Assessment for state registration

Registration assessment requirements are different in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria

To get state registration in NSW, Queensland and Victoria some professional engineers will need to be assessed to ensure they meet the benchmarked qualifications competency standards to practise. These standards are set by the respective state government.

NSW competency assessment

Many engineers in NSW don’t need to be registered.

You will need to be registered if you’re a professional engineer who works on class 2 buildings or buildings with a class 2 part. The exception to this is if you work under the direct supervision of a registered engineer or work only to prescriptive standards.

To be registered you must meet NSW Fair Trading’s eligibility criteria. If you don’t meet the eligibility criteria, your competency must be independently assessed. Engineers Australia does three specific assessments on behalf of NSW Fair Trading. 

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

Previously assessed qualifications

Your qualifications are considered to have been 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 Membership competency assessment.

To obtain your certificate of competency, login to the member portal and complete the competency assessment form

There’s no fee to members for this service. If you’re not a member the fee is $90.20 including GST.

Once your assessment form is processed and you meet the assessment standards, you'll be able to download your registration outcome report and certificate of competency to use in your application for registration with NSW Fair Trading.

Un-assessed listed qualifications

If you haven’t previously had your qualifications assessed by Engineers Australia but your qualification is on our list of accredited programs for the category of professional engineer, you’ll need to provide copies of your qualification testamur or transcript of results.

To apply login or create an account in the member portal and then complete the competency assessment form

There’s no fee to members for this service. If you’re not a member the fee is $95 including GST.

If you meet the assessment standards, you can download your registration outcome report and certificate of competency to use in your application for registration with NSW Fair Trading.

Un-assessed and un-listed qualifications

If you haven’t previously had your qualifications assessed by Engineers Australia and your qualification isn’t on our list of accredited programs for the category of professional engineer, you’ll need to have an entry to practice qualification assessment. For the assessment, you’ll need to provide:

  • evidence of your qualifications, including transcripts and testamurs
  • details of your ongoing professional development
  • a verified CV including the name and contact details of a referee who can confirm your experience
  • three career episodes that provide evidence you can demonstrate the elements of competence for a professional engineer
  • evidence of any professional registration you hold
  • evidence of your English language competency if you don’t meet the exempt criteria.

To apply login or create an account in the member portal and then complete the competency assessment form

The fee for both members and non-members is $810.00 including GST.

If you meet the assessment standards, you can download your registration outcome report and certificate of competency to use in your application for registration with NSW Fair Trading.

The NSW government requires at least two years of building industry experience in Australia. If you don’t have that you’ll need to complete an experience assessment. This to demonstrate that within the last 10 years, you’ve had at least five years’ experience working on buildings similar to a class 2, 3, 9a or 9c building.

For the assessment, you’ll need to provide:

  • a verified CV including the name and contact details of a referee who can confirm your experience
  • three career episodes that highlight the building codes and standards you’ve applied
  • evidence of any professional registration you hold

To apply login or create an account in the member portal and then complete the competency assessment form

The fee for both members and non-members is $515 including GST.

If you meet the assessment standards, you can download your registration outcome report and certificate of competency to use in your application for registration with NSW Fair Trading.

To register as a design practitioner (vertical transportation) in NSW, you’ll need to have a knowledge and skills assessment.

To apply login or create an account in the member portal and then complete the competency assessment form

For the assessment, you’ll need to provide:

  1. A verified CV including the name and contact details of a referee who can confirm your experience.
  2. Your contact details.
  3. Either a detailed expanded CV, written statement of experience or evidence of work or projects which detail at least 10 years’ experience in the vertical transportation industry.

Your CV, written statement or evidence of work must include:

  • a minimum of five years in:
    • design
    • installation
    • maintenance
    • modernisation
    • testing and commissioning of lifts or escalators (five years’ experience for Professional engineers).
  • details of five projects or works you’ve completed in the last five years, including:
    • the scope of works
    • dates the work was undertaken and the employer and client’s names
    • 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.

Be sure to also address the design practitioner vertical transportation assessment criteria in your application. For more information, refer to the guidance material provided by NSW Fair Trading.

The fee for both members and non-members is $520 including GST.

If you meet the assessment standards, your certificate of competency will be emailed to you. Use it in your application for registration with NSW Fair Trading.

Queensland competency assessment

In Queensland the assessment pathway for state registration differs depending on what assessments you’ve had previously to qualify for membership, credentials or migration.  

If you aren’t a member but you’ve completed a migration skills assessment, follow the instructions under Non-members below. 

If you’re a member of Engineers Australia and have either a Chartered or NER credential, you don’t need another assessment to register with the Board of Professional Engineers Queensland (BPEQ).

Login to the member portal and navigate to the My EA page and download your RPEQ assessment letter from the My Registration tab. You can then apply for registration as a professional engineer on the BPEQ website. 

If you need an RPEQ assessment letter in an area of engineering that doesn’t match your NER area of engineering or Chartered area of practice, you’ll need to have an additional assessment.

Members without Chartered or NER credentials

If you're a member but don’t have a Chartered or NER credential, you’ll need to complete a competency assessment to be eligible to join the NER as a first step. The fee varies depending on membership and whether you’re in Australia or overseas.

If you meet the assessment standards to join the NER, you can login to the member portal and download your RPEQ assessment letter. You can use this in your application for registration with the BPEQ.

If you aren’t a member of Engineers Australia, the Board of Professional Engineers Queensland (BPEQ) has authorised us to conduct competency assessments for state registration.  

To apply create a login on the member portal and apply from the state registration eligibility page.  

You’ll need to provide the following colour-scanned documentation: 

  • Primary piece of identification that includes a photograph, such as a passport photo page or current driver licence. 
  • Change of name documents (if applicable). 
  • A passport-sized photograph. 
  • Evidence of your qualifications, including transcripts and testamurs. 
  • Details including certificates of your formal and informal professional development, including courses and training. 
  • A verified CV including the name and contact details of two referees who can confirm your experience. 
  • Evidence of your English language competence if you don’t meet the exempt criteria. 
  • Three career episodes that provide evidence you can demonstrate the elements of competence for a professional engineer
  • Summary statement of your competencies against elements 1, 2, 4, 6 and 13 of the elements of competence for a professional engineer. 
  • Evidence of any professional memberships you hold. 

If you have already completed an entry to practice or migration skills assessment, the fee for state registration eligibility assessment is $610.50 including GST.

The total fee for assessment for non-members is $1420 including GST.  

If you meet the assessment standards, login to the member portal and download your RPEQ assessment letter. You can then apply for registration as a professional engineer on the BPEQ website

Victoria competency assessment

In Victoria requirements for state registration differ depending on what assessments you’ve had previously to qualify for membership, credentials or migration.

If you aren’t a member but you’ve completed a migration skills assessment, follow the instructions under Non-members below.

See our Victorian state registration assessment guide for more information on how to apply for assessment of qualifications, skills and competencies.

If you’re a member of Engineers Australia and have either a Chartered or NER credential, you don’t need another assessment to register on the Victorian engineering register.

Login to the member portal and download your Victorian registration outcome report. You can then apply for registration as a professional engineer on Consumer Affairs Victoria’s Business Licensing Authority website.

Members without Chartered or NER credentials

If you’re a member but don’t have a Chartered or NER credential, you’ll need to apply for either of these as a first step. There is a fee for assessment for both Chartered and NER.

Once you have your Chartered or NER credential, login to the member portal and download your Victorian registration outcome report. You can then apply for registration as a professional engineer on Consumer Affairs Victoria’s Business Licensing Authority website.

If you aren’t a member of Engineers Australia, Consumer Affairs Victoria’s Business Licensing Authority has authorised us to conduct competency assessments for state registration.

To apply create an account in the member portal and apply from the state registration eligibility page.

You’ll need to provide the following colour-scanned documentation:

  • Primary piece of identification that includes a photograph, such as a passport photo page or current driver licence.
  • Change of name documents (if applicable).
  • A passport-sized photograph.
  • Evidence of your qualifications, including transcripts and testamurs
  • Details including certificates of your formal and informal professional development, including courses and training
  • A verified CV including the name and contact details of two referees who can confirm your experience.
  • Evidence of your English language competence if you don’t meet the exempt criteria.
  • Three career episodes that provide evidence you can demonstrate the elements of competence for a professional engineer.
  • Summary statement of your competencies against elements 1, 2, 4, 6 and 13 of the elements of competence for a professional engineer.
  • Evidence of any professional memberships you hold.

If you have already completed an entry to practice or migration skills assessment, the fee for assessment is $610.50 including GST.

The total fee for assessment for non-members, including the fee for qualification assessment is $1420 including GST. This also includes building industry endorsement at no extra cost, if you need it.

If you meet the assessment standards, login to the member portal and download your Victorian registration outcome report. You can then apply for registration as a professional engineer on Consumer Affairs Victoria’s Business Licensing Authority website.

If you want to work in the building industry, you’ll need a building endorsement assessment. To apply create an account in the member portal and apply from the state registration eligibility page.

For the assessment you’ll need to provide:

  • Your CV or resume.
  • A short statement showing at least three years of successful, relevant experience in the building industry. Your statement should summarise your demonstrated knowledge and application of:
    • Victorian building laws and standards
    • the operation and use of the national Construction Code relating to your area(s) of engineering.
  • Evidence of any professional development related specifically to the building industry.

If you meet the assessment standards, download your outcome report to use when you apply to work in the building industry on Consumer Affairs Victoria’s Business Licensing Authority website.

The fee for BLA endorsement is $365 (including GST) for both members and non-members.

If you have any further questions about assessment for state registration, please contact us.

For more detail read the Assessment Guide for Victorian State Registration and Self-Assessment Guide.

If you have any further questions about state registration, please contact us.