Professional engineers registration scheme

Who needs to be registered

Individuals providing professional engineering services (developing or overseeing the development of engineering designs) in the prescribed areas of engineering must be registered where those services are:

• provided in the ACT, or from a location outside the ACT where the services are provided for projects in the ACT (for example, provided for a project or purpose in the ACT)
• not being carried out under the direction and oversight of a professional engineer who is responsible for the service
• not being provided in accordance with a prescriptive standard

What is a prescribed area of engineering?

The current prescribed areas of engineering are:

• Civil
• Structural
• Electrical
• Mechanical
• Fire Safety

A Ministerial guideline has been issued to provide assistance on the scope of engineering services within each of the above areas of engineering.

Eligibility

To be eligible for registration an individual must:

• Meet the required qualifications, experience and competencies
• Be suitable to be registered as a professional engineer
• Not be disqualified from applying for registration*
• Not have had their registration* cancelled in the previous 5 years

*registration includes registration under the ACT scheme or a scheme in another jurisdiction.

An application for registration must:

• be in writing (through the link provided under 'Applying for registration' below)
• state your name and contact details
• state the area or areas of engineering for which registration is sought
• include a report from an approved assessment entity
• include the results of a criminal history check and
• include suitability information.

Qualifications, experience and competencies

All applications for registration require a report from an approved assessment entity about an applicant’s qualifications, experience and competencies as determined by the Minister in the Professional Engineers (Qualifications, Experience and Competencies) Determination 2024 (the determination) as amended from time to time.

The determination contains:

1. what constitutes an assessment report which contains the assessment of an individual’s qualifications, experience and competencies undertaken by an approved assessment entity
2. qualifications, experience and competencies an individual must have to be eligible to be registered as a professional engineer in the area(s) of engineering of which registration is being sought;
3. additional qualifications and experience an applicant must have to be eligible to be a professional engineer who provides professional engineering services in the building and construction industry; and
4. alternative pathways for meeting the determined qualifications and experience for eligibility to be a professional engineer.

Providing services to or for the Building and Construction Industry

Providing professional engineering services to or for the building and construction industry encompasses work for or in connection to the construction, alteration or demolition of a building (excluding disposal of waste materials generated by this activity) and work in relation to repairs of a structural nature to a building (section 7, Building Act 2004). Buildings include all classes of buildings under the National Construction Code (NCC), structures, temporary buildings, temporary structures and any part of a building or structure.

Additional requirements are contained in the Professional Engineers (Qualifications, Experience and Competencies) Determination 2024 and these must be assessed by an approved assessment entity (see 'Assessment entities' below) for a person to be able to provide professional engineering services to or for the building and construction industry.

Registration term

Registration will be issued for a maximum period of 3 years and will be granted to an individual and remain with them for the duration of the registration period, irrelevant of what job they are in.

More information

For more information about the registration requirements email EPSDDBuildingReform@act.gov.au.

If your question relates to whether you meet the eligibility requirements contact the Construction and Work Place Licensing Team by email to cwpl@act.gov.au or phone 02 6207 8096.

If you have questions about whether your qualifications and experience meet the requirements, we recommend you first contact an approved assessment entity.

Requirements

You will need the following to apply for registration:

• an ACT Digital Account
• identity documents
• assessment report
• criminal history check

An ACT Digital Account

To apply for registration online you will require a Level 2 ACT digital account.

For information about alternative methods for applying for registration please contact Access Canberra Construction Licencing and Governance at cwpl@act.gov.au.

Identity documents

Identity documents are required for the creation of an ACT digital account. There are two steps in that process that require identity documents.

Step 1

You will require ONE of the following:

• Driver’s licence
• Australian passport
• Birth certificate
• Australian citizenship certificate
• Change of name certificate
• Marriage certificate
• ImmiCard
• Australian visa

Step 2

You will require ONE of the following:

• Driver’s licence (if not used on Step 1)
• Australian passport (if not used in Step 1)
• Medicare Card
• Centrelink Concession Card

Assessment report

Each application for registration in an area of engineering must include an assessment report from an approved assessment entity (see 'Assessment entities below) that states that the applicant meets the Professional Engineers (Qualifications, Experience and Competencies) Determination 2024 for each area of engineering in which registration is sought.

If the applicant seeks to provide professional engineering services to or for the building and construction industry, they must indicate this on their application and their assessment report must include an assessment against the additional requirements contained in the Professional Engineers (Qualifications, Experience and Competencies) Determination 2024.

See an example of an approved assessment entity report [167.9 KB].

A criminal history check

A criminal history check must be submitted with an application for registration. The criminal history check must not be older than 6 months at the time of your application.

Making an application

To make an application for registration visit Professional Engineer Registration Scheme - New Application.

More information

For more information about the application process contact the Construction and Work Place Licensing Team by email to cwpl@act.gov.au or phone 02 6207 8096.

Professional engineers can be registered for a maximum of 3 years.

Registration renewal must be made at least 3 months before the current registration expires and no later than 6 months after it expires.

Registration renewal is dependent on engineers completing Continuing Professional Development (CPD). See Obligations on registered engineers for more information on the CPD requirements.

There will be a fee on:

• Application
• Registration
• Renewal

Fees for the Scheme have been determined in the Professional Engineers (Fees) Determination 2024.

These fees are payable at the time of lodging the application and application being approved.

Applicants will also need to pay a fee to an assessment entity for an assessment report. These fees are determined by the Assessment Entity but approved by the ACT Government. If you have any issues with a fee being charged by an Assessment Entity this should first be raised with the Assessment Entity.

Under the automatic mutual recognition (AMR) scheme, if you are registered in one state or territory, you can work in another without applying for a new registration in the ACT. If you are eligible, you will receive Automatic Deemed Registration (ADR).

To be eligible under the AMR scheme, you must have a registration in your home state or territory that:

• covers the same activity you are intending to carry out in the ACT; and
• the ACT requires you to be registered for the occupation to undertake that activity.

Note: a person with AMR, can only perform the activities in the ACT that they are allowed to do in their home state or territory. This rule helps protect both workers and the public.

AMR will apply to the ACT Professional Engineers Scheme from 6 March 2025 when it becomes mandatory to be registered in the ACT. There is no application process or registration fees. However, you will need to notify Access Canberra if you plan to provide professional engineering services in the ACT under AMR.

Engineering registration schemes in some states and territories within Australia only cover engineering services in the building and construction industry. If you intend on providing services outside of this industry, you will require an ACT registration to perform these services in the ACT.

If you choose to provide professional engineering services in the ACT under AMR, you are required to comply with ACT laws, including but not limited to the Professional Engineers Act 2023.

You are required to notify Access Canberra if you plan to provide professional engineering services in the ACT under AMR. This involves completion of the AMR notification form.  After you submit this form, you will receive an ACT ADR number.

Note: the notification system will be available from 6 March 2025. You will be unable to notify before this date.

To fill out the form, you will need an ACT Digital Account. If you do not have one, it’s a good idea to set it up before 6 March. The form will also ask you to attach a copy of your home state registration.

Note: Professional engineers in the ACT, do not require a Working with Vulnerable People registration.

If you are not entitled to an ADR (for example, you are registered in Queensland), you may be able to apply for an ACT registration through mutual recognition. You can also choose to apply for mutual recognition instead of an ADR.

Mutual recognition means if you are registered to work in one Australian state or territory, you can get the same registration in another without extra requirements, as long as the activities carried out are equivalent.

Note: For professional engineers, only Victoria and Queensland are currently considered to be equivalent schemes to the ACT.

The schemes in other states and territories only cover certain engineering services in the building and construction industry. If you apply for mutual recognition from these states and territories you will be given an ACT registration with conditions that align with the scope of activities you are entitled to undertake under the registration you hold in the other jurisdiction. If you wish to provide the scope of professional engineering services within the ACT scheme, you will need to apply for an ACT registration including obtaining an assessment report from an approved assessment entity.

Mutual recognition may also be available for those registered in New Zealand under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997. Contact cwpl@act.gov.au if you hold a New Zealand registration prior to making an application.

Access Canberra will be accepting mutual recognition applications from 14 February 2025.

To apply, you will need to complete the online application form and pay an application fee of $150.

A fee of $330 is required for a 3-year registration term before registration can be completed.

A public register will be available from 6 March 2025 when it becomes mandatory to be registered under the ACT’s Professional Engineers Registration Scheme. Further information about the register will be made available on this website prior to 6 March 2025.

Professional engineers registered under the Professional Engineers Act 2023 must:

• Comply with any conditions of their registration
• Comply with the Professional Engineers Act 2023
• Comply with the Code of Practice
• Undertake continuing professional development
• Comply with applicable laws
• When carrying out a professional engineering service:
  • meet the standard reasonably expected of a professional engineer; and
  • demonstrate a level of competence reasonably expected of a professional engineer; and
  • not engage in improper or unethical conduct.

Code of Practice

Professional engineers working in the ACT must comply with the Professional Engineers (Professional Engineers) Code of Practice. If you are a fire safety engineer, you must also comply with the Professional Engineers (Fire Safety Engineering) Code of Practice.

The Codes cover standards and expectations, and requirements relating to conflicts of interest and keeping records. Failure to comply with a code is both a ground for disciplinary action and an offence.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements

CPD ensures that engineers keep up to date with modern skills and practices. An engineer must undertake and record CPD over a three-year period to get their registration renewed

The CPD rules are set out in the Professional Engineers (Continuing Professional Development) Determination. This covers the required hours, areas and types of activities, any limitations on the number of hours that can be claimed against a specific type of activity and record keeping.

Guidance on Continuing Professional Development for Professional Engineers [PDF 223.2 KB] provides more information and examples to assist you to comply with the CPD rules.

Complaints about a professional engineer

A person may complain to the Professional Engineers Registrar about a professional engineer if the person believes on reasonable grounds that the professional engineer has:

1. contravened the Professional Engineers Act 2023, or
2. when carrying out a professional engineering service, the engineer has:
   1. failed to meet the standard reasonably expected of a professional engineer; or
   2. not demonstrated a level of competence reasonably expected of a professional engineer; or
   3. engaged in improper or unethical conduct.

A complaint must:

1. be in writing to cwpl@act.gov.au;
2. include the names and details of the complainant [if being made on behalf of another person, the details of that person and your authority to make the complaint];
3. the name of professional engineer the complaint is about; and
4. particulars of the complaint.

Approved assessment entities are an integral part of the scheme and will undertake registration assessments and provide advice to the Registrar on whether a person meets the registration requirements.

An approved assessment entity will be authorised to assess and recommend that an applicant meets the necessary qualifications, experience and competencies to be registered as a professional engineer in the areas(s) of engineering for which an application for registration has been made. The assessment report prepared will be provided to the applicant for submission with their application for registration.

See an example of an  approved assessment entity report.

Approved assessment entities

The approval instrument and conditions of approval is contained in the Professional Engineers (Assessment Entity) Approval 2024.

The following entities are approved assessment entities:

Assessment entities are approved for a maximum period of five years and can have their approval revoked in certain circumstances. The above list is a current list of approved entities. Should an assessment entity no longer be approved they will be removed from this list and the approval instrument to align with the end date of their approval.

Seeking approval to be an assessment entity

An entity seeking approval must meet the eligible entity requirements under the Act and the proposed scheme must be an eligible assessment scheme.

Approved assessment entities may charge the applicant a fee for this service. In seeking approval to be an assessment entity, an entity must include details of proposed fees and how those are reasonable considering the scope of services being offered.

Further information is available in the Approval as an assessment entity under the Professional Engineers Act 2023 factsheet [208.8 KB].

Entities who wish to be approved as an assessment entity under the Professional Engineers Act 2023 should email EPSDDBuildingReform@act.gov.au for the Application forms.

Complaints about an assessment entity

Any complaints about an assessment entity should be sent to EPSDDBuildingReform@act.gov.au and include the following information:

• Name of the assessment entity
• Background
• Issue
• Details of interactions with the assessment entity on the issue to date
• Any breaches of the assessment entities complaint handling procedures in managing the complaint.
  • It is a condition of approval that assessment entities publish their complaint handling procedures on their website.

Yes.  If you provide professional engineering services across multiple areas of engineering, you can apply for registration in each area.

Whether you are providing professional engineering services will come down to specific work being undertaken and the technical knowledge that is required to make technical decisions. We recommend that you assess your specific situation against the following guidelines:

• Ministerial guideline on the scope of engineering services within each of the prescribed areas of engineering
• Guidance material on when professional engineering services are being provided under direction and oversight [596.5 KB]
• Guidance material on when professional engineering services are being provided in accordance with a prescriptive standard [816.2 KB]

You can also seek advice from an approved assessment entity or your industry peak bodies. The ACT Government recommends registration if you are providing professional engineering services in a prescribed area of engineering.

Yes, you will still need a report from an assessment entity. In the following circumstances the assessment report will be in the form of a short document from the entity mentioned (if an approved assessment entity) stating which of the following circumstances applies:

You are currently on the National Engineering Register managed by Engineers Australia in the area(s) of engineering you’re seeking registration or have been assessed as eligible for inclusion in the last 12 months.

You hold a current Chartered credential issued by Engineers Australia in the area(s) of engineering you’re seeking registration for.

You are currently on the Australian Professional Engineers Register [APER} hosted by Professionals Australia in the area(s) of engineering you’re seeking registration for or have been assessed as eligible for inclusion in the last 12 months.

See an example of an approved assessment entity report [167.9 KB].

Automatic mutual recognition is available to those registered in another State or Territory from 6 March 2025. See Automatic Mutual Recognition above for more information.

Each jurisdiction determines when and how they recognise registrations in other jurisdictions. You will need to contact the other jurisdiction for advice on whether they will recognise your ACT registration.

You follow the normal registration process. An approved assessment entity will determine if your international qualification meets the requirements contained in the Professional Engineers (Qualifications, Experience and Competencies) Determination 2024 (the determination) as amended from time to time.

Yes. The ACT Registration Scheme requires you to be registered in the ACT if you are providing professional engineering services from a location in the ACT even if the services are for a location or client outside the ACT.

The experience requirements have been designed to factor in career breaks. You can meet the the experience requirement by having undertaken the equivalent of 10 years full-time work in the relevant area(s) of engineering in the previous 15 years.

If an individual does not meet the experience requirements in terms of the number of years within the specified periods, an assessment entity may still consider that the individual has sufficient experience to be deemed competent to provide professional engineering services without direct supervision. In determining this, an assessment entity will consider the individuals professional engineering experience and how it was gained.

Holding specific insurance is not a requirement at the time of registration. The Code of Practice for engineers requires you to take all reasonable steps to be covered by adequate professional indemnity insurance that is appropriate for the services being provided. See Obligations on registered engineers for a copy of the Code of Practice.

When granted registration you will be issued with a registration certificate in an electronic format. Your details will also be published on the public register from 6 March 2025.

Any complaints about an engineer need to be submitted in writing and sent to the regulator at cwpl@act.gov.au.