On this page
- Recognised professional bodies of engineers
- Registering as a professional engineer under the DBP
- Benefits of a co-regulatory approach
- Requirements of recognised engineering bodies
- How to apply
- Next steps
- List of recognised professional engineering bodies
- Forms and guidance materials
- Contact us
Recognised professional bodies of engineers
Professional engineering bodies can apply for recognition to operate a scheme to recognise or register individual professional engineers providing engineering services in respect of class 2, 3 and 9c buildings, or buildings with a class 2, 3 or 9c part, in any of the six classes of engineers:
- civil
- electrical
- fire safety
- geotechnical
- mechanical
- structural
Learn more about working on regulated buildings.
Alteration or renovation work for existing Class 3 and 9c buildings will come into effect on 1 July 2024. Further details can be found under the Building Legislation Amendment (Building Classes) Regulation 2023.
Registered or recognised professional engineers under the scheme can then benefit from a fast tracked registration process and their details will be listed on the Public Register for Design and Building Practitioners.
Registering as a professional engineer under the DBP
Under the Design and Building Practitioners legislation, there are three potential pathways through which a professional engineer can be registered:
- register directly through NSW Fair Trading (pathway 1)
- register with a recognised engineering body that manages a registration and recognition scheme (pathway 2)
- register with an approved professional engineering body with a scheme recognised by the Professional Standards Council (pathway 3).
Benefits of a co-regulatory approach
The recognised engineering body determines the assessment, recognition or registration, and ongoing oversight of Professional Engineers on its register. The body will be publicly identified as a recognised engineering body.
This process, also known as the pathway 2 registration process, will provide for a recognised engineering body to provide evidence to NSW Fair Trading that a person has been registered or recognised as a professional engineer.
Requirements of recognised engineering bodies with a recognition or registration scheme
The Design and Building Practitioners Regulation 2021 sets out requirements the engineering body and the scheme will need to satisfy to be considered suitable for recognition.
The recognition or registration scheme must:
- be open to members and non-members of the engineering body
- adequately provide for the assessment of qualifications, experience, knowledge, skills and competencies of professional engineers in an area of engineering
- include processes for assessment, establishing and auditing continuing professional development (CPD) and insurance requirements
- monitor its recognised or registered engineers to ensure compliance with the requirements of their scheme, including resolving complaints, investigating misconduct, and undertaking dispute resolution and disciplinary action
- be made available on a public website for openness and transparency and include clear information on the scheme, including the application process, and the processes for monitoring and investigating engineers, and complaint resolution and dispute resolution
- must include a searchable register of current or former registered or recognised persons under the scheme, including any disciplinary action taken with persons on the register. The register must be published.
Recognised engineering bodies will also be required to report annually to the Secretary on the operation of the scheme, including disciplinary action and rejected applications.
How to apply
Professional bodies of engineers seeking recognition of their assessment scheme to become a recognised engineering body (REB) must submit an application to NSW Fair Trading using the Recognised engineering body recognition application form and be accompanied by:
- sufficient information to enable the Secretary to make a decision on the application – the information required is set out in clause 50 of the Design and Building Practitioners Regulation 2021 and explained in the Guideline for recognition of professional engineering body (PDF)
- the recognition or registration scheme that is proposed for approval
- receipt for the payment of the application fee of $8154 (1, 3 or 5 years).
The completed application can be submitted to NSW Fair Trading at [email protected].
Next steps
Once an application is received, NSW Fair Trading will assess it and the Secretary will provide the applicant with written notice of its decision regarding recognition.
When considering an application, the Secretary may request further information.
Any request for further information will be written, and the applicant will be notified by email of the request. The Secretary will also specify a date by which the information is to be received by NSW Fair Trading so the assessment can continue.
It may take up to 60 business days to process and make a decision on an application for approval of an applicant to become a recognised engineering body. This processing time excludes the time period from the day the Secretary makes a written request for further information, until the day on which the information is provided.
Further information about processing times and the determination of an application is set out in clause 51 of the Design and Building Practitioners Regulation 2021.
List of recognised engineering bodies
Details of recognised engineering bodies will be published on our website. Currently, there are no approved recognised engineering bodies, with a recognition or registration scheme, for pathway 2 registration.
Forms and guidance materials
The following forms and guidance materials are designed to assist a professional engineering body to apply and operate a scheme under the Design and Building Practitioners legislation as a Recognised Engineering Body (REB).
- Guideline for recognition of professional engineering body (PDF)
- Recognised engineering body recognition application form (PDF)
- Model code for complaints and discipline for Professional Engineering Bodies (PDF)
- Recognised engineering body conflict of interest declaration and guidance (PDF)
- Declaration by directors/officers of a recognised engineering body (PDF)
- Recognised engineering body information sharing agreement (PDF)
Privacy disclosure
Contact us
Please contact NSW Fair Trading at [email protected] for further information about the application process.