1, 3 and 5-year registration terms for architects

Section 17(A) of the Architects Act 2003 allows an architect to nominate a 1, 3 or 5-year term for registration.

Registration may commence at any point in time and continues for a fixed-term as nominated by the architect (unless cancelled sooner). Refer to Section 50 of the Licensing and Regulation (Uniform Procedures) Act 2002.

Renewals

From 1 June 2023 all renewal fees for Practising and Non-Practising architects will increase by 3.5%.  Renewal fees from 1 June 2023 are:

Practising Architect

1 year renewal	$335
3 year renewal	$1,045*
5 year renewal	$1,800*

Non-practising Architect

1 year renewal	$52
3 year renewal	$162*
5 year renewal	$280*

* Note there is no saving for 3 and 5-year terms, which factor in a 3.5% year-on-year increase.

Late renewal of registration

If an architect’s application for renewal of registration is received after the due date but within three months of expiration, the architect can pay, in addition to the annual renewal fee, a $150 restoration fee and the registration will be backdated to allow for continuity of registration. If the application for renewal of registration is received more than three months after expiration, a $250 restoration fee will apply in addition to the annual renewal fee.

Checklist for renewing your registration

Non-practising or deregistered architects who now wish to be reinstated to full registration on the Register of Architects must complete the below form and comply with the prescribed conditions for application. 

Conditions on re-registration as a practising architect may apply depending on how long you have been deregistered:

• 0-3 years: Automatic processing of application if the applicant meets the CPD requirement for their particular circumstances (Refer Factsheet on Continuing Professional Development for CPD requirements for reinstatement to the Register). The applicant may be required, at the discretion of the Registrar, to provide additional supporting documentation in the form of a current CV showing employment history and a record of CPD undertaken in the 12-24 months prior to the application for re-registration.
• 3-5 years: Applicants are required to submit a current CV showing employment history and demonstrate that they have, within the last 12-month period, completed a minimum of 20 hours of CPD, of which at least 10 hours must be Formal CPD. At least 3 hours of the 10 hours of Formal CPD must address the mandatory topics (Refer Factsheet on Continuing Professional Development for more information on CPD requirements in NSW). If the CPD record is not current, the applicant may be required, at the discretion of the Registrar, to undertake specific NSW ARB-delivered Formal CPD, or to attend a refresher course in professional practice, and/or may be required to attend a re-registration interview.
• 5+ years: Applicants are required to submit a current CV showing employment history and demonstrate that they have, within the last 12-month period, completed a minimum of 20 hours of CPD, of which at least 10 hours must be Formal CPD. At least 3 hours of the 10 hours of Formal CPD must address the mandatory topics (Refer Factsheet on Continuing Professional Development for more information on CPD requirements in NSW). They are also likely to be required, at the discretion of the Registrar, to undertake specific NSW ARB-delivered Formal CPD, or to attend a refresher course in professional practice prior to re-registration. Applicants may be required to attend a re-registration interview.

All applications will be assessed by the Registrar on a case-by-case basis.

FORM 06 - APPLICATION FOR RE-REGISTRATION AS A PRACTISING ARCHITECT

 

Architects currently registered in the Non Practising category applying for transfer to the Practising category

• 0-3 years: Automatic processing of application.
• 3 years or more: Applicants are required to demonstrate that they have, within the last 12-month period, completed a minimum of 20 hours of CPD, of which at least 10 hours must be Formal CPD. At least 3 hours of the 10 hours of Formal CPD must address the mandatory topics (Refer Factsheet on Continuing Professional Development for more information on CPD requirements in NSW).

FORM 06 - APPLICATION FOR RE-REGISTRATION AS A PRACTISING ARCHITECT