The State Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, and Landscape Architecture was created in 1921. Originally known as the State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors, it regulated the practice of architecture, engineering, and land surveying by requiring individuals and corporations to register and be licensed by the state. The board consisted of seven members appointed by the governor: three architects, three engineers, and one land surveyor. Members of the board served four-year staggered terms. The board's duties included: establishing standards to determine applicants' qualifications; conducting meetings of the board at least twice annually; keeping records of proceedings and registers of members; and providing written reports to the governor. The board was also empowered to hold hearings to revoke licenses for incompetence and negligence
In 1949 the membership was increased to nine: three architects, five engineers, and one land surveyor (Laws of Minnesota 1949, chapter 86). In 1973 the size of the board was increased to fifteen members with the addition of six public members who also served four-year staggered terms (Laws of Minn. 1973, chap. 638, sec. 42).
A landscape architect was added to the board in 1975, increasing its membership to sixteen. The board's title was also modified to include landscape architecture (Laws of Minn. 1975, chap. 329, sec. 6).
In 1979 the size of the board was increased to seventeen members with the addition of a second land surveyor (Laws of Minn. 1979, chap. 209). Another 1979 law added a new function to the board, requiring it to establish classes of buildings based on size and value (Laws of Minn. 1979, chap. 222).
The board's oversight extended to interior designers in 1992 (Laws of Minn. 1992, chap. 507) and to geoscience in 1995 (Laws of Minn. 1995, chap. 206).