Architects and Architectural businesses in South Australia must be registered in accordance with the Architectural Practice Act 2009. Registration entitles the person or business to provide architectural services in this State and to use the term ‘Architect’ and its derivatives. If you have queries about registering, go to the Frequently Asked Questions page under the 'Architect' tab or contact the office to discuss your application if your queries are unanswered.

Categories of registration are:

Practising
All architects practising in South Australia. Each architect must have professional indemnity insurance.

Non-Practising
This category includes architects who are not practising for the following reasons:

  • Retired
  • Extended carers leave
  • Parental leave
  • Unemployed
  • Working outside the building and construction industry
  • Working outside of South Australia

Non-Practising architects must apply for an exemption from the requirement for professional indemnity insurance. A concession in registration fees may apply to some non-practising architects.

Architectural business
A company with under two or more than two directors; or a Partnership with under two directors

Limited
The Board may place conditions on a persons registration limiting their practice of architecture in South Australia (e.g. location, employment/supervision, time, other conditions) if the Board considers there is a public interest in registering a person who may not have the necessary qualifications and/or experience required for registration.

Anvers Wines Cellar Door, Stallard Meek Flightpath Architects. Photography by David Sievers.

Architectural business

To be eligible for registration as an architectural business, at least half of the directors of the business must be registered as architects in South Australia. Architectural businesses may include Companies or Partnerships.

To provide architectural services in South Australia, the company or partnership must be registered as an architectural business. The company will receive a registration number. All architectural businesses must renew their registration each year. All individual architects associated with the architectural business must also renew their registration each year (except for architects registered under Automatic Mutual Recognition – go to the renewal page for more information).

When applying for registration, architectural businesses must provide a copy of their ASIC Company/Partnership registration certificate along with the names and details of all the Directors of the business, and the business’ Professional Indemnity Insurance. If the Directors of the business change at any time, you must notify the APBSA office of the change/s.

Forms for registration

To apply for registration in South Australia please complete the application form online and submit it with the required documentation and fees. Fees can be paid via the payment gateway. Alternatively, you can download a copy of the relevant application form below and submit it via email or post, with the fees (paid via EFT with a copy of the receipt).

It is highly recommended to complete your registration online. If there are circumstances where you cannot complete your application online, please download the relevant form to submit your application for registration to the office. 

Forms 1, 2, 3, 4, 2A, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 14A can be downloaded here.

Please contact the office if you have any queries.

Fees for registration

ANZAC Centenary Memorial Walk, Grieve Gillett Architects. Photography by Peter Barnes.

The Board sets the registration and other fees each year in April for the forthcoming registration year (i.e. 1 July – 30 June).

A copy of the Schedule of Fees can be downloaded here.

Architects reporting to the Board

Under the Architectural Practice Act, it is a professional obligation for architects to report some matters to the Board. These include:

Claims of negligence
Made against the architect or architectural business. Section 60 of the Act specifies this requirement, and the regulations outline the detail that must be reported. The Board has issued a Guidance Note (Guidance Note 03) which overviews these requirements. All architects must notify the Board when a claim alleging negligence has been lodged against them: that is, when documents have been filed in court to initiate the proceedings. Contact the Registrar if you have any queries about this legislative requirement.

Maintaining the reputation of Architects
Standard 9 of The Architects' Code of Conduct specifies that the Board must be notified of particular matters. This includes:

  • if the architect is convicted of a criminal offence
  • made the subject of a court order disqualifying them from acting as a company director
  • made the subject of a bankruptcy order
  • is a director of a company which is wound up (other than for amalgamation or restructuring purposes)
  • makes an accommodation with creditors (including a voluntary arrangement)
  • fails to pay a judgement debt.

The Board must be notified within 28 days of any of the above. The Architects' Code of Conduct is available here and all architects should be familiar with its requirements. The Code is endorsed under the Architectural Practice Act 2009. Contact the Registrar if you have any queries about the Code of Conduct.