Legal Update - December 2025

What the Board's latest compliance audit program means for engineers

As engineers are aware, the Professional Engineers Act 2002 (Qld) (PE Act) sets out the legislative requirements regarding the provision of professional engineering services in or for Queensland.

Following amendments to the PE Act, BPEQ was granted several enhanced regulatory powers, including:

• the ability to conduct compliance audits of professional engineers (RPEQs)

• expanded investigatory powers, including search and seizure to compel a broader range of evidence

• the ability to impose conditions on a professional engineer’s (RPEQ) registration without their consent.

Audits of Registered Professional Engineers (RPEQs)

The Board may approve an audit program to find out if RPEQs are complying with the Code of Practice and Part 7 of the PE Act.

Under Part 7 of the Act, offences include:  

• claims about being a registered professional engineer

• using protected titles (such as RPEQ) when not registered

• carrying out professional engineering services while unregistered and without being directly supervised by a RPEQ.

Recently, the Board approved and carried out an audit program to ensure compliance with the PE Act provisions listed above.

As part of the program, the Board reviewed the work of RPEQs whose registration had expired and had not reregistered for a period of greater than twelve months.

Providing professional engineering services without registration or direct supervision creates risks, including reduced public confidence in engineering standards and diminished quality of professional engineering practice.

After the audit program was completed, the Board found:

• None of the audited engineers had provided professional engineering services without having been directly supervised by a RPEQ, and

• A small number of engineers had provided professional engineering services, but each were able to demonstrate to the Board that they were working under the direct supervision of a RPEQ.

What you should know:

• The Board undertakes audit programs to ensure compliance with the PE Act.

• If you are providing professional engineering services in or for Queensland, you must maintain your registration or only practice under the direct supervision of a RPEQ or work towards a prescriptive standard.