Architects Act 1997

Changes over time for: Section 4

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4 [F1Registration F2...: general]U.K.

(1)A person who has applied to the Registrar in the prescribed manner for registration F3... is entitled to be registered F4... if—

(a)he holds such qualifications and has gained such practical experience as may be prescribed; or

(b)he has a standard of competence which, in the opinion of the Board, is equivalent to that demonstrated by satisfying paragraph (a).

[F5(1A)But the Board may by rules provide that a person who satisfies subsection (1)(a) by reason of holding overseas qualifications or gaining overseas practical experience is entitled to be registered only if the person has undertaken such training, passed such test or met such other condition as is prescribed.]

(2)The Board may require a person who applies for registration on the ground that he satisfies subsection (1)(b) to pass a prescribed examination in architecture.

F6(2A). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3)Before F7...—

(a)[F8prescribing] qualifications or practical experience for the purposes of subsection (1)(a);

[F9(aa)making rules under subsection (1A);] or

(b)[F10prescribing] any examination for the purposes of subsection (2),

the Board shall consult the bodies representative of architects which are incorporated by royal charter and such other professional and educational bodies as it thinks appropriate.

(4)Where a person has duly applied for registration F11...—

(a)if the Registrar is satisfied that the person is entitled to be registered F12..., he shall enter his name in F13... the Register; but

(b)if the Registrar is not so satisfied, he shall [F14refuse the application].

(5)The Registrar shall not consider an application for registration F15... in any case in which it is inappropriate for him to do so (for instance because he is in any way connected with the applicant) but in such a case he shall refer the application to the Board.

(6)Where a person’s application is referred to the Board under subsection F16... (5), the Board shall [F17—

(a)direct the Registrar to enter the person’s name in the Register if it is satisfied that the person is entitled to be registered, or

(b)direct the Registrar to refuse the application if it is not so satisfied.]

F18(7). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F19(8)In this section—

“overseas practical experience” means practical experience obtained mainly outside the United Kingdom;
“overseas qualification” means a qualification issued by a body that is based outside the United Kingdom.

(9)For the purposes of subsection (8) a body is based—

(a)where its registered office is,

(b)if it does not have a registered office, where its head office is, or

(c)if it does not have a registered office or a head office, where its principal place of operation is.]

Textual Amendments

F1S. 4 sidenote substituted (20.6.2008) by Architects (Recognition of European Qualifications etc and Saving and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/1331), regs. 1, 6(1)(a)

F2Words in s. 4 heading omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Architects Act 1997 (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/717), regs. 1(2), 7(a) (with regs. 22-47) (as amended by S.I. 2019/810, regs. 1(3), 4 and S.I. 2020/1038, regs. 1(3), Sch. 3 para. 4); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)