This year marks the 40th anniversary for the film release of "Taxi Driver" where Robert De Niro delivers the iconic line, "Are you talkin' to me?" We bring this up because, yes, this month's article speaks directly to you concerning what every A/E licensed professional must understand about the auditing process.

During recent conversations with two separate jurisdiction licensing board executives, who routinely administer 20 audits per week, the following statements of caution were made: "It's bound to happen. A licensee will receive a CE audit notice from their licensing board. For some, upon the realization they have not met the requirement, this is a moment of despair. For others, who have taken advantage of record keeping services offered by various organizations, the CE audit is a breeze."

"Documentation: It's Your Responsibility
The key to a successful audit is documentation. Nearly all licensing boards place the responsibility for maintaining appropriate documentation on the licensee. This means adequate proof of completion of the requirements, as evidenced by a transcript or certificates of completion. These documents must clearly show that qualified coursework, offered by board-recognized providers, was completed within the appropriate time frame."

For example - the following language has been excerpted from a jurisdiction statute:

55-10-17-10 Licensee responsibilities

(a) The Architect or Landscape Architect is responsible for retaining proof of participation in continuing education activities. Such verification includes, the following as applicable: