Live Chat
As an architect, maintaining your registration is crucial for your continued practice and legal recognition in the UK. To do so, you must make your professional declarations, complete your CPD record and ensure that your details are up to date in our records.
You must also pay an annual retention fee set by ARB to cover the cost of carrying out the regulatory functions set for us in law. For 2026, the annual fee is £225.
Regulation exists to protect the public. The benefits of registration provide greater assurance to the public that all those on the Register are suitably competent and qualified; have made statutory declarations; are committed to upholding the Code of Conduct and Practice; develop and maintain their competence through regular CPD; and that disciplinary sanctions can be applied in cases of serious professional incompetence or unprofessional conduct. The title ‘architect’ is legally protected. Last year, in 2024, ARB investigated 586 instances of misuse of the title by those not on the Register.
ARB’s costs for carrying out our role have risen in line with inflation. The fee has increased above the rate of inflation to account for an ongoing decline in the number of registrants since 2020. This decline is driven largely by the number of people no longer working as an architect (for example, due to retirement) and therefore no longer in need of their title.
In 2026, the fee will cover ARB’s work on:
- maintaining the public trust and integrity of the architects’ profession by investigating misuse of title and complaints about the professional standards of registrants;
- supporting trainees on their journey to qualification by establishing new, improved practical professional experience requirements;
- promoting a better culture for the profession by publishing new guidance on the standards expected of architects who are mentors and leaders, and on inclusion in the profession;
- improving our efficiency by developing new technology that will improve our regulatory oversight of CPD compliance;
- removing barriers to international work by renewing our international agreements and improving the process by which internationally-qualified architects can demonstrate their competence for registration.
You can read more about ARB’s role and the work we do, with facts and figures demonstrating our performance, on our website: arb.org.uk/publications/publications-list/annual-report/2024-year-in-review/
Key points
- Fee: The fee for 2026 is £225.
- Dates: The fee for 2026 must be paid by 31 December 2025. You must make an online professional declaration before you can make your fee payment.
- You must pay your retention fee personally; an employer cannot pay your retention fee on your behalf. This is because you will be asked to make a professional declaration relating to conduct and CPD is required at the time of payment, detailing where CPD is recorded.
- Payment method is debit or credit card, or ApplePay or GooglePay. No other payment methods are accepted. We cannot accept cash, cheques, BACS bank transfers, or postal orders.
- Continued use of the title: Architects who have not paid their retention fee before the fee collection period closes are automatically removed from the Register, and cannot use the title ‘architect’ in business or practice. If you are removed from the Register for non-payment of the retention fee but wish to continue using the title, you will have to pay an additional fee to be reinstated.
- Managing your registration: MyARB is your portal for accessing registrant services. MyARB allows you to manage your registration online, including fee payment, updating contact details, and accessing your certificates and receipts.
- Contact details: It’s essential to keep your contact details up to date and accurate. Your business details appear on the public Register, helping potential clients and the public verify your status as a registered architect, and we contact you about your registration at your address or email.
- CPD records: You must have finished recording your CPD by midnight on the 31 December. Architects who are RIBA members can record on the RIBA system. You still need to tell us this as part of your professional declaration when you pay your fee on MyARB. Non-RIBA architects should record their activities directly on MyARB but cannot upload certificates, because these are not needed for the CPD assessment.
Follow the steps of the process and see our FAQs here.
Updated 28 October 2025
If you have received a SMS from us recently, let us explain its purpose:
On 28 October 2025 we sent an sms to architects who have provided a personal email address but have unsubscribed or asked their internet service provider to block emails from us.
We need you to contact us on info@arb.org.uk so that we can either change your email address or please click here and resubscribe to remove the restriction on your email address. Please note that you can still pay your retention fee by logging in to myarb.arb.org.uk and you should do this by 31 dec 2025, but if you do not contact us you will not receive any emails relating to your registration, and this may mean that you do not act, and are removed from the register in January 2026.
Updated 23 October 2025
If you have received this email from us recently, let us explain its purpose:
The 2026 Statutory Notice was sent out on Thursday 23 October 2025 advising you that your annual retention fee for 2026 is due by the 31 December 2025.
Please contact info@arb.org.uk if you have any further questions.
Updated 1 September 2025
If you have received this email from us recently, let us explain its purpose:
As outlined in our updates below, we emailed you on Thursday 21 August 2025 advising you we were changing your username to match your personal email address.
This has now been actioned.
Please contact info@arb.org.uk with any further questions about logging into your MyARB profile.
Updated 21 August 2025
If you have received this email from us recently, let us explain its purpose:
Following the email we sent on Thursday 21 August, we will be updating your MyARB login details. On 1 September 2025, we will automatically update the email address that you use to login to your MyARB profile to match the personal email address that we use to communicate with you.
This update is being made to make logging in to MyARB and receiving important updates more convenient.
What you need to do
You do not need to take any action unless you no longer have access to your personal email address.
If that is the case, please email info@arb.org.uk before 1 September 2025. We would ask that you please avoid calling us about this change as our phone lines are often busy – email enquiries will receive a response.
Updated 12 August 2025
If you have received this email from us recently, let us explain its purpose:
Following the email we sent on Wednesday 11 June, I am writing to confirm that the Direct Debit you set up to pay the annual retention fee has been cancelled.
This means that when it is time to renew your registration, later this year, you will need to log in to MyARB to make your professional declarations and also make an online card payment for your retention fee.
We will write to your personal email address, that we hold on our records, to tell you when the annual retention process is open.
What do I need to do now?
We suggest that you log in to MyARB to check that you can access the system before the annual retention process begins in late October. You may also want to contact your bank, or log in to your online banking account, to cancel the direct debit.
However, if you still feel unsure about what you have received or how to log in and make a change, then you can email us at info@arb.org.uk for further help.
If you have received this email from us recently, let us explain its purpose:
Since launching MyARB in 2023, many architects have logged in to their personal portal and updated their registered details.
As part of routine data audits here at ARB, we need to make sure that a personal email address and a log in email address are one and the same.
In any instance where there is a difference in one of these email addresses, we are contacting you and asking you to make them the same.
We cannot assume which of the two addresses you would like to use, so we cannot make this change for you.
Please be assured that this email request is legitimate and is designed only to ensure we hold the correct and most up to date information for you.
However, if you still feel unsure about what you have received or how to log in and make a change, then you can email us at info@arb.org.uk for further help.
Updated 20 January 2025
Reinstatement to the Register
We are required by UK law to remove those who have not paid the retention fee, as the Register must accurately display those who currently meet the Board’s requirements as part of our public protection function. The deadline for payment was 31 December, and we removed the non-payers on 15th January 2025, having provided a series of reminders to the email addresses supplied by the architects.
Those who have been removed must apply to be reinstated, using their MyARB profile. The Rejoin the Register button appears on the Home page.
It is not possible to reverse a removal administratively, or to pay the fee previous fee over the telephone or make a bank transfer. An application and declaration must be made, using the MyARB portal. Please go to MyARB to log in.
The fees for reinstatement are £36 admin charge plus £82 prescribed fee, plus £205 retention fee, totalling £323.
We must receive the full fee before we process any application. Applications take up to five working days to process.
Updated 13 January 2025
The retention fee period is now closed.
We are not accepting any further payments. The deadline for payment was 31 December 2024.
We will contact any architects who have not paid the 2025 fee, to explain what they need to do if they wish to use the title “architect” in 2025.
It is not possible to upload, or amend, CPD generated in 2024.
If you have queries about your registration status, you should email info@arb.org.uk – including your full name, your registration number, and your date of birth for security purposes – setting out the issue or circumstances.
Please note that we cannot discuss these issues on the telephone, and will require an email of the circumstances before we can resolve them.
Updated 6 January 2025
CPD
Your 2025 CPD record is now live on MyARB.
Your 2024 CPD record is locked, and it is not possible to record your 2024 CPD activities anymore.
If you have are trying to renew your registration for 2025, you must request a deferment for your 2024 CPD record. As a result of deferring your 2024 CPD records your 2025 CPD will be selected for review in 2026.
If you declared you would record your CPD on MyARB by 31 December and have not, you must contact the CPD team immediately at CPD@ARB.org.uk
Updated 11 December 2024
Payment by direct debit is now closed.
All payments must be made using a credit or debit card, using the secure portal at myarb.arb.org.uk
When you have logged in to your MyARB portal, on the Home page, you will see either the option to ‘Pay the 2025 retention fee’ :
Or, if a Renewal application has been started already, you will see an APP-xxxxx number.
The APP number will be a live link. You can click this and complete the declaration and payment process from there:
Please allow the payment transaction to complete before navigating away from the portal.
If you have neither of these options, are unable to complete payment, or see any payment error messages, please email info@arb.org.uk with details, including a screenshot if possible.
Updated 12 November 2024
Maternity Leave
As the statutory regulator we are required to charge a single fee to remain on the Register, we do not offer reduced fees. You may wish to consider resigning from the Register and joining when you return to practice. We do offer a pro-rata fee which is reduced every quarter, and you may wish to consider this. If you wish to resign, you will need to login to the MyARB portal and make an application to resign. Please note if you are off the Register for more than two years, you will need to provide additional information to demonstrate your competence to practice and more information can be found here: arb.org.uk/architect-information/guidance-notes/csg-guidance/
If you decide to remain on the Register you are required to maintain CPD arb.org.uk/architect-information/cpd/
If you are experiencing financial difficulties, you may consider contacting the Architects Benevolent Society (www.absnet.org.uk), who can offer a range of support with the retention fee, and more generally.
If you are paying by Direct Debit, you need to act before 10 November 2024.
Your Direct Debit won’t be drawn if you haven’t completed your annual CPD compliance declaration, so ensure you can get into the MyARB account now.
Your Username is your personal email address - It may not be your business/work email address.
If you cannot remember your password, use the Forgot Your Password link on the MyARB profile screen. If you have tried this and have not been successful, you can email us (info@arbuk1997stg.wpengine.com) requesting your details to be resent. Please do not try and create a new login.
If you need your login details resent, please contact us at info@arbuk1997stg.wpengine.com well in advance of these deadlines to ensure you can access the portal and make the necessary declarations. This requirement was established last year, and it is your responsibility to log in ahead of time.
You should:
- Ensure you can log in to MyArb with (your personal email) immediately. Use the Forgot Your Password link if you can’t remember password.
- If you need to amend, make any changes to direct debit: On Home page, use relevant buttons to edit or cancel the existing debit. Ensure you do this before making your declaration.
- Make your declaration, using the Make My Declaration on the Home page. You’ll be asked to confirm your personal details as part of this process.
- The Debit will be drawn on or around 4 December. You can see the APP - XXXXX (reference number) has an “Awaiting Direct Debit” status on the Home page.
- Your certificate and receipt will be emailed after the debit has been paid in December.