Continuing Professional Development for Architects and Interior Designers in Australia and New Zealand

CPD Requirements – NSW Architects Registration Board (NSW ARB)

CPD Requirements

All architects registered in New South Wales must complete 20 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) each year, including at least 10 hours of Formal CPD.

CPD activities must relate to at least two of the four Units of Competency from the 2021 National Standard of Competency for Architects (NSCA):

• Practice management and professional conduct
• Project initiation and conceptual design
• Detailed design and construction documentation
• Design delivery and construction phase services

Architects are expected to select CPD activities that align with their career development goals, practice needs, and NSCA responsibilities.

Formal CPD Activities Must Include

• New knowledge or skills shared with or learned from peers
• Clearly stated learning outcomes mapped to relevant NSCA Performance Criteria
• An assessment component or significant presenter interaction
• Presenters with appropriate academic, technical, or practice credentials

Informal CPD

Up to 10 hours of CPD annually may be Informal. Informal CPD includes self-directed study and professional activities beyond routine employment.

Reporting & Recordkeeping

• Architects must record CPD using the My CPD portal in their online account
• CPD reports are submitted during registration renewal
• Supporting documentation must be kept for at least 7 years and may be audited
• Certificates of completion must include relevant NSCA details and course specifics

LearnFormula is not affiliated with the NSW Architects Registration Board (NSW ARB). For full information, visit: https://www.architects.nsw.gov.au/maintaining-registration/continuing-professional-development-cpd

CPD Requirements – Board of Architects of Queensland (BOAQ)

CPD Requirements

All architects registered in Queensland must complete 20 CPD hours per year, with a minimum of 10 hours classified as Formal CPD. The CPD year runs from April 1 to March 31.

Formal CPD Definition

Formal CPD must relate to architectural practice and be distinct from routine employment activities. It must:

• Involve the acquisition or sharing of new knowledge or skills
• Include clearly stated learning outcomes
• Feature assessment or meaningful interaction with the presenter
• Be delivered by someone with appropriate academic, technical, or practical expertise

Eligible formal activities may include accredited courses, assessed workshops, peer discussions, CPD delivery, and authorship of published materials.

Course Eligibility

CPD must relate to the National Standard of Competency for Architects (NSCA) and be in addition to normal practice or employment duties. The BOAQ does not accredit CPD providers or courses and does not verify advertised CPD hours. Architects are responsible for evaluating course content, relevance, and provider credibility. Activities promoting commercial products or services are not eligible.

Recordkeeping & Compliance

Architects must:

• Keep CPD records for at least 5 years
• Declare CPD compliance during registration renewal
• Apply for special consideration if unable to meet the requirement
• Comply with random annual audits by the BOAQ

LearnFormula is not affiliated with the Board of Architects of Queensland (BOAQ). For full information, visit: https://www.boaq.qld.gov.au/Web/content/CPD_Policy.aspx

CPD Requirements – Architectural Practice Board of South Australia (APBSA)

CPD Requirements

All architects registered in South Australia must complete 20 CPD points per year (1 point = 1 hour). At least 10 points must be Formal CPD, with the remainder eligible as Informal CPD. The CPD year runs from July 1 to June 30.

Formal CPD Definition

Formal CPD involves structured educational activities with:

• Clearly stated learning outcomes
• Assessment or meaningful interaction with the presenter
• Delivery by someone with appropriate academic, technical, or practice expertise

Course Eligibility

CPD activities must:

• Relate to the practice of architecture in South Australia
• Align with the National Standard of Competency for Architects (NSCA 2021), the National Construction Code (NCC), or other relevant laws and codes
• Support an architect’s professional development and practice objectives

The APBSA does not accredit CPD providers or courses. Architects must self-assess the relevance and validity of CPD activities.

Recordkeeping & Compliance

Architects must:

• Maintain CPD records for at least 5 years
• Declare CPD completion annually at registration renewal
• Make records available to the Board if requested

LearnFormula is not affiliated with the Architectural Practice Board of South Australia (APBSA). For full information, visit: https://www.archboardsa.org.au/continuing-professional-development

CPD Requirements – Board of Architects of Tasmania

CPD Requirements

All architects in Tasmania, including non-practising architects (unless exempted), must complete 20 hours of CPD annually, including at least 10 hours of Formal CPD. The CPD cycle runs from April 1 to March 31.

CPD must relate to at least 2 of the 4 units from the National Standard of Competency for Architects (NSCA 2021). A maximum of 5 Formal and 5 Informal hours may be claimed per unit, unless additional hours are approved by the Board.

Formal CPD Definition

Formal CPD must:

• Involve new knowledge or skills shared with or learned from peers
• Include clearly stated learning outcomes
• Contain an assessment or offer significant interaction with the presenter
• Be delivered by someone with appropriate academic, technical, or practical expertise

Examples include structured events, courses, webinars with interaction, tutoring, research, mentoring, and presentations. Activities exceeding 5 hours per unit must receive Board approval.

Course Eligibility

CPD must align with the NSCA (2021) and support professional development. The Board does not accredit CPD providers, and architects must self-assess activity relevance and quality. Activities should be focused, delivered by subject-matter experts, and include documented outcomes and assessment (for Formal CPD).

Recordkeeping & Compliance

Architects must:

• Retain documentation for 5 years
• Provide evidence if selected for audit
• Ensure CPD logs include unit alignment, category (Formal/Informal), and learning outcomes

LearnFormula is not affiliated with the Board of Architects of Tasmania. For full information, visit: https://architectsboardtas.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Continuing-Professional-Development-Requirements.pdf

CPD Requirements – Architects Registration Board of Victoria (ARBV)

CPD Requirements

All practising architects in Victoria must complete 20 hours of CPD annually, from July 1 to June 30. At least 10 hours must be Formal CPD. CPD activities must relate to professional practice and align with Performance Criteria from at least two separate units of the National Standard of Competency for Architects (NSCA).

Formal CPD Eligibility

To be recognised as Formal CPD, an activity must:

• Clearly state learning objectives
• Address relevant NSCA performance criteria
• Include a structured assessment or significant interaction with the presenter

Accreditation & Provider Recognition

The Architects Registration Board of Victoria (ARBV) does not accredit CPD providers or courses. There is no requirement for provider approval. Architects are responsible for ensuring CPD activities meet ARBV’s framework and relate to their scope of practice.

Recordkeeping & Compliance

Architects must:

• Retain CPD records for at least 5 years
• Declare CPD completion during annual registration renewal
• Apply for an exemption within 2 months of year-end if requirements are not met

LearnFormula is not affiliated with the Architects Registration Board of Victoria (ARBV). For full information, visit: https://www.arbv.vic.gov.au/continuing-professional-development-architect

CPD Requirements – Architects Board of Western Australia (ABWA)

CPD Requirements

Registered architects in Western Australia are required to complete 20 CPD points per year from July 1 to June 30.

• At least 12 CPD points must be earned from Core CPD activities that cover at least two of the four Core Competency Areas outlined in the NSCA:
  • Design
  • Documentation
  • Practice Management
  • Project Management
• The remaining 8 points may be earned through Non-Core CPD activities related to the architect’s professional development.

Reporting & Audit

Architects are responsible for recording their CPD activities using the Board’s Form 09 – CPD Record or an equivalent method. Each year, at least 5% of practising architects are selected for CPD audit.

• Audits may be random or triggered by specific events such as prior non-compliance or disciplinary actions.
• Architects who have passed a CPD audit by another Australian authority in the past 3 years will generally be considered compliant.

Course Eligibility & Compliance

The Board does not accredit CPD providers. However, any activity that aligns with the CPD Framework is eligible for CPD points.

To be eligible for Core CPD Points, an activity must meet the following conditions:

• State clearly defined learning outcomes.
• Include either an assessment component or significant interaction between presenter and learner.
• Be delivered by a presenter with suitable academic, technical, or professional credentials.

Non-Core CPD Points can be earned from informal learning activities and do not require assessment or interactivity, but must still be relevant to architectural practice.

LearnFormula is not affiliated with the Architects Board of Western Australia (ABWA). For more information, visit https://architectsboard.org.au/for-architects/#framework