How To Become A Registered Engineer In The Australian Capital Territory (ACT)?

Registration of engineers in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) commenced on 6 March 2024. All engineers practising in civil, electrical, structural, mechanical, and fire safety engineering must register by 6 March 2025. Moreover, this scheme will come into effect in three phases, with the first phase of registration open for civil and structural engineers from 6 March 2024. Phase 2 is scheduled to open in July 2024 for engineers providing professional mechanical engineering services. The third and final phase is expected to start in late 2024 for those delivering professional engineering services in electrical and fire safety engineering.

Thus, all professional engineers providing professional engineering services in the above areas of engineering must be registered from 6 March 2025.

The Professional Engineers Act 2023 For The Australian Capital Territory Registration

The Professional Engineers Act 2023 introduced the ACT’s professional engineers registration scheme. This scheme has been commenced to protect the public by ensuring professional engineering services are provided by highly qualified individuals. Moreover, to maintain confidence in the standard of professional engineering services in the ACT through standards of practice and accountability measures.

The ACT registration scheme is regulated by the Professional Engineers Registrar (The Registrar), who sits within Access Canberra.

What Are The Functions Of The Registrar?

Depict applications for registration and renewal;
Monitor adherence to, and investigate and prosecute alleged contraventions of the legislation;
Take regulatory actions;
Refer registered professional engineers to the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT) for regulatory action;
Act on complaints made about registered professional engineers;
Keep the public register.

Who Needs To Be Registered With The ACT Registration Scheme?

Engineers providing professional engineering services (developing or overseeing the development of engineering designs) in the prescribed area of engineering must be registered:

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

Eligibility For ACT Registration:-

To be eligible for registration, individuals 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 last 5 years

Note:- *Registration includes registration under the ACT scheme or a scheme in another jurisdiction.

An application for registration must:

Be written (through the link provided under ‘Applying for registration’ below)
State the applicant’s name and contact details
State the area or areas of engineering for which registration is sought
Comprises a report from an approved assessment entity
Contain the results of a criminal history check and
Contain the suitability information.

Professional Engineers (Qualification, Experience, And Competencies) Determination 2024

An application for registration provided by an individual must include a report from an approved assessment entity about their qualifications, experience, and competencies, as determined by the Minister in the Professional Engineers (Qualification, Experience, and Competencies) Determination 2024 (the determination), as amended from time to time.

The determination consists of:

What constitutes an assessment report, which contains the assessment of an applicant’s qualifications, experience, and competencies, undertaken by an approved assessment entity
the qualifications, experience, and competencies that an applicant must have to be eligible to be registered as a professional engineer in the area(s) of engineering for which registration is being demanded;
the 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
The alternative pathways for being deemed to have met 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 comprises work for or in connection to the construction, alteration, or demolition of a building and work concerning repairs of a structural nature to a building (section 7, Building Act 2004). Buildings contain 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 included in the Professional Engineers Determination 2024, and an approved assessment entity must evaluate these for an individual to be able to provide professional engineering services to or for the building and construction industry.

Duration Of The Registration

The Australian Capital Territory Registration can only be issued for a maximum period of 3 years. It can be granted to an individual and remain with them for the duration of the registration period, irrelevant of what job they are doing.

Writing An Assessment Report

An applicant applying for registration in an area of engineering must include an assessment report from an approved assessment entity that states that the applicant meets the Professional Engineers Determination 2024 for every area of engineering in which registration is required.

If an applicant wants 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 set out in the Professional Engineers (Qualification, Experience, and Competencies) Determination 2024.

Who Are Assessment Entities?

Approved assessment entities are a crucial part of the ACT scheme, undertaking registration assessments and providing advice to the registrar on whether an individual meets the registration requirements. Furthermore, an approved assessment entity is authorised to assess and recommend that an applicant matches the necessary qualification, experience, and competencies to be registered as a professional engineer in the engineering areas for which an application for registration has been prepared. The prepared assessment report is provided to the applicant for submission with their application for registration.

The following Entities are Approved Assessment Entities:-

Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Airconditioning, and Heating (AIRAH) – approved for the mechanical area of engineering
Engineers Australia – approved for all areas of engineering
Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia NSW & ACT (IPEWA & ACT) – approved for the Civil area of engineering.

Approved assessment entities can be approved for a maximum period of five years and can have their approval cancelled in certain circumstances.

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