures that go with them (B&P Code §5537, §6737.1).
Any part that departs from conventional wood framing still needs drawings stamped and signed by a licensed architect or engineer. Ask who will stamp that part. Architect vs building designer
Structural drawings are often stamped by a separate engineer. Check them on the engineer license lookup.
Statutes quoted from the official California Legislative Information site, checked Nov 5, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.
Related
- Engineer license lookupCivil and structural engineers, checked with BPELSG.
- Questions to ask an architectWhat to ask before you sign, and how to check the answers.
- Architect vs building designerWho may draw your plans in California, and who must stamp them.
- SF structural engineersStructural engineers named on San Francisco permits.
- SF ADU architects and designersLicensed people named on recent San Francisco ADU permits.