Mutual recognition - register as an architect in Victoria

If you are registered as an architect in another Australian state or territory, New Zealand or select other countries, you may be able to take the mutual recognition pathway to register as an architect in Victoria.

Any person who intends to provide architectural services in Victoria, who has registration from an interstate Board or in New Zealand, is required to be registered by the ARBV through Mutual Recognition or alternatively, they may be eligible to work under the Automatic Mutual Recognition (AMR) scheme if they have met the ARBV’s notification and public protection requirements and remain eligible to work under AMR.

Mutual recognition

Mutual recognition allows architects who are registered in other Australian states or territories, New Zealand and select other countries to register as architects in Victoria without completing a formal assessment or examination.

To be eligible for mutual recognition from another Australian jurisdiction or New Zealand, you must:

  • be currently registered as an architect by a relevant registration board
  • have professional indemnity insurance.

Practitioners would use mutual recognition if relocating to Victoria from interstate or New Zealand. If you are registered interstate and will continue to reside interstate and only intend to work in Victoria, you may be eligible for Automatic Mutual Recognition.

Mutual recognition arrangements are currently in place with the following countries:

To apply for registration using mutual recognition, please go to the ARBV Portal.

Automatic Mutual Recognition

The Automatic Mutual Recognition (AMR) scheme allows individuals to use their home state occupational registration to work in participating Australian states and territories, without needing to apply for registration or pay fees in the host state. Only architects registered in Australia and whose home state has adopted AMR can use AMR – an architect registered in NZ or other countries will not be able to rely on their registration from their country of origin to use AMR. Similarly, an architect from a state that has not adopted AMR will not be entitled to use AMR at this stage.

To access AMR, practitioners must notify the ARBV of their intention to practise in Victoria via an online form (see link below) – please note that the ARBV needs to process the notification; simply submitting a notification via the form does not give practitioners “automatic” access to the AMR scheme. Practitioners must also meet public protection requirements. For architects, this means you must demonstrate you have professional indemnity insurance coverage to work in Victoria. Commencement of AMR for architects wishing to work in Victoria is 1 January 2022.

A practitioner’s ability to work in Victoria under AMR lasts indefinitely and does not need to be renewed, provided the practitioner holds a valid registration issued by their home state. AMR comes to an end when a practitioner’s registration in their home state ceases or they are subject to disciplinary action in their home state or any other state where they are practising as architects.

A practitioner’s ability to work under AMR may also be impacted if they are subject to disciplinary action by the ARBV or any other Australian architect registration board. The ARBV has obligations to notify other registration boards in relation to investigations or actions against practitioners that may lead to disciplinary proceedings, and this can affect the practitioner’s home state registration and any interim or automatic deemed registration elsewhere. A practitioner will be informed by the ARBV of investigations or actions against them that may lead to disciplinary proceedings.

Victorian practitioners who wish to practise in another state or territory under the AMR scheme should contact the relevant architect registration board to check whether the scheme has commenced in that jurisdiction.

It is an offence to provide architectural services or call yourself an architect in Victoria if you have not registered or notified us (when operating under the AMR scheme). Offenders may be charged or fined under the Architects Act 1991.

It is your responsibility to be aware of, and ensure compliance with, the relevant laws when you undertake work in Victoria. Architects seeking to work in Victoria must comply with the Architects Act, which includes compliance with public protection requirements. This means you must hold the required insurance when you notify the ARBV of your intention to practise in Victoria and you must provide ongoing proof of insurance to the ARBV when your insurance is renewed.

Find out more information about Professional Indemnity Insurance requirements.

How to notify

Practitioners who intend to work in Victoria are required to notify the ARBV.

Once the form has been submitted, practitioners will receive an acknowledgement letter from the ARBV. Once we confirm you have met the public protection requirements, we will provide a confirmation letter. The confirmation letter will allow you to work in Victoria as an architect and provide architectural services. The letter will also include an Automatic Deemed Registration (ADR) number. This ADR number can only be used in Victoria.

Notify ARBV

ADR Practitioner Register

Access the ADR Practitioner Register to see who is currently operating under the AMR scheme in Victoria.

ADR Practitioner Register

Updated