Architects Act 1997: announcement of legislative changes
This announcement outlines the key changes the Architects Act 1997 (Amendment) Regulations 2023 is making to the Architects Act 1997.
On 17 January 2023, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Lee Rowley signed the Architects Act 1997 (Amendment) Regulations 2023.
The regulations amend the Architects Act 1997 to:
- end, in law, the UK’s automatic recognition of architectural qualifications listed in the EU’s Directive on the recognition of professional qualifications.
- enable the architects regulator, the Architects Registration Board, to enter into regular-led recognition agreements with their international counterparts.
The legislative changes do not affect the rights of EU architects already registered in the UK.
Operationally, the Architects Registration Board (ARB) will continue to recognise architectural qualifications listed in the EU’s Directive, and architects holding relevant EU qualifications will continue to be able to apply for registration, until a new recognition agreement under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement is finalised, or the ARB chooses to change its approach. Find further information on the recognition of internationally qualified architects in the UK on arb.org.uk.