MY ACCOUNT
Become a RPEQ
Engineers carry out highly complex work and it is appropriate – just like many other professions – that they meet and uphold high standards of professional practice. The PE Act requires that anyone carrying out a professional engineering service in Queensland or for Queensland (e.g. a design project carried out interstate or overseas for a Queensland based project) must meet these standards and then be registered as a RPEQ. This ensures that only qualified, competent and experienced professionals design, build, maintain and develop the products, infrastructure and services we use every day.
What is a Professional Engineering Service defined as?
An engineering service that requires or is based on the application of engineering principles and data to a design or to a construction, production, operation, or maintenance activity relating to engineering (see pg. 113 of the PE Act).
BECOMING A RPEQ IS A FOUR-STAGE PROCESS
1. Qualification
Graduating from a recognised tertiary institute with a four-year undergraduate degree in engineering (or equivalent).
2. Competency
Gained through experience working as an engineer and carrying out professional engineering services (four to five years post-graduation).
3. Assessment
Qualification and competency assessed through an approved assessment entity.
4. Registration
Made to BPEQ along with letter of assessment and fitness to practice declaration.
ASSESSMENT
RPEQs are registered in an area/s of engineering related to their qualification and competency. Recognised areas include: civil, electrical, mechanical, mining and structural.
Qualification and competency is assessed through an approved assessment entity. The following organisations are authorised to carry out assessments on behalf of BPEQ to determine eligibility for registration and the area/s of engineering a RPEQ will be registered in:
- Assessment Entities
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority is the Commonwealth Government body that regulates Australian aviation safety. CASA personnel who hold an Instrument of Authority from CASA may be eligible for registration as a RPEQ in the area of Aeronautical engineering.
REGISTRATION
There are two types of registration; practising and non-practising. To carry out professional engineering services a RPEQ must hold practising status. Non-practising status is designed for RPEQs not currently practising engineering (e.g. career break or parental leave).
Professional Engineers who hold registration in another jurisdiction may apply for registration in Queensland under mutual recognition.
Professional Engineers may apply under:
- The Mutual Recognition (Queensland) Act 1992 (Qld), if they are registered in an equivalent occupation in another Australian State or Territory; or
- The Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition (Queensland) Act 2003 (Qld), if they are registered in an equivalent occupation in New Zealand.
Whilst every mutual recognition application is decided on a case-by-case basis, the Board’s preliminary view is that the following occupations are equivalent.
| Jurisdiction | Occupations which are equivalent | Occupations which can be made equivalent by imposing conditions |
Notes |
| Victoria – with or without endorsement to work in the building industry. |
Structural Electrical Mechanical |
Fire Safety – with condition that fire safety engineers who provide professional engineering services that span multidisciplinary areas must be registered in each area of engineering in Queensland. | Only Professional Engineers registered pursuant to s 12 of the Professional Engineers Registration Act 2019 (Vic). |
| Tasmania | None | Fire Safety – with a condition that an Engineer-Fire Safety only performs professional engineering services in the building sector. |
Membership or accreditation from a professional membership association (e.g. Engineers Australia, Professionals Australia) is not registration and does not entitle a professional engineer to mutual recognition.
Engineers who believe they qualify to be registered under mutual recognition should contact BPEQ.
Notification of the Approval of Registration Forms
Form 2 – Application for Registration – Version 5 (January 2021)
- Approved by the Director-General, Department of Energy and Public Works
- Approved 11 February 2021
- Approved form available upon request from BPEQ.
Form 3 – Application for Renewal of Registration – Version 5 (January 2021)
- Approved by the Director-General, Department of Energy and Public Works
- Approved 11 February 2021
- Approved form available upon request from BPEQ.
Form 4 – Application for Restoration of Registration – Version 8 (January 2021)
- Approved by the Director-General, Department of Energy and Public Works
- Approved 11 February 2021
- Approved form available upon request from BPEQ.