Reference Material
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By the time candidates sit for the California Supplemental Examination (CSE), they have already met a rigorous set of general educational and professional requirements. The CSE tests a representative sample of the knowledge necessary to perform the architect profession in California in a safe and competent manner, not whether candidates have an encyclopedic knowledge of California’s statutes and regulations, therefore a comprehensive list of reference materials is inconsistent with the purpose of the CSE. The list below is intended to help candidates prepare to take the CSE and not to cover every single knowledge addressed in the examination.
CSE Referenced Publications
| Publication | Author | Year | Edition | Publisher | Pertinent Parts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice | The American Institute of Architects (AIA) | 2013 | 15th | Wiley | Chapters 9, 10, and 12–17 |
CSE Referenced Websites
| Reference Material | Source | Pertinent Parts |
|---|---|---|
| A101—2017 Contract Documents | AIA | Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Contractor where the basis of payment is a Stipulated Sum (All) |
| A201—2017 Contract Documents | AIA | General Conditions of the Contract for Construction (All) |
| B101—2017 Contract Documents | AIA | Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Architect (All) |
| B102—2017 Instructions | AIA | Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Architect without a Predefined Scope of Architect’s Services (All) |
| California Clean Air Act | California Air Resources Board | Air Quality and Climate Legislation—2019 Annual Summary |
| Architects Practice Act—Practice of Architecture | California Architects Board | BPC, Division 3, Chapter 3, Articles: 1, 3, 5, and 6 |
| Architects Practice Act—Professional Conduct | California Architects Board | CCR, Title 16, Division 2, Article 9 |
| California Coastal Act (2023) | California Coastal Commission | Public Resources Code, Division 20, California Coastal Act |
| California Building Code | California Building Standards Commission | CCR, Title 24, Chapters: 3, 5, 7, 7A, 9, 10, 11A, 11B, 14, 16, and 17 |
| California Energy Code | California Building Standards Commission | CCR, Title 24, Part 6, Subchapters (Commencing with Section 100.0): 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 |
| California Fire Code—Requirements for Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Areas | California Building Standards Commission | CCR, Title 24, Part 9, Chapter 49 |
| California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen) | California Building Standards Commission | CCR, Title 24, Part 11, Chapter 1, Chapter 5, Divisions 5.1–5.5, and Appendix A5, Divisions A5.1–A5.6 |
| California Mechanical Code | California Building Standards Commission | CCR, Title 24, Part 4, Chapters 4 and 5 |
| California Plumbing Code | California Building Standards Commission | CCR, Title 24, Part 5, Chapter 4 |
| California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)—Guidelines for Implementation | California Natural Resources Agency | CCR, Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3 |
| California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)—Guidelines Appendices | California Natural Resources Agency | CCR, Title 14, Division 6 |
| Field Act—School Facilities Approvals and Fitness for Occupancy | California Seismic Safety Commission | EDC, Title 1, Division 1, Part 10.5, Chapter 3, Articles: 3 and 6 |
| Field Act—Community Colleges and Educational Facilities—Approvals | California Seismic Safety Commission | EDC, Title 3, Division 7, Part 49, Chapter 1, Article 7 |
| California Retail Food Code | California Department of Public Health | HSC, Division 104, Part 7, Chapters: 7, 8, 9, and 13, Article 1 |
| Administrative Procedure Act—Structural Safety | Division of the State Architect (DSA) | CCR, Title 24, Part 1, Chapter 4 |
| Buildings Used by the Public | Division of the State Architect (DSA) | HSC, Division 12.5 |
| Alfred E. Alquist Hospital Facilities Seismic Safety Act—Hospital Owner Responsibilities | Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) | HSC, Division 107, Part 7, Chapter 1, Article 9 |
| California Civil Code—Works of Improvement | State of California | CIV, Division 4, Part 6 (General Provisions Sections 8000–9566) |
| Local Agency Public Construction Act—Counties | State of California | PCC, Division 2, Part 3, Chapter 1, Article 3.5 |
| Americans with Disabilities Act—Public Accommodations and Commercial Facilities | U.S. Department of Justice—Civil Rights Division | Title III |
| Davis-Bacon Act | U.S. Department of Labor | Davis-Bacon Act—Wage and Hour Division (WHD) |
NOTE: Candidates are advised to verify citations as web addresses and/or page locations within a website can change.