Architect Act changes 2025

On Wednesday, 13 August 2025, changes to the Architects Act 1991 will come into effect. These changes were included in the Building Legislation Amendment and Other Matters Act 2024 that was enacted by Parliament on 13 November 2024.

The changes primarily relate to registration renewal obligations. As these obligations will not come into effect until after the current year’s registration renewal has been finalised most architects will not encounter the changes until they renew their registration next year. The Architects Registration Board of Victoria (ARBV) will provide architects with more information ahead of the opening of next year’s registration renewal.

At a high level the changes mean that:

• at renewal the following requirements must be completed by 30 June:
  • payment of renewal fees (previously due on 1 July)
  • architects, companies and partnerships must provide the ARBV with proof of required professional indemnity insurance coverage until 30 June the following year
  • architects must also provide the ARBV with proof of compliance with continuing professional development requirements and a declaration that they are a fit and proper person to continue practising as an architect.
• a late payment fee is payable if renewal requirements are not completed by 30 June
• registration or approval automatically expires after 1 month if renewal requirements remain unmet and architect details will be removed from the Register of Architects
• architects, companies and partnerships with expired registration or approval can apply to reinstate their registration or approval within 2 months
• reinstatement after 2 months is at the discretion of the ARBV
• where an application for reinstatement is made, a reinstatement fee will apply in addition to renewal fees.

The changes mean that registration will no longer continue in perpetuity and will transition to annual term based on the financial year. The onus will be on architects to meet renewal requirements by 30 June to continue to practise in Victoria. This means that registration renewal requirements must be completed on time to avoid late fees or removal from the Register of Architects. Architects will still be able to apply for financial hardship if they are experiencing financial difficulties. Once architects are removed from the Register of Architects, they will have to apply to the ARBV if they wish to have their registration reinstated. Similar provisions apply to approved companies and partnerships.

The objective of resetting registration renewal obligations is to ensure architects are timely in meeting statutory requirements, including payment of fees, to continue to practise in Victoria. Importantly, the implementation of these changes will help to embed public protection requirements for the benefit of consumers and the public at large. It will also significantly reduce the administrative burden on the ARBV in dealing with high rates of late payments and escalating to suspension in instances where annual fees remain unpaid and other statutory requirements remain unmet. Those resources can instead be redirected to education and other initiatives that support architects to comply with their regulatory obligations. These changes to registration renewal obligations bring the ARBV into line with other Architects Registration Boards and other regulated professions.

Media Enquiries:

ARBV Communications communications@arbv.vic.gov.au