Policy 3.1: Continuing Education (CEU) Requirements for Certified Interior Designers (CIDs)

  • Purpose: To establish the requirement and minimum number of Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) to maintain Certified Interior Designer (CID) status.
  • Intent: To ensure Certified Interior Designers (CID) are continuing to upgrade their professional knowledge.
  • Every active Certified Interior Designer is required to successfully complete continuing education courses equivalent to 1.0 Continuing Education Units (CEU’s), the equivalent of 10 hours during each two-year certification period.
  • To maintain the Commercial Designation, 5 of the 10 required hours, must be CA Building Code related.
  • It is the responsibility of each active Certified Interior Designer to report completed CEU course credits online to their CCIDC, CID Account at the time of certificate renewal.
  • CCIDC accepts all approved courses by the Interior Design Continuing Education Council or any Interior Design organization (i.e. IIDA, ASID, IFDA, IDS, NKBA, etc.) AIA approved courses must be relevant to the practice of Interior Design.
  • Activities for which CEU credit is not intended: Association membership, leadership activities, committee meetings/activities: Professional exam preparation; Entertainment and recreation. Mass media programs (TV, radio, newspaper) do not qualify unless they are an integral part of a planned continuing education experience qualifying under CEU criteria. Some meetings, conventions, and exhibits, (only planned learning activities within such events are eligible for CEU credit.) Tours without specific lecture time by qualified lecturers; work experience; Youth programs; Individual scholarship such as articles, books, research projects, presentation of papers, or teaching.
  • Instructors may receive CEU credit for preparing and offering an IDCEC approved CEU for the first time only that the course is offered. The CEU credit is equivalent to the CEU credit received by participants.
  • CEUs are 50% of your renewal process, CEUs not turned in by the expiration date will receive notification after  second notification delinquent notification, your CID Status will change to Delinquent until all CEUs are reported. (Refunds are not given because CEUs are delinquent).

CEU REQUIREMENT REPORTING PROCESS

CEUs are a REQUIRED part of your Certification and need to be completed and reported to the CID Account regularly.

  • You need 10 hours (which equals 1.0 Units) every two years.
    • The time frame is from your Certification renewal date to renewal date (not by calendar year to calendar year).
    • Failure to report CEUs will result in a Delinquent Status or possible loss of certification.
  • CIDs with the commercial designation are required to complete 5 of the 10 hours in CA Building Code based courses.
  • We accept CEUs from other providers.
    • We accept CEUs from professional organizations, including: AIA, IDCEC, ASID, IIDA, NKBA, etc.
    • We accept CEUs on interior design, codes, architecture, LEED, etc., and all related courses having to do with running a design business.
  • Please report CEUs online using your CID Account.
    • Do not mail or call them in. You must report CEUs directly to us (even if you reported them to another organization).
    • IDCEC does not report CEUs directly to CCIDC, even if you have paid for them to do so.
      • It is your responsibility to report all of your CEUs directly to your CID Account for credit.
  • CCIDC provides a list of providers/courses for your convenience, the list is not exclusive and other courses not listed are available.

List your CEU Course on the CCIDC Website for Free

Do you offer a CEU that meets our Certified Interior Designer requirement?

If so, please contact us to provide a description and date of your course for inclusion on our website. Courses should be relevant to the practice or the business of interior design. CCIDC accepts any continuing education course offered by a university interior design department or by an accredited school or by professional interior designers or related organizations such as (but not limited to):

  • American Institute of Architects – AIA
  • American Institute of Building Design – AIBD
  • American Society of Interior Designers – ASID
  • Architectural Woodwork Institute – AWI
  • California Building Officials – CALBO
  • Construction Specifications Institute – CSI
  • Interior Design Continuing Education Council – IDCEC
  • Interior Design Society – IDS
  • International Interior Design Association – IIDA
  • National Kitchen & Bath Association – NKBA
  • CCIDC also accepts continuing education courses offered at professional interior design trade shows.

Attend CCIDC Board Meetings and Receive up to 2-Hours/0.2 CE Units FREE!

  • All CIDs who attend our board meetings will receive up to .2 CEU (2 hours) credit, for free. 
  • To receive your CEU credit, you must sign in and stay to the end of the  meeting.
  • Board meetings are always held on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
    • They are held three times per year (January, May and September).
  • This CEU opportunity began at our Annual Board meeting May 14, 2016 and is not retroactive.