Continuing professional development (CPD) requirements for architects

Through CPD, architects have opportunities to maintain and expand their professional skills and knowledge. This, in turn, helps architects meet their professional standards obligations and supports them to provide quality architectural services to their clients.

Who needs to meet CPD requirements?

Overview of ARBV’s CPD framework

Under the Architects Act 1991 (Act), every architect must comply with CPD requirements prescribed in the Architects Regulations 2026 (Regulations). In addition, the Victorian Architects Code of Professional Conduct (Code) requires architects to maintain and improve their professional skills and knowledge.

The Regulations and the Continuing Profession Development (CPD) Determination 2026 (Determination) set out the CPD requirements that all architects must comply with. These requirements are consistent with the National CPD framework established by the Australian Architects Boards in conjunction with the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia (AACA).

In summary:

• All architects (practising) must complete at least 20 CPD points during each registration year (CPD cycle) or the pro rata number of points CPD if an architect only practises for part of a year or has been granted a partial CPD exemption
• At least 10 CPD points must be “formal learning” and the remaining points can be completed as “informal learning”
• Where an architect is required to complete a pro rata number of CPD points, at least half of the pro rata CPD points must be in the form of “formal learning”
• One CPD point is earned for each hour of participation in CPD activity up to a maximum number of points determined by the ARBV
• When architects renew their registration, they must make a declaration stating they have complied with the CPD requirements
• CPD points cannot be carried forward to the next CPD cycle.

Types of CPD activity

CPD activity is activity that may be undertaken or attended (including online) that aims to refresh, update or develop knowledge and skills relevant to the work and professional competency of a practising architect.

CPD activity may be ‘formal learning’ in the form of:

• An online or face-to-face course or module (including a self-paced course or module), lecture, seminar, workshop, conference, forum or information or trade session
• Writing for publication
• Preparation and delivery of CPD activities for other architects
• Teaching of architecture at a tertiary level
• Structured training for examiners and assessors delivered by Architect Registration Boards and the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia

CPD may also be ‘informal learning’ in the form of:

• Talks and presentations by peers (online or face-to-face)
• Structured research
• Self-directed study
• Structured visits to building sites, buildings and exhibitions
• Involvement in mentoring programs
• Tutoring in architecture at a tertiary level where there is no significant preparation and/or involvement in the development of new content or curriculum – for example, design studio tutoring
• Marking work produced by architecture students at a tertiary level – for example, as a tutor or guest critic.
• Participating as an examiner or assessor for the Architectural Practice Examination or any other pathway to registration
• Participating in professional practice committees and advisory groups through professional associations, regulatory authorities, or government bodies, such as Standards Australia

The activities you undertake should reflect your experience in the profession and your needs.

Excludes everyday work or personal activities

You should carefully consider whether activities meet your CPD obligations.

Everyday work or personal activities should not be included as CPD activities. Below are examples of everyday work or personal activities which do not meet CPD obligations:

• Personal holidays
• Site visits with clients, engineers or builders
• Responsibilities as an employer or company director
• meetings with suppliers or sales presentations

Formal learning

Formal learning activities:

• involve education relating to architectural practices or the industry;
• have clear learning outcomes that are linked to at least two performance criteria from the National Standard of Competency for Architects (NSCA);
• include a formal assessment against the learning outcomes at the end of the activity; and
• include evidence of completion of the activity from the provider of the learning.

Presenters must have appropriate academic, technical or practical expertise and the focus for any formal CPD undertaken should be acquiring new knowledge and/or skills.

NSCA performance criteria

If the NSCA performance criteria for a particular CPD activity are not specifically identified by the provider of that activity, it is acceptable for you to make your own determination of which performance criteria were covered with reference to the title of the activity, activity content, and other activity documentation and materials.

Assessment

Assessment against learning outcomes may take a variety of forms, including:

• pop-quiz
• test
• self-check questions and answers
• paper or report submitted after the activity.

Evidence of completion of activity

Evidence of attendance and completion of CPD activity may include:

• A certificate of completion from the provider of the activity, including the participant’s name, provider name, date, activity name/description, CPD points (i.e. duration of the activity)
• Comprehensive personal handwritten or typewritten notes made during your participation in the CPD activity
• Evidence of preparation and delivery of CPD activities, such as a pdf of your slide deck, your speaker’s notes, and/or your supporting research
• Evidence of teaching, such as the unit outline with your name as unit coordinator, lecture program, summary of unit content, intended learning outcomes, and/or relevant research
• Digital copies of publications you have authored.

Informal learning

Informal learning are CPD activities that do not meet the requirements for formal learning. Informal learning may include self-directed study and professional activities related to your practice as an architect.

For an informal learning activity to contribute to your CPD requirements, it must be educational and help you acquire new knowledge and skills or share your skills with your peers. Informal learning activities will occur in addition to your normal day-to-day work.

While informal learning may have clear learning outcomes, it does not need to include formal assessment or interaction between you and the presenter, trainer or instructor.

Maximum number of CPD points for informal learning

The maximum number of points that can be obtained for a specific type of informal learning are set out below:

Required number of CPD points

All architects must complete at least 20 CPD points in a CPD cycle – that is, throughout a registration year from 1 July to 30 June. If an architect only practises for part of a year, the pro rata number of CPD points must be completed.

At least half of the CPD activities (i.e. 10 CPD points) must be in the form of ‘formal learning’ and the remaining points can be completed as ‘informal learning’.

One CPD point is earned for each hour of participation in a CPD activity up to a maximum number of points for the relevant form of CPD activity.

Architect (practising) – full-time and part-time - registered for the full year

If you are registered as an architect (practising) for the full year (1 July to 30 June), you must complete at least 20 points of CPD activities. Of these, at least 10 points must be formal CPD activities.

Architects who work part-time are not exempt from the CPD requirement and are not entitled to a pro-rata calculation of the CPD requirement based on their part-time employment status.

Architect (practising) – registered for part of the year or with exceptional circumstances

If you are registered as an architect (practising) for part of the year, you must complete CPD activities equivalent to the proportion of the year you are registered.

For example:

• if you were registered as a practising architect for 6 months (50% of the year), you would need to complete 50% of the CPD points required for a full year's registration – so, 10 points of CPD activities
• if you were registered as a practising architect for three months (25% of the year), you would need to complete 25% of the CPD points required for a full year's registration – so, 5 points of CPD activities.

This also applies if you experience exceptional circumstances during the year (for example, a period of illness or extended leave, including parental leave).

Architects (non-practising)

Architects (non-practising) are not required to complete CPD activities.

Architects from other states or territories

If you are registered as a practising architect in more than one Australian state or territory, you only need to complete one set of CPD activities.

Architects with exceptional circumstances

If you have experienced circumstances during the registration year which have prevented you from meeting the minimum CPD requirements, you may apply for an exemption from complying with the CPD requirements for exceptional circumstances.

You should notify the ARBV of any exceptional circumstances as soon as they impact your ability to meet your CPD obligations.

When deciding whether to grant an exemption, the ARBV will consider whether all reasonable steps have been taken to meet CPD requirements and will consider the following particular circumstances:

• Serious illness or accident experienced by an architect or an immediate family member
• Significant changes to employment arrangements such as unemployment, redundancy or long service leave of at least 3 consecutive months
• Parental leave
• Relocation or travel overseas, while not providing architectural services in Victoria or Australia for at least 3 consecutive months
• Other exceptional circumstances which may have prevented the completion of CPD requirements.

To request an exemption, please notify the ARBV in writing during the relevant registration year or within 2 months of the end of the registration period.

Your CPD exemption request should be sent via email to registrar@arbv.vic.gov.au and outline the circumstances which have prevented you from meeting your CPD requirements.

Supporting material which substantiates the circumstances outlined in your request must be attached to your email. Please do not provide the ARBV with supporting documentation with your request of a private or sensitive nature or documentation which relates to a third party individual.

Please note, you should only respond ‘No’ to the CPD declaration at renewal if you have been granted a confirmed full exemption from your CPD obligations.

If you have been granted a confirmed partial CPD exemption, you should only respond ‘Yes’, to the CPD declaration at renewal indicating you are compliant if you have completed the adjusted CPD hours outlined in the partial CPD exemption confirmation.

CPD exemptions do not apply retrospectively.

Annual CPD declaration

When you renew your registration each year, you must make a declaration that you have complied with the CPD requirements for the preceding year – that is, you have completed the applicable number of hours of CPD activity, including formal and informal learning.

• Compliant: If you have complied with your CPD obligations, then you can select 'Yes' when you are asked to declare your CPD compliance when completing renewal of your registration.
• Not compliant: If you have not complied with your CPD obligations and have not received an exemption from the ARBV, then you must select ‘No’ when you are asked to declare your CPD compliance when completing renewal. You may then wish to communicate with the ARBV to apply for an exemption, if you consider your circumstances meet the grounds for an exemption. Exemption requests must be received by the ARBV within 2 months of the end of the registration period.
• Exemption: If you have been granted a full exemption by the ARBV, then you can select ‘No’ when you are asked to declare your CPD compliance when completing renewal of your registration, but you must respond 'Yes' to the question about being granted an exemption.

If you have been granted a partial exemption and have completed the pro rata hours advised by the ARBV when your partial CPD exemption was granted, you can select “yes” when you are asked to declare your CPD compliance when completing renewal of your registration and you can respond 'Yes' to the question about being granted an exemption.

Failure to fulfil CPD requirements could be considered unprofessional conduct under the Act and the Code. In the event of persistent failure to comply with CPD requirements or in high-risk cases, we may take disciplinary action.

Keeping records of CPD activities

From time to time, you may be required to provide evidence of the CPD activities you have completed.

You must keep your own record of the CPD activities you complete throughout the year, and you should retain these records for at least 5 years.

You will also need to maintain records that outline any exceptional circumstances that have prevented you from completing CPD requirements and confirmation of a CPD exemption if it has been granted by the ARBV.

CPD record details

Your record of a CPD activity should include:

• date of the activity
• name of activity
• type/category of activity (e.g. webinar, seminar, tour, reading, podcast etc.)
• organisation that provided the training
• category of learning – formal or informal
• hours you claimed against the CPD requirements
• how the activity relates to specific performance criteria/units of competency in the NSCA.
• evidence of completion of all formal CPD claimed

Find out more about the National Standard of Competency for Architects.

Recording CPD template

We have developed a template that can be downloaded and used to record your CPD activities. Please note this template is just a guide, you are welcome to continue using your own if you wish.

CPD audits

It's important that you keep your CPD records up-to-date.

The ARBV may choose to audit your CPD records at any time during the year. The ARBV may also request copies of your records if you are the subject of a complaint or investigation.