Building Engineers Registration
The building engineer’s registration scheme (the Registration Scheme) commenced 1 July 2024 and will be implemented in two phases over three years.
The scheme is prescribed under the Building Services (Registration) Act 2011 (WA) (the Act). Under the scheme, engineers must be registered to undertake design, construction or production work in prescribed areas of engineering for a building or incidental structure under the Building Act 2011 and the National Construction Code.
More information on the scheme is available through the Registration of Building Engineers in WA (CRIS).
Commencement and transition
From 1 July 2024, new laws in WA will require building engineers to be registered by the Building Services Board (the Board) to carry out, or contract with consumers to carry out, building engineering work in the State.
Registration of building engineers will be implemented in two stages:
- Registration of structural and fire safety building engineers will commence from 1 July 2024.
- Registration of civil and mechanical building engineers will commence from 1 July 2025.
A transition period applies until 1 July 2027. Unregistered people may lawfully continue to do building engineering work until registration becomes mandatory for all four areas on 1 July 2027.
An ‘early bird’ discount applies until 1 July 2026. Save 50% on your registration fee if you submit your application before 1 July 2026. This equates to 18 months’ registration free in the first 3-year registration period. A refund will be issued to anyone who has already applied and been charged the full fee.
Any person performing building engineering work after 1 July 2027 without the required registration, or outside the scope of their registration, will commit an offence and could be liable for a fine of up to $25,000. The only exception to this is where an application is submitted before 1 January 2027, and the application is yet to be determined by the Board as of 1 July 2027. In that case, the applicant will be taken to be registered as a building engineering contractor until their application is determined.
Applications for registration cannot be accepted or considered by the Board until after the commencement dates specified.
However, it is important that you start considering what arrangements may be required to ensure you are registered by 1 July 2027.
Further information about the registration process, including guides, applications forms, fees, eligibility details and other relevant materials will be published on this website in coming months.
Will you need to be registered?
- Do you carry out professional or technical engineering work?
- Do you work in one or more of the prescribed areas: civil, structural, mechanical or fire safety?
- Do you carry out design, construction or production activities related to buildings or incidental structures, as defined in the Building Act 2011 and the NCC?
- Do you work independently, not under supervision?
If you answered ‘Yes’ to all of these questions, you would likely need to be registered as a building engineering practitioner in the relevant area and level.
- Does your business provide building engineering services to people, including individuals, public agencies and companies?
If so, your business will also need to be registered as a building engineering contractor in the relevant level and employ at least one registered building engineering practitioner to supervise and manage the work.
Building engineering practitioners
A practitioner is an individual (natural person), who meets the prescribed minimum qualification, experience and competence requirements to undertake building engineering work.
To be registered as a building engineering practitioner, you need to obtain a certificate from an approved assessment entity, certifying that your qualification, experience and competence meet the benchmark prescribed for one or more of the areas and levels of building engineering.
- For full details visit building engineering practitioner registration.
Building engineering contractors
A contractor is a business that meets the prescribed requirements for insurance and financial capacity to provide building engineering work to consumers. A registered building engineering contractor is required to have at least one registered building engineering practitioner as a nominated supervisor.
Under the new laws, registered building engineering practitioners are not entitled to directly contract with consumers for building engineering work. After the specified dates, this can only be done by registered contractors.
Building engineering contractors are registered by level only (professional, technologist or associate)1. This means that a multi-disciplinary engineering business does not need to specify the areas of building engineering in which it intends to work and will not need to apply for an amended registration if its areas of practice change, for example due to staff changes.
It is advisable for a registered building engineering contractor to have:
- At least one nominated supervisor registered as a practitioner in each of the areas of engineering that the contractor provides building engineering work in; and
- Sufficient engineers registered as practitioners in each area of building engineering work to supervise the volume and geographical distribution of work being done.
However, every employee who carries out building engineering work need not be a registered practitioner.
- For full details visit building engineering contractor registration.
Building Engineer’s Code of Conduct
All building engineering practitioners registered under the Building Services (Registration) Act 2011 are bound by the Code of Conduct. The Code sets minimum expectations for professional conduct, expertise and personal conduct.
Board policies
Current Board policies regarding building engineers’ registration can be found on the Building Services Board webpage under the 'Policies' tab.
Fees
Application and registration fees for building engineering practitioners and contractors are prescribed in schedule 1 of the Building Services (Registration) Regulations 2012.
Changing your contact details?
- You must let us know within 14 days if you have any changes to your contact details.
- Go to our change of address page to find out more and download the form.
If you have any questions about registering, please contact Licensing Services on 1300 489 099, email be.info@demirs.wa.gov.au or download a copy of the 'Building engineers registration' fact sheet.
