Consultation on new proposed routes for registration

Professional registration

The UK Register of Architects exists to reassure the public that everyone on it is suitably qualified, fit to practise, and maintains their competence. One of ARB’s strategic aims is to improve access to the Register for competent professionals by simplifying our processes and removing unintended complexity and barriers.

We are proposing to introduce a new route to registration for:

• professionals with partial qualifications – specifically, accredited Part 2 and Part 3 qualifications but no accredited Part 1.

In developing this new route, we are proposing to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of two other routes, for:

• qualified professionals who left the Register more than two years ago, or completed their final (Part 3 / Practice Outcomes) qualification more than two years ago, and
• professionals removed from the Register for failing to comply with ARB’s CPD scheme.

These three routes will be covered by a new Registration Assurance Process that will introduce a simpler process for applicants based on a more targeted and proportionate evidence base.

Registration Assurance Process

We propose to develop ARB’s current Competency Standards Group (CSG) into a new Registration Assurance Process that will simplify the evidence and process for applicants, whilst maintaining the standards and competence of the Register.  

At present, qualified professionals seeking to re-register who left the Register more than two years ago, or completed their final (Part 3 / Practice Outcomes) qualification more than two years ago must submit evidence to ARB’s CSG for their consideration. Professionals with partial qualifications, specifically: ARB-accredited Part 2s and Part 3s but no ARB-accredited Part 1 must sit ARB’s Prescribed Exam. The Prescribed Exam includes the submission of a portfolio of work, a mapping document to demonstrate how their training and education meets ARB’s Criteria for qualifications, and an interview with a panel of experts. 

The new Registration Assurance Process will replace the work of the CSG and will create a new route so that partially-qualified professionals no longer need to sit the Part 1 Prescribed Exam. To improve efficiency, a pool of expert assessors will be developed to replace both the CSG and the CPD reviewers. This will simplify processes and rationalise the roles of ARB-employed staff and associates, without separate teams or pools of experts conducting similar and overlapping tasks. Members of the CSG and CPD reviewers will be able to apply to join the new pool of assessors.

Should these changes be approved by the Board following consultation, we will prepare guidance for applicants on what evidence to submit, and for assessors on what to look for and how to know that the applicant has provided reassurance of fitness to practise. The guidance will help to provide objectivity and reduce opportunities for bias. 

A summary of the process and evidence requirements for each group of applicants is below. 

In addition, all applicants must confirm they have read and understood their regulatory requirements including the Code of Conduct and Practice, CPD scheme, and the need to maintain their details and pay their retention fee. This will be assessed through other means and will be outside the Registration Assurance Process.

ARB-accredited qualifications are qualification approved by ARB and required to join the Register of architects. Learn more about accredited qualifications here.

Proposed Routes

Route R: Re-Entry or delayed entry to the Register for qualified architects

A qualified professional must use this route to apply to the Register specifically if they left the Register more than two years ago, or completed their final (Part 3 / Practice Outcomes) qualification more than two years ago. We may review the two-year period in the future.

The review process exists to provide reassurance that the professional who is already competent (e.g. has already met our set outcome) has also shown readiness to practise in the UK safely and knowledgeably from Day One. For example, evidence that they have worked continually in the architecture sector for two years will help provide reassurance that they are up to date with all necessary current requirements such as planning law and Building Regulations.

Rather than sitting an assessment, or taking a bespoke course, we are proposing that if someone has worked continuously for two years and a registrant can confirm that they have, this mitigates the risk of not being up to date on relevant requirements. Route R applicants will have had their competence confirmed through their qualifications, and we are suggesting that proof of two years of work would provide proportionate reassurance for readiness to practise and up to date knowledge.

The evidence base expected of applicants would include:

• CV and written reference from a registered architect verifying that the applicant has been working in the architecture sector on relevant work for at least the last two continuous years;

or, if this is unavailable,

• Personal statement in which the applicant has self-identified a gap in their knowledge or readiness to practice in the UK context and how they have gone about closing this gap through CPD, with reflective statements to demonstrate that they are ready to apply their learning.

ARB will prepare guidance for applicants on what evidence to submit, and for assessors on what to look for and how to know that the applicant has provided reassurance of readiness to practise. The reference won’t need to be from the applicant’s supervisor or manager, and they may not have one, but it will need to be from a registered architect who can speak to their work and experience. The guidance will provide further context.

Individuals erased from the Register by the PCC wishing to re-register will, by definition, have been off the Register for more than two years. They should therefore follow the same process as all other former architects will take through Route R. Once they have successfully completed that process the Board will have to make a decision on whether they should be granted re-entry to the Register in light of their previous disciplinary findings. That process sits outside of this policy.

Route P: Partially qualified professionals

A new route to registration is being created for applicants who have partial qualifications, specifically, ARB-accredited Part 2s and Part 3s but no ARB-accredited Part 1.

In opening the route to those without an accredited Part 1, we are making registration available to professionals whose initial degree might be an international qualification, or a UK qualification that is not accredited. This route is being established as part of our transition to our new education framework and will be a temporary route. Eligible applicants that fail to use the route whilst it is open during our transitional period, will be able to apply for the Prescribed Exam instead.

To determine the assurance that must be provided through this route, we have considered the nature of gap between Part 1 and Part 2 under the current, outgoing education framework. Having analysed the Graduate Attributes associated with the current, outgoing Criteria, we have determined that whilst this cohort of applicants may not have the cumulative years of experience and the foundational teaching of concepts associated with a Part 1, they have already applied the same competencies to a more demanding level in gaining their Part 2 qualification.

To mitigate any risk around a potential gap of cumulative education and training we propose that the Registration Assurance Process should provide reassurance that the professional has shown readiness to practise in the UK safely and knowledgeable from Day One. Rather than sitting an assessment, or taking a bespoke course, we are proposing that if someone has worked continuously in the architecture sector for two years and a registrant can confirm that they have, this will help provide reassurance that in addition to their accredited qualifications, they are also up to date with all necessary current requirements such as planning law and Building Regulations.

The evidence base expected of applicants would include:

i)  CV and written reference from a registered architect verifying that the applicant has been working in the architecture sector on relevant work for at least the last two continuous years.

ARB will prepare guidance for applicants on what evidence to submit, and for assessors on what to look for and how to know that the applicant has provided reassurance of readiness to practise. The reference won’t need to be from the applicant’s supervisor or manager, and they may not have one, but it will need to be from a registered architect who can speak to their work and experience. The guidance will provide further context. 

Route C: Architects removed from the Register for CPD non-compliance

Architects who do not comply with ARB’s continuing professional development (CPD) scheme will be removed from the Register as part of the retention fee process. This is set out in our CPD scheme guidance and Registration rules.

An architect who wishes to return to the Register but does not have an up-to-date CPD record for the previous year, will need to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to professional development. The principle behind this route will be that an architect cannot avoid complying with the CPD Scheme by leaving the Register and then returning.

The evidence base expected of applicants without an up-to-date CPD record (either on MyARB or on RIBA) would include:

i) A Personal Development Plan (PDP) on MyARB which sets out the CPD topics they plan to address over the next 12 months. The PDP must include the mandatory CPD topics.

The PDP will initially be reviewed by ARB Registration staff, to ensure that it meets the minimum requirements. A further review will be carried out before the next registration renewal period to assess whether the planned CPD (or equivalent CPD) has been carried out.

Registration Rules

The proposals outlined here will be implemented through changes to ARB’s Registration Rules.

Please review the proposed Rule changes in draft format here.

 Consultation 

We are consulting on the creation of the Registration Assurance Process and the three registration routes associated with it, including the evidence that applicants will need to produce. Once the consultation has closed it will be analysed and the results shared with the Board to support their decision on whether to make the changes proposed. Subject to our consultation and the Board’s decision, we hope to be able to introduce the new RAP before the end of 2026. We will announce changes when we are ready to introduce them, but there will be a period of development and further consultation first. 

This consultation will close on Monday 2 February 2026.

In addition to some important standardised questions about who is responding and how we can use the data shared in their response, the consultation asks the following questions: 

• To what extent do you agree that our proposals for each registration assurance route will:

• create a more proportionate process?
• ease access to the Register?

• Are there any alternative evidence bases that ARB should consider that could provide the necessary reassurance whilst remaining proportionate for applicants?
• Do you think all those applying to join the Register under these routes should submit a Personal Development Plan?
• To what extent do you agree that the draft changes to ARB’s Registration Rules accurately reflect the proposals set out in this consultation?
• Is there any feedback you wish to give about a positive or negative impact on equality, diversity and inclusion within our proposals?
• Is there anything further you would like to tell us in relation to this consultation?