Prototypical plans consist of drawings or specifications not intended as final and complete construction documents for a building project, but rather as a sample or model to provide general guidance for a building or buildings to be constructed in more than one location with substantially few design changes or additions, except those required to adapt to each particular site. Prototypical documents may or may not be premised upon laws, rules and regulations, or adopted building code of a particular state, county, or municipality, but shall be adaptable to the regulations or codes of each applicable construction location. Prototypical documents are generally not designed for a specific climate, weather, topography, soil, or other site-specific conditions or requirements, but are intended to be adapted to those and other site-specific conditions. Prototypical documents may or may not originate from a registered design professional (architect or professional engineer).

1. (a) Nothing in these rules precludes the use of prototypical documents, provided the architect ensures that all of the following conditions are met:

   1. (1) Obtains written permission from the design professional who prepared or sealed the prototypical documents, or from the legal owner of the prototypical documents, to use, revise, amend and otherwise adapt the prototypical documents; and
   2. (2) Thoroughly reviews the prototypical documents, makes necessary revisions, and adds all required elements and design information (including the design services of engineering consultants if warranted), so that the prototypical documents become suitable construction documents, in full compliance with applicable codes, regulations, and site-specific requirements; and
   3. (3) Independently performs, and maintains on file, necessary calculations to verify the public health and safety suitability of all elements or features portrayed by the original prototypical documents; and
   4. (4) After reviewing, analyzing, calculating and making revisions and additions, re-draws and issues the documents with the architect’s title block and Alabama registration seal (or the seals of licensed consultants as applicable), maintaining responsible control over use of the final adapted documents as if they were the architect’s original design and assuming full responsibility as the architect of record.

Author: Board for Registration of Architects

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §34-2-32.

Editor’s Note: Rule Number .08 was renumbered .09 as per certification filed March 2, 2016; effective April 16, 2016.

History: New Rule: Filed February 19, 2010; effective March 26, 2010. Amended: Filed July 19, 2010; effective August 23, 2010. Amended (Rule Number Only): Filed March 2, 2016; effective April 16, 2016.