Architect Companies in Ohio

Short answer: Exchange lists 7 architects in Ohio. Architects are licensed by the Ohio Architects Board under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4703, and most architecture firms also need a firm certificate of authorization. Plans submitted for approval of any building other than a one-, two- or three-family dwelling must carry an architect's or engineer's seal. Ohio's current building code is the 2024 Ohio Building Code, based on the 2021 International Building Code and in force since March 1, 2024.

Licensing board

The Ohio Architects Board, a five-member board of four architects and one public member appointed by the governor, licenses architects and certifies architecture firms.

Governing law

Architect licensing and practice are governed by Ohio Revised Code sections 4703.01 to 4703.19 and Ohio Administrative Code Chapters 4703-1 to 4703-5.

When an architect is required

Plans for new and existing buildings other than one-, two- or three-family dwellings must be sealed by a registered architect or, where in scope, a registered engineer.

Renewal and CE

All individual Ohio architect licenses expire on December 31 of each odd-numbered year, and architects must complete 12 health, safety and welfare hours each calendar year.

Building code

The 2024 Ohio Building Code, based on the 2021 IBC, took effect March 1, 2024. Houses fall under the 2019 Residential Code of Ohio, based on the 2018 IRC.

Liability window

Ohio's statute of repose generally bars injury and property claims against designers more than ten years after substantial completion.

Who licenses and regulates architects in Ohio?

Architecture in Ohio is regulated at state level by the Ohio Architects Board, which was established in 1929 and works from the Vern Riffe Center at 77 South High Street in Columbus. Under ORC 4703.01 the governor appoints five members to five-year terms. Four must be architects with at least five years of active practice in Ohio, and one is a member of the public who is not an architect. The board issues the certificate of qualification that lets a person practice as an architect, keeps the official register of certificates, investigates complaints and disciplines licensees.

The statute protects both the practice and the title. Under ORC 4703.06 and 4703.18, no one may practice architecture or be known as an architect without a certificate from the board. Only candidates admitted to the Architect Registration Examination may use "intern architect" or "architectural intern". Unlicensed practice is a third-degree misdemeanor for a first offense under ORC 4703.99.

Under ORC 4703.07, an applicant must be at least 18, hold an accredited professional architecture degree, complete the board's internship requirement and pass its examination. In practice that means a NAAB-accredited degree, NCARB's Architectural Experience Program (AXP) and the Architect Registration Examination (ARE). Since May 12, 2025, rule 4703-2-02 lets candidates start the ARE after the degree, or before graduating if they are enrolled in an NCARB-accepted integrated path program.

Architects licensed elsewhere who hold an NCARB Certificate get expedited processing, which the board says takes one to three business days. Others must show at least one year of licensure in another jurisdiction, good standing everywhere they are licensed and active practice in one of the past five years, with review taking no more than 60 days.

Under ORC 4703.15 the board can deny renewal of, suspend or revoke a certificate for fraud, gross negligence, incompetency, misconduct, signing plans as the architect of a building the holder did not design, or aiding unlicensed practice, and can fine up to $1,000 per offense. Landscape architects are registered separately under ORC 4703.30 to 4703.49, and their scope excludes the design of buildings for habitation or industry.

When does a project in Ohio legally need an architect?

The Ohio Architects Board puts the rule plainly: drawings for new buildings and existing buildings, other than one-, two- or three-family residential buildings, must be prepared by a registered architect. The legal basis is ORC 3791.04, which requires the seal of an architect registered under Chapter 4703 or an engineer registered under Chapter 4733 on plans, drawings, specifications and data submitted for approval. The Ohio Building Code repeats the requirement in section 106.2.1 of rule 4101:1-1-01.

The exemptions are specific. No seal is required for residential buildings or for industrialized one-, two- or three-family units. Ohio's residential line therefore sits at three units, not the two-family line used in the model codes. Detached one-, two- and three-family dwellings and their accessory structures fall under the Residential Code of Ohio rather than the Ohio Building Code. A seal is also not required for replacement equipment or systems similar in type or capacity to what is being replaced, or for fire protection designs submitted under the signature of an individual certified under ORC 3781.105. It is not required for alterations where the building official finds the work involves no "technical design analysis" of egress, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing or fire protection elements.

That leaves most commercial work needing a sealed design, including tenant fit-outs, changes of occupancy, additions, apartment buildings of four or more units, schools and offices. ORC 4703.18(E) lets an engineer perform architectural work incidental to engineering, so on mixed projects ask who is sealing which sheets.

Sealing has strict rules. The seal goes on the title or first sheet of drawing sets and the title page of specifications, above the architect's printed name, license number, expiration date and signature. The board no longer requires every sheet to be sealed, though building departments may. Only the architect who prepared or directly supervised the design may seal it. Sealing someone else's drawings after a review is "plan stamping", except when reusing another licensed architect's drawings with written permission and a full review.

Which licenses, certificates and approvals apply to architects in Ohio?

How do I check an architect in Ohio before I sign?

7 checks, in order, using the Ohio registers and rules described on this page:

1. Search eLicense Ohio for the individual architect and confirm the license is active and expires December 31, 2027. The same record shows any board disciplinary action.
2. If you are hiring a corporation, LLC or partnership, search eLicense Ohio for the firm's certificate of authorization. Confirm that it is active for the current June-to-June term and names an Ohio architect in responsible charge.
3. Confirm the firm is registered with the Ohio Secretary of State, which the Architects Board requires before it issues a firm certificate.
4. Ask who will seal the drawings, and confirm that person prepared or directly supervised the design, as the board's seal rules require.
5. Before work begins, get a written contract that covers the seven items listed in OAC 4703-3-09.
6. Ask whether your building department accepts electronic seals, or whether it wants wet-signed, embossed sets and seals on every sheet.
7. On public work, confirm professional liability insurance in the amount the public authority requires under ORC 153.70.

Which building code applies in Ohio, and who approves the plans?

The Board of Building Standards in the Department of Commerce writes Ohio's building codes statewide. The Ohio Building Code, OAC Chapters 4101:1-1 to 4101:1-35, adopts the 2021 International Building Code with Ohio amendments. The board's 2024 code update memo, republished by the City of Toledo, confirms the update took effect March 1, 2024. The Ohio Mechanical and Plumbing Codes changed on the same date, and a new Ohio Existing Building Code based on the 2021 IEBC also took effect. The administration rule, 4101:1-1-01, was last amended effective October 15, 2025.

For a project in design, the date that matters is the date of application to the building department. The board's memo says designs submitted before March 1, 2024 stay under the code in force at first application, and applications to zoning, site engineering or utility offices do not set the date. Houses follow the Residential Code of Ohio, rule 4101:8-1-01, effective July 1, 2019 and based on the 2018 International Residential Code.

Plan review is done locally where a department is certified. Under ORC 3781.03 and 3791.04, municipal, township and county building departments certified by the Board of Building Standards enforce the code in their jurisdictions. Where no department certified for nonresidential buildings has jurisdiction, the owner submits to the state superintendent of industrial compliance instead. The owner, not the architect, is legally responsible for submitting. No construction may begin until the plans are approved.

Ohio law sets firm timelines. Under ORC 3791.04 and Ohio Building Code section 107.2.1, failure to approve plans within thirty days of filing, or a disapproval, is an adjudication order. The owner can appeal it to a local board of building appeals within thirty days. An approval lapses if work has not started within twelve months, with one twelve-month extension available on request at least ten days before expiry, for a fee of no more than $100. It also lapses if work stops for more than six months, subject to two six-month extensions.

How do Ohio public owners select an architect?

Ohio requires qualifications-based selection for public design work. ORC 153.65 to 153.73 apply to any "public authority": the state, state universities, counties, townships, cities, school districts and other public bodies and special districts. The public authority must publicly announce available design contracts and describe the project, the services and the qualifications required. It must then evaluate the statements of qualifications firms submit for that project.

Under ORC 153.69, the public authority ranks at least three of the most qualified firms, unless it finds in writing that fewer are available. It negotiates a fair and reasonable fee with the top-ranked firm first, and moves down the list in order if talks fail. ORC 153.691 bars it from asking for any fee estimate or proposal before ranking. The only exception is for state agencies using a prequalified list with Controlling Board preapproval. Qualifications under ORC 153.65 mean staff experience, workload and capacity, and past performance on cost, quality and deadlines.

Small and urgent projects are exempt. ORC 153.71 removes projects with an estimated design fee of $25,000 or less. It also exempts projects with fees between $25,000 and $50,000 where the authority picks one firm from those that filed a statement of qualifications in the previous year and negotiates under 153.69. Emergencies declared in writing are also exempt. Under ORC 153.70, anyone providing design services to a public authority must carry professional liability insurance in an amount the authority considers sufficient, though the authority may waive this for good cause.

For state projects, ORC 153.01 applies where the estimated cost is $200,000 or more. An architect or engineer must prepare full plans, specifications, a cost estimate and a life-cycle cost analysis, and the public authority may require a building information model. The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission revised its standard contracts for construction manager at risk, design-build, general contracting, multiple prime and limited-scope projects effective January 1, 2026. It also publishes the Ohio School Design Manual, updated each year, for state-funded schools.

What must an architect's contract cover in Ohio, and can an architect file a lien?

In Ohio, a written contract is a licensing rule, not just good practice. OAC 4703-3-09 requires an architect or firm to sign a written contract with the client before starting work on any project. The contract must include seven items. These are the site description and location, the services to be provided, the basis of compensation and method of payment, and the names and addresses of both parties. It must also cover how additional services will be handled, who owns and may reuse the documents, and how either party can terminate. The rule does not apply to unpaid services, to work as a consultant to an engineer or landscape architect who holds the client contract, or to repeat work of the same kind for a client who has already paid for it.

The board's consumer guidance says professional liability insurance is required in Ohio only for publicly funded projects. On private work, an owner who wants coverage must ask for it in the contract.

Since September 30, 2021, Ohio has given architects a lien on commercial real estate under ORC 4703.20 to 4703.206. "Commercial real estate" means any parcel other than one containing, or intended to contain, one to four residential units, and it excludes publicly owned property. The lien exists only if the contract is in writing and signed by both the architect and the owner, and only the architect named in the contract holds it. It is capped at the amount due under the contract. All recorded mechanic's liens under ORC Chapter 1311, whatever their recording date, and all earlier recorded mortgages and liens take priority over it.

To perfect the lien, the architect records a notarized affidavit with the county recorder and serves it on the named parties within thirty days. An enforcement complaint must be filed in the county court of common pleas within two years of recording, or the lien is extinguished. Anyone with an interest in the property can serve a written demand to sue, and the lien ends if the architect does not sue within sixty days. An owner can also substitute a bond or escrow equal to the claim to release it.

How long can an Ohio architect be held liable for a design defect?

ORC 2305.131 is Ohio's ten-year statute of repose for improvements to real property. A claim for bodily injury, property damage or wrongful death caused by a defective and unsafe condition cannot accrue against a person who provided design, planning, construction supervision or construction more than ten years after substantial completion. The statute defines substantial completion as the earlier of the date the owner or tenant first uses the improvement or the date it is first available for use after completion under the contract.

The repose period has limits. A defect discovered in the last two years of the period gives the claimant two years from discovery to sue. The defense is lost for fraud, and it does not override an unexpired express warranty longer than ten years.

For owners, keep the signed contract, the sealed approved drawings, the building department approval and a record of the date the building was first used, because the statute counts from that date.

What do Exchange listings show about architects in Ohio?

Exchange lists 7 architects in Ohio as of October 26, 2026, spread across 3 cities. The largest cluster is Columbus with 3 of the 7 listings. 7 of the 7 listings link to a company website. Across every trade, Exchange holds 121 live listings in Ohio, and architects is the number 3 trade by listing count there.

Source: Exchange directory data, counted from live published listings on October 26, 2026. Counts change as firms join or update their listings; the live list below this guide is always current.

What has changed recently, or is about to change, for architects in Ohio?

Last reviewed October 26, 2026 against the primary sources listed below. Dates are effective dates unless marked otherwise.

• December 31, 2027 — Scheduled: All individual Ohio architect licenses expire. The board sends renewal notices through eLicense on November 1, 2027, and architects attest to 12 HSW hours for each calendar year.
• January 1, 2026 — In force: The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission's revised standard contracts for construction manager at risk, design-build, general contracting, multiple prime and limited-scope projects took effect.
• October 15, 2025 — In force: The current version of the Ohio Building Code administration rule, OAC 4101:1-1-01, took effect. It covers seal exceptions and the 30-day plan approval rule.
• May 12, 2025 — In force: Amended OAC 4703-2-02 lets candidates take the ARE after an accredited degree, or before graduating if they are in an NCARB-accepted integrated path program.
• March 1, 2024 — In force: The 2024 Ohio Building Code, based on the 2021 IBC, and the new Ohio Existing Building Code took effect for applications filed on or after this date.

Where can I verify a license and check the source in Ohio?

Every figure and rule on this page can be checked against the primary source. These are the offices that publish them. Confirm current requirements directly before you rely on any of them:

Ohio Architects Board — Home; eLicense Ohio — License Verification; Ohio Laws — Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4703; Ohio Laws — OAC 4101:1-1-01 Ohio Building Code Administration; Ohio Laws — ORC 153.69 Evaluating and selecting firms; Ohio Facilities Construction Commission — Home.

Nearby regions and related trades

Architect contractors in other regions: California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas.

Other trades in Ohio: General Contracting, Renovation & Remodeling, Roofing & Waterproofing.

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