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The Board exists to serve the public interest through the following purposes of its legislation. On-going Board projects fulfil each of these purposes in the following ways:

The registration of architects

• In conjunction with the AIA and architecture schools, conduct accreditation reviews of qualifications offered by the approved universities
• Conduct examinations of practical experience for applicants for registration
• Maintain the Register and give advice about registration
• Register new architects and maintain annual registration for individual architects

The approval of architectural partnerships and architectural companies

• administer approval procedures
• review company structure within regulations and advise firms on compliance
• maintain annual registration of approved companies and partnerships

Regulate the professional conduct of architects

• provide advice to the profession and public about the professional conduct regulations
• disseminate advice to the profession through emails, and to both the public and the profession via the Board website

Provide a procedure for handling complaints against architects

• Provide advice to the public about complaint procedures and how to make a complaint
• Review complaints and decide if they should be referred to the Architects Tribunal. (The Architects Tribunal, which is independent of the Board, conducts professional conduct inquiries – the Board itself does not do this.)

For more information about complaints, please refer to Complaints section on this website.

Regulate the use of the words “architect”, and the terms “architectural services”, “architectural design services” and “architectural design”.

• Provide advice to the public about the controlled language
• Investigate apparent breaches of the title provisions of the Act and where compliance is not obtained, prosecute offenders in the Magistrates Court

National initiatives and cooperation with Architects Boards in other jurisdictions

• Accreditation
• Registration
• Architectural Practice Examinations
• Recognition of overseas qualifications
• Alternative means of entry to registration – National Program of Assessment. (NPrA)
• Professional conduct provisions
• Continuing Professional Development policies
• The National Competency Standards in Architecture
• The proposed national recognition of registration.

The Regulations form part of the Act and include professional conduct regulations (Regulations 6 – 16) which are binding on architects.

To view a copy of the Architects Regulations 2015, visit www.legislation.vic.gov.au. Click the ‘Victorian Law Today’ tab, select ‘Statutory Rules’ and scroll in the alpha list under ‘A’.

If you have any questions about the Act or Regulations please call or email the Board.