File a Complaint

What you need to know about filing a complaint

Anyone can file a complaint against an individual or business. This includes both Board registrants and concerned citizens. Complaints can be made about someone registered with the Board or someone who is not. Please note, the Board's role is to protect the public as a whole, not to represent the complainant like an attorney would. The Board can also start its own complaint if it learns of a possible violation of laws or rules governing landscape architecture practice.

When and how to submit a complaint

If you believe that the laws or rules of landscape architecture practice have been broken, the Board encourages you to file a formal complaint so it can investigate. You can send your complaint to the Board in the following ways:

File a complaint online using the Board's online complaint portal
Fill out the Board's complaint form as instructed, then print, sign, date it, and send it to the Board office along with any documents that support your complaint.
If you prefer, you can ask the Board office to send you a complaint form. After completing, signing, and dating it, send it to the Board office with your supporting documents. (See the Contact Us section of the website.)

Important requirement

Your complaint will not be processed unless you sign the penalty of perjury statement. If you forget to sign, the Board office will send the form back to you so you can review, sign, and resubmit it. (ORS 671.445) If you file a complaint online, there is an electronic verification process.

Civil immunity and confidentiality for the complainant

If you submit a complaint to the Board in good faith, Oregon law protects you from being sued for civil damages because of your complaint. This means you are legally safe from lawsuits just for bringing your concerns forward. This protection is meant to encourage people to report violations without worrying about being taken to court.

According to ORS 671.447: “A person that reports or supplies information in good faith to the Board or to an advisory committee assisting the Board is immune from an action for civil damages as a result thereof. The Board or Board committee shall not disclose the name of a person requesting confidentiality unless the testimony of the person is required as part of a Board disciplinary proceeding."

Confidentiality is also important. If you ask the Board to keep your name confidential, they will do their best to honor your request, following ORS 671.447 and Oregon's Public Records Law. However, if you do not specifically ask for confidentiality, the Board may share your name if needed. Also, if your testimony is required during a Board disciplinary hearing, your identity may have to be revealed even if you requested confidentiality.

Complaint acknowledgement and first steps

When you submit a complaint, Board staff will confirm they have received it. The steps for handling complaints are shown in the Complaint Process Flowchart. If you need help with filing a complaint or have questions about how the Board handles complaints, contact the Board Office. You can find contact details in the “Contact Us" section of this website.

How complaints are reviewed and possible outcomes

The Board will review each complaint, but this process may or may not lead to formal charges, as outlined in ORS 671.404 and 671.408. Depending on what is found during the investigation, the Board has several options. They can choose non-disciplinary outcomes, such as deciding the information is inconclusive, finding the allegations are unfounded, sending an outreach letter, or issuing a letter of concern. If disciplinary action is needed, the Board might send a letter of reprimand, impose a civil penalty, require additional continuing education, mandate a peer review, place the respondent on probation, or enact suspension, restriction, or revocation of credentials.

Notice of Intent for disciplinary action

If the Board decides that disciplinary action is necessary, it will send the respondent a Notice of Intent for disciplinary action. These notices follow the rules set out in the Oregon Administrative Procedures Act, specifically ORS 183.415. The Notice of Intent explains what actions violated OSLAB's regulations, lists the proposed disciplinary steps, and describes the respondent's right to request a formal hearing.

OSLAB's role and authority

The Oregon State Landscape Architect Board (OSLAB) oversees landscape architecture in Oregon. It handles registration for Landscape Architects, Landscape Architects in Training, and businesses offering landscape architecture services. Its powers come from Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 671.310 to 671.459 and Oregon Administrative Rule Chapter 804. OSLAB's main goal is to protect public health, safety, and welfare by making sure these statutes and rules are followed. One of its key tasks is reviewing complaints about possible violations.

Typical complaints

OSLAB receives complaints about a few main issues: practicing without registration, using protected titles without registration, businesses offering services without registering, not hiring a registered Landscape Architect for public projects, negligence or incompetence by a Registered Landscape Architect, or a Registered Landscape Architect not following the Code of Professional Conduct. OSLAB usually does not handle disputes about fees between registrants and others.

Important statutes

Several laws set the Board's powers and requirements:

ORS 671.316 (1) "Except as provided in this section, unless an individual is registered as a landscape architect by the State Landscape Architect Board, the individual may not engage in the practice of landscape architecture. Unless an individual is registered as a landscape architect by the board, the individual may not use the title of “landscape architect,” “registered landscape architect” or “landscape architectural designer” or use other titles or any words, letters, figures, signs, cards, advertisements, symbols or other devices to represent that the individual or a business associated with the individual is authorized to practice landscape architecture."

ORS 671.318 "A business may not provide landscape architecture services unless the work is under the full authority and responsible charge of a registered landscape architect who is also an owner or officer of the business. A business shall file a form with the State Landscape Architect Board identifying responsible landscape architects by name and registration number. The filing must also describe the services that the business is offering to the public. The filing must be in a form prescribed by the board. The business shall notify the board in writing no later than 30 days after a change of registered owners or officers or a change of business name or address."

ORS 671.393 requires the Board to adopt by rule a code of professional conduct which shall be known by every landscape architect and applicant for registration. This Code of Conduct is in OAR 804 Division 50.

ORS 671.404 and 671.408 grant the Board authority to impose various forms of disciplinary action against a registrant of the Board. Disciplinary action can include refusal to renew a registration, suspension of a registration, probationary status, revocation of a registration, restriction of practice in some manner, imposition of peer review, imposition of specific continuing education requirements, and issuance of a written reprimand. The Board also has authority to refuse to register an applicant in certain circumstances, even if the applicant meets minimum Board standards.

ORS 671.412 (1) "The state or a political subdivision may contract for landscape architecture service projects only with registered landscape architects, as defined in ORS 671.310."

ORS 671.412 (2) "Drawings, plans, specifications, estimates, and construction observation for public works of the state or a political subdivision that require landscape architecture services must be prepared by, or under the direct supervision of, a landscape architect registered in an appropriate category."

File an online complaint

Online Complaint Portal