Australian Educated Overseas Educated No Recognised Qualification Experience & APE

Architect Registration

In each State and Territory of Australia it is a legal requirement that any person using the title 'architect' or offering services to the public as an architect, must be registered with the Architects' Board in that jurisdiction.

Each State and Territory of Australia has its own Architects' Board. Generally, the following three steps outline the requirements for registration as an architect in a State or Territory of Australia.

You must:

  1. have a recognised academic qualification in architecture or a pass in the National Program of Assessment (NPrA), or a pass in the relevant Registration Board Prescribed Examinations where offered;
  2. have a period of training through experience followed by successful completion of the AACA Architectural Practice Examination (APE); and
  3. apply for registration to the Architects' Board in the State or Territory in which registration is sought.

If you are already registered in one or more Australian States or Territories, and you are seeking registration in an additional State or Territory, the following steps do not apply. Refer to Mutual Recognition below.

Step 1 of the process
If you have a qualification in architecture from an Australian school of architecture and would like to find out about the accreditation status of your qualification, please click here.

If you have a qualification in architecture from an overseas school of architecture and would like to find out about assessment of your qualification, please click here.

If you do not have a formal qualification in architecture, or your qualification has been assessed as not equivalent to an accredited qualification, but you have substantial skill and experience in the field of architecture, please click here

Step 2 of the process
After you have satisfied the academic requirements set out in step one, you will be required to undertake a period of practical experience, followed by the Architectural Practice Examination (APE).

If you would like to find out about the practical experience requirements and the AACA Architectural Practice Examination, please click here.

Step 3 of the Process
Having completed the requirements of steps one and two, you must apply for registration to the Architects' Board in the State or Territory in which you wish to practice, pay the fees determined by the Board and provide all information as required by the Board. For contact details for each Architects' Board, please click here.

MUTUAL RECOGNITION
Under Australian Commonwealth, State/Territory legislation and New Zealand legislation, designed to facilitate free trade in services, if you are registered as an architect in any Australian jurisdiction, or in New Zealand, you may apply for registration within Australia and New Zealand under these mutual recognition provisions without repeating the above steps.

You should contact the Board in the State or Territory in which second or subsequent registration is sought to determine application procedures and applicable fees. For contact details for each State or Territory Architects' Board, please click here.