Washington, DC—The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) has issued sanctions for an Oklahoma architect who violated the NCARB Rules of Procedure by committing theft of another architect’s professional seal.

At its June 2026 meeting, NCARB’s Board of Directors reviewed the case and approved the following sanctions based upon the architect’s status as an NCARB Certificate holder:  

  • Public reprimand
  • Suspension of the architect’s NCARB Certificate for five years
  • Completion of three hours of ethics continuing education per year of the five-year suspension (15 hours total)
  • Demonstration that no disciplinary action has been taken against the architect by any U.S. jurisdiction during the suspension period

Architects are responsible for protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public, and ethical practice is fundamental to maintaining public trust in the profession. The NCARB Board indicated that misuse of another architect’s professional seal undermines that trust and violates the laws and rules governing architectural practice in the state of Oklahoma, as well as NCARB’s national standards for architects and NCARB Certificate holders.

In this case, the Oklahoma Board of Architects shared a fully executed disciplinary Consent Order with NCARB’s Professional Conduct Committee, which is made up of volunteer architects and other professionals, for review. The Consent Order identified multiple violations of the Oklahoma Board’s rules and the Oklahoma State Architectural and Licensed Interior Designers, including the unlawful use of another architect’s professional seal.

NCARB’s Professional Conduct Committee determined that the misconduct met the criteria for a violation of section V.C.1.a.i of the Rules of Procedure, which applies when a state licensing board or court makes a final finding that an architect has violated the law in the conduct of their architectural practice.  

NCARB is dedicated to reviewing and strengthening the role of ethics in the regulation of architecture and maintains a list of individuals who have been publicly reprimanded by NCARB’s Board of Directors.

About NCARB 

The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards’ membership is made up of the architectural licensing boards of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. NCARB, in collaboration with these boards, facilitates the licensure and credentialing of architects to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. 

To achieve these goals, NCARB works with its Member Boards and volunteers to develop and facilitate standards for licensure, including the national examination and experience program. NCARB also recommends regulatory guidelines for licensing boards and helps architects expand their professional reach through the NCARB Certificate. Connect with NCARB on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.