How To Become A Registered Engineer In New South Wales (NSW)?

In New South Wales (NSW), professional engineers who work on Class 2 buildings or buildings with a Class 2 part, a Class 3 part, or a Class 9c part can register with NSW Fair Trading. Under the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020, Fair Trading registers professional engineers and design practitioners. Candidates who meet the NSW Fair Trading eligibility criteria can register directly with them. Hence, to be registered, individuals must meet the NSW Fair Trading eligibility criteria. In some circumstances, individuals who do not meet the eligibility criteria need to complete the competency assessment through Engineers Australia.

How Does One Need To Be Registered As A Professional Engineer Under The Design And Building Practitioners Scheme In New South Wales?

Professional engineers who work on class 2, 3, or 9c buildings (or a building with a class 2, 3, or 9c part) need to be registered under the Design and Building Practitioners scheme (‘the scheme’).

Professional engineers who are not registered under the scheme can work under the direct supervision of an experienced engineer who is registered under the scheme.

Professional engineers cannot prepare regulated designs or make a compliance declaration unless they are also registered under the scheme as design practitioners in the relevant class.

Who Can Register With NSW Fair Trading?

To be eligible to register, individuals must;

be aged 18 or over
have the appropriate qualifications as an engineer
have at least 5 years of recent, relevant practical experience
have the necessary skills and knowledge
meet insurance requirements, and
have a current National Police Certificate that is no older than 4 months from when they submit their application (name and date of birth check only)

Note: Only eligible persons can apply for professional engineer registration; companies cannot.

Individuals who are declared bankrupt cannot apply.
Engineers who are not eligible to register may continue working under the direct supervision of a registered engineer.

Qualification Requirements To Be Registered As A Professional Engineer

Individuals must hold one of these qualifications to be registered as a Professional Engineer:

an accredited 4-year full-time or equivalent part-time undergraduate bachelor’s degree,*
an accredited postgraduate master’s degree,*
one of the degrees above from an Australian university or tertiary institution assessed as equivalent by an Australian signatory to the Washington Accord, or
one of the degrees above from a foreign university assessed as equivalent by an assessing authority in the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List for the skilled occupation of civil engineer (currently Engineers Australia).

Note:- *Accredited by a body that is a signatory to the Washington Accord

Individuals must be doing professional engineering work in one of the following areas:

Civil Engineer
Electrical Engineer
Fire Safety Engineer
Geotechnical Engineer
Mechanical Engineer
Structural Engineer

Requirements To Maintain NSW Registration

Professional engineers have some obligations to maintain their registration, which are:

Adhere to the code of practice
Undertake continuing professional development (CPD) each year
Retain records for 10 years, even if they stop working as a professional engineer
Have the appropriate level of insurance

Insurance Requirements

Professional engineers must have indemnity insurance as of July 2022. It can be either an individual policy, a corporate policy, or a partnership policy. Moreover, the insurance policy must provide sufficient indemnity. They must assess their insurance coverage to ensure whether it is enough. When selecting an insurance policy, they must consider the following factors:

Their financial resources
Any risks connected with their work
Any limits of the policy and other factors outlined in the regulation.

They must display that they have evaluated the adequacy of their cover. They can seek independent advice on the amount and type of cover they require.

Procedure To Register With NSW State Registration

To be eligible to register, professional engineers need to have:

A MyService NSW account
Proof of identity, such as an Australian driving license, passport, or Medicare card
A National Police Certificate that is no older than 4 months from when applicants submit their application (name and date of birth check only)
A copy of your qualifications and any transcripts
Evidence of existing licenses in your field of work (make sure those license details are up to date and match your proof of identity documents)
Details about your experience
Payment for the fee.

An Overview Of Building Classes

Classes 2, 3, and 9c are presently regulated in NSW. All building work regulated by the DBP Act must comply with the requirements of the Building Code of Australia (BCA). The BCA comes under the National Construction Code (NCC). The NCC requires the minimum technical requirements for new buildings (and new work to existing buildings) in Australia.

Class 2 buildings are normally multi-story, multi-unit apartment buildings where persons live above or below each other. Class 2 may also be a single-storey attached dwelling where there is a common space below, such as a car park or basement.

Class 3 buildings are residential buildings, other than a class 1 or 2 building, that are a common place for long-term or temporary living for several unrelated people, such as:

Boarding houses;
Hostel;
Backpackers accommodation;
The residential part of a hotel, motel, school, or detention centre;
Dormitory-style accommodation;
Care facilities for the elderly that are not considered class 9.

From 1 July 2024, hotels and motels are excluded from the requirements under the DBP Act if no part of the building is subject to a strata scheme or includes serviced apartments.

Class 9c buildings are residential care buildings that include residents who have various care-level needs. They are a place of residence where 10% or more of individuals who reside there need physical aid in conducting their daily activities and evacuating the building during an emergency. An aged care building, where residents are provided with personal care services, is a Class 9c building.

Roles In Regulated Buildings

Role title to work on regulated buildings:

Appropriate practitioner	Design practitioner – all classes	Principal design practitioner
Building practitioner – all classes	Developer	Professional engineer – all classes
Certifier	Owners corporation	Secretary

Engineers Australia Assessment On Behalf Of NSW Fair Trading

Individuals who do not meet the NSW Fair Trading eligibility criteria can go for the Engineers Australia competency assessment. Engineers Australia organises three specific assessments on behalf of NSW Fair Trading.

PE1 – Pre-1989 Engineering Qualification

This competency assessment is used if individuals have a qualification in engineering that was obtained before the existence of the Washington Accord in 1989. To get the certificate of competency, candidates need to log in to the member portal and complete the competency assessment form.

Once their assessment form is processed and they meet the assessment standards, they can download their registration outcome report and certificate of competency to use in their application for registration with NSW Fair Trading.

PE – Less Than 2 Years Of Australian Experience

The NSW government requires a minimum of two years of building industry experience in Australia. If candidates do not meet the minimum requirements, they will need to complete an experience assessment. This is to exhibit that within the last 10 years. They must have at least five years’ experience working on buildings similar to a class 2, 3, 9a, or 9c building.

If candidates match the assessment standards, they can download their registration outcome report and certificate of the company to use in their application for registration with NSW Fair Trading.

Knowledge And Skills Assessment DP(VT)

To register as a design practitioner (Vertical Transportation) in NSW, candidates must undergo a knowledge and skills assessment. To apply, log in or create an account in the member portal and then complete the competency assessment form.

If candidates meet the assessment standards, they can download their registration outcome report and certificate from the company to use in their application for registration with NSW Fair Trading.

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