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I have no problem with competing with unlicensed designers and do not discourage them from making a living.File a business complaint Email complaints We are educated and experienced through the licensing process and because of that we should inherently have a competitive edge and I believe we do. I sure heard about it from a lot of contractors at the time. They tried to do it here in Massachusetts, but the landscape contractor lobby is stronger than the Landscape Architecture lobby. Most do that and then list exemptions that essentially say “or anyone else”. Some successfully made Practice Acts that actually define Landscape Architecture and limit whom may practice Landscape Architecture. Much of that was because ASLA had a big campaign to get all states to have Practice Acts so all the local chapters pushed to get Practice Acts in their respective states. and there are a lot of other states that are essentially Title Acts that they label Practice Acts. I don’t know how anyone reading the Tennessee rules can come away with any other conclusion. I know we as landscape architects are a sensitive profession, but reality is that a lot of state landscape architect Practice Acts are essentially Title Acts. That does not mean that municipalities, corporations, other professionals, or individuals will not require you to be an LA to do work for them, nor does it mean that you can do work legally reserved to other licensed professionals such as structural engineering, surveying, or civil engineering. It looks like you can legally do anything that a licensed landscape architect can do in Tennessee based on what I read. You may be limited on what you will be allowed to do, but it does not appear that the act itself limits you whatsoever other than calling what you do “Landscape Architecture” of calling yourself a “Landscape Architect”. Based on other threads that you started or participated in I interpret the question to mean that you want to know what you can legally do as a self employed designer in the field of landscape architecture in the place where you live prior to getting your license. I was just trying to honestly answer the question asked. But, like any job…it helps to know a lot of connected like minded people. Big difference is manuverability, maretability, and pay. Many designs work under licensed la’s and have a great time and do moat of the same things. Find out how to get there as cheaply as possible, and go. My thought is this, figure out whére you want to go and what you want to do.

Many states will not allow you to design for commercial, institutional, or residential over so many stories without a license. But for the most part and for moat ppl, it is a way to protect the public and get a piece of the regulatory standards that control who has access the public dollars. I don’t think that anyone is naive enough to know that there aren’t politics involved in title acts. If you want to do residential design, educate yourself and get experience and operate within your competencies. If you want to design for cities and be a planner go that route and get those educational and legal marking. Licensure is a check point for competency, and yes, protection of future jobs for licensed individuals. It portects the public from incompetence. I cannot think of too many LA’s or landscape designers who have been educates on building structurally enginnered objects. (a wall over four feet is a good example.) This is not a crock, in any way shape or form. For instance, in Knoxville, and other parts of TN you have to stamp a legal document or drawing to be approved to design and build certain elements. Second, state and location laws/regulations will dictate what you can and cannot do. First, learn the ‘law’ on what titles or words are protected.

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