{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/architects-act-1997/section-4",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/architects-act-1997/section-4.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1997/22",
  "legislation_title": "Architects Act 1997",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/architects-act-1997",
  "path": "section/4",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "4",
  "heading": "Registration ...: general",
  "text": "(1) A person who has applied to the Registrar in the prescribed manner for registration ... is entitled to be registered ... if—\n(a) he holds such qualifications and has gained such practical experience as may be prescribed; or\n(b) he has a standard of competence which, in the opinion of the Board, is equivalent to that demonstrated by satisfying paragraph (a).\n(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.\n(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.\n(2A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(3) Before ...—\n(a) prescribing qualifications or practical experience for the purposes of subsection (1)(a);\n(aa) making rules under subsection (1A); or\n(b) prescribing any examination for the purposes of subsection (2),\nthe 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.\n(4) Where a person has duly applied for registration ...—\n(a) if the Registrar is satisfied that the person is entitled to be registered ..., he shall enter his name in ... the Register; but\n(b) if the Registrar is not so satisfied, he shall refuse the application.\n(5) The Registrar shall not consider an application for registration ... 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.\n(6) Where a person’s application is referred to the Board under subsection ... (5), the Board shall —\n(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\n(b) direct the Registrar to refuse the application if it is not so satisfied.\n(7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(8) In this section—\n“overseas practical experience” means practical experience obtained mainly outside the United Kingdom;\n“overseas qualification” means a qualification issued by a body that is based outside the United Kingdom.\n(9) For the purposes of subsection (8) a body is based—\n(a) where its registered office is,\n(b) if it does not have a registered office, where its head office is, or\n(c) if it does not have a registered office or a head office, where its principal place of operation is.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(1) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Architects Act 1997 (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/717), regs. 1(2), 7(b)(i) (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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(1) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Architects Act 1997 (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/717), regs. 1(2), 7(b)(ii) (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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "S. 4(1A) inserted (31.12.2022) by Professional Qualifications Act 2022 (c. 20), ss. 11(4)(a), 21(4)(e) (with s. 12); S.I. 2022/1384, reg. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "S. 4(2A) omitted (7.2.2023) by virtue of The Architects Act 1997 (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/50), regs. 1(3), 3(2) (with reg. 5)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Word in s. 4(3) omitted (31.12.2022) by virtue of Professional Qualifications Act 2022 (c. 20), ss. 11(4)(b)(i), 21(4)(e) (with s. 12); S.I. 2022/1384, reg. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Word in s. 4(3)(a) inserted (31.12.2022) by Professional Qualifications Act 2022 (c. 20), ss. 11(4)(b)(ii), 21(4)(e) (with s. 12); S.I. 2022/1384, reg. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "S. 4(3)(aa) inserted (31.12.2022) by Professional Qualifications Act 2022 (c. 20), ss. 11(4)(b)(iii), 21(4)(e) (with s. 12); S.I. 2022/1384, reg. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Word in s. 4(3)(b) inserted (31.12.2022) by Professional Qualifications Act 2022 (c. 20), ss. 11(4)(b)(iv), 21(4)(e) (with s. 12); S.I. 2022/1384, reg. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(4) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Architects Act 1997 (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/717), regs. 1(2), 7(d)(i) (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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(4)(a) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Architects Act 1997 (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/717), regs. 1(2), 7(d)(ii)(aa) (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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(4)(a) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Architects Act 1997 (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/717), regs. 1(2), 7(d)(ii)(bb) (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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F12",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(4)(b) substituted (28.6.2022) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), ss. 158(3)(a), 170(3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F13",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(5) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Architects Act 1997 (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/717), regs. 1(2), 7(e) (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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F14",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(6) omitted (28.6.2022) by virtue of Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), ss. 158(3)(b)(i), 170(3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F15",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(6) substituted (28.6.2022) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), ss. 158(3)(b)(ii), 170(3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F16",
      "text": "S. 4(7) omitted (7.2.2023) by virtue of The Architects Act 1997 (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/50), regs. 1(3), 3(2) (with reg. 5)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F17",
      "text": "S. 4(8)(9) inserted (31.12.2022) by Professional Qualifications Act 2022 (c. 20), ss. 11(4)(c), 21(4)(e) (with s. 12); S.I. 2022/1384, reg. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F18",
      "text": "S. 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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F19",
      "text": "Words 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)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1997/22/section/4",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-28T17:13:29.010918+00:00",
    "licence": "OGL-UK-3.0",
    "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
    "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
  }
}