NSW registration under the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020

If you require a certificate of competency from Engineers Australia, you will have to undergo one of four specific assessments. Engineers Australia is assessing three forms of competency assessments for registration of professional engineers, and one form of assessment of knowledge and skills for registration of design practitioners – vertical transportation

• Competency Assessment PE1 – pre-1989 engineering qualification
• Competency Assessment PE2 – less than two years of Australian experience
• Competency Assessment PE3 – non-accredited qualifications and experience
• Knowledge and Skills Assessment DP(-VT) – knowledge and skills of vertical transportation systems

You can find out whether you need a certificate of competency on the NSW Fair Trading website. 

If you have any questions about applying for a competency assessment, please contact the Registration Team at [email protected] 

Competency Assessment PE1 

This competency assessment is available if you have a qualification in engineering that was completed before the establishment of the Washington Accord in 1989.

Previously assessed qualifications

You are considered to have had your qualifications assessed by Engineers Australia if you: 

• Currently hold CPEng status with Engineers Australia
• Are registered on Engineers Australia's National Engineering Register NER as a professional engineer
• Have received an outcome of professional engineer from an Engineers Australia's Migration Skills Assessment
• Have received an outcome of professional engineer from an Engineers Australia's Stage 1 Eligibility for Membership Assessment

Application

You can request a certificate of competency online. 

When Engineers Australia confirms that you have previously been assessed as holding a qualification allowing recognition as a Professional Engineer in Australia, you will be provided with a certificate of competency which you can use in your application for registration with NSW Fair Trading. 

Cost

Members: no fee
Non-members: $90.20 including GST

Un-assessed listed qualifications

If you have not had your qualifications previously assessed by Engineers Australia, but your qualification is listed on Engineers Australia's list of accredited programs as having been offered at the level of Professional Engineer, you will be required to provide copies of the qualification testamur or transcript of results.  

Application

You can apply for assessment online. 

When Engineers Australia confirms that you hold a pre-1989 accredited engineering qualification, you will be provided with a certificate of competency which you can use in your application for registration with NSW Fair Trading.

Cost

Members: no fee
Non-members: $90.20 including GST

Un-assessed and un-listed qualifications

If you have not had your qualifications previously assessed by Engineers Australia and your qualification is not listed on Engineers Australia's list of accredited programs as having been offered at the level of Professional Engineer, you will need to complete an entry to practice qualification assessment.

For your entry to practice qualification assessment, you will need to provide:

• Evidence of all the qualifications you hold, including transcripts and testamurs. Scanned colour copies saved at 300dpi are preferred
• Details of any professional development that you have been undertaking
• A verified CV, including the name and contact details of a referee who can confirm your experience
• Three career episode reports (PDF) which provide evidence that you have demonstrated all 16 Elements of Engineers Australia's Stage 1 Competency Standard for Professional Engineers (PDF)
• Evidence of any professional registration held
• Evidence of ability to communicate in the English language (PDF)

Application

You can apply for assessment online. 

When Engineers Australia confirms that you have hold a pre-1989 engineering qualification allowing recognition as a Professional Engineer in Australia, you will be provided with a certificate of competency which you can use in your application for registration with NSW Fair Trading. 

Cost

Members: $748.00 including GST
Non-members: $748.00 including GST

Competency Assessment PE2

The NSW Government requires that you have at least two years of building experience in Australia. If you do not have of the required Australian experience, you will need to complete an experience assessment and demonstrate that either in Australia or overseas, you have had at least five years of experience in the last 10 years working on buildings similar to a class 2, 3, 9a or 9c building.

For your experience assessment, you will need to provide:

• A verified CV, including the name and contact details of a referee who can confirm your experience
• Three career episode reports (PDF) which highlight the building codes and standards that you have applied
• Evidence of any professional registration held

Application

You can apply for assessment online. 

When Engineers Australia confirms that you have the required experience, you will be provided with a certificate of competency which you can use in your application for registration with NSW Fair Trading.  

Cost

Members: $451.00 including GST
Non-members: $451.00 including GST 

Competency Assessment PE3

This pathway is used if you don't have a qualification which by itself is equivalent to a Washington Accord qualification. This assessment considers your experiential learning as well as your qualification. You must have qualifications and experience that ‘relates to the area of engineering' in which you will apply for registration.

This pathway is available only until 30 June 2022.

Requirements

The experience requirements for this competency assessment will be 10 years, or equivalent part time, practical experience within the last 15 years, including at least two years Australian experience. The practical experience must be on a class 2, 3, 9a or 9c building (or if overseas a similar building).

For your qualification and experience assessment, you will need to provide:

• Evidence of all qualifications held, including transcripts of results, where necessary
• Details of formal and in-formal professional development that is relevant to the application. Professional development may include courses and training, and certificates should be provided where possible
• A verified CV, including the name and contact details of a referee who can confirm the experience
• Three career episode reports (PDF). 
• Evidence of any professional registration held
• Evidence of ability to communicate competently in the English language (PDF)

The Engineers Australia Assessor will review all the provided evidence against the 16 competencies of the Stage 1 Competency Standard for Professional Engineer (PDF).

To be eligible for a successful outcome of a competency assessment PE3, you will have to have provided evidence of having demonstrated all 16 Stage 1 competencies. The minimum academic qualification expected by Engineers Australia is a three-year degree cognate to an engineering degree.

Application

You can apply for assessment online. 

When Engineers Australia confirms that you have the required combination of qualifications and experience, you will be provided with a certificate of competency which you can use in your application for registration with NSW Fair Trading. 

Cost

Members: $1083.50 including GST
Non-members: $1083.50 including GST

Previously assessed qualifications

If Engineers Australia has previously assessed your qualifications, there will be no reassessment of your qualifications undertaken. You will, however, need to demonstrate the experience requirement of 10 years in the last 15 years, including at least two years of Australian experience.  

You are considered to have had your qualifications assessed by Engineers Australia if you: 

• Currently hold CPEng status with Engineers Australia
• Are registered on Engineers Australia's National Engineering Register NER as a professional engineer
• Have received an outcome of professional engineer from an Engineers Australia's Migration Skills Assessment
• Have received an outcome of professional engineer from an Engineers Australia's Stage 1 Eligibility for Membership Assessment

Cost

Members: $335.50 including GST
Non-members: $425.70 including GST

Knowledge and Skills Assessment DP(VT)

If you work in the vertical transportation sector and you need registration as a design practitioner – vertical transportation, you will need to have a knowledge and skills assessment.

Requirements

For your knowledge and skills assessment in vertical transportation, you will need to provide:

• A verified CV (the verification is a statement to confirm the claims are true and accurate. Verification can be provided by anyone who is knowledgeable of your work)
• Two  referees;  names and contact details who can confirm your experience
• Your contact details
• Details of at least 10 years of experience in the vertical transportation industry, including a minimum of five years involved in design, installation, maintenance, modernisation, testing, commissioning of lifts or escalators (note Professional Engineers only need to demonstrate 5 years of experience)
• Details of 5 projects and works completed in the last five years, including:
  • The scope of works
  • Dates the work was undertaken
  • Employer at the time of the work
  • Client for the work

The document can be in the form of, but not limited to, one of the following:

• A detailed expanded CV
• A written statement of experience
• Evidence of projects or work

When detailing the works, make sure you demonstrate:

• Any review and analysis of available vertical transportation systems
• Calculations, analysis and compliance with Australian standards
• An understanding of building traffic studies and solutions
• Consideration of environmentally sustainable design
• Knowledge of the installation process

You can reference the Design Practitioner Vertical Transportation Assessment Criteria (PDF)

Application

You can apply for assessment online. 

When Engineers Australia confirms that you have the required knowledge and skills, you will be provided with a certificate of competency which you can use in your application for registration with NSW Fair Trading.

The DP(VT) Assessment follows the process outlined below:

Step 1: Submit application
Step 2: Application is reviewed to determine whether the application has sufficient information, or whether more information is required
Step 3: Referee check completed
Step 4: Interview with assessor and panellist
Step 5: Assessment outcome provided for applicant to submit with their NSW application

Cost

Members: $500 including GST
Non-members: $500 including GST

DP(VT) Guidance Material

NSW Fair Trading have issued Vertical Transportation Guidance material via their website which is available here.

Enquiries

If you have any questions about applying for the Knowledge and Skills Assessment for Design Practitioner - Vertical Transportation, please contact our Registration Team at [email protected]