UK & Ireland - Registration and Licensing

United Kingdom

There is no formal legal requirement within the UK for an engineer of any discipline to register to practice (except for engineering technicians working on aircraft engines, and a small panel of qualified dam engineers). There is, however, a general 'preference' within the engineering community for all engineers to be on the register of the EC UK. Nevertheless, with or without this registration, anyone can call themselves an engineer.

Within structural engineering, where there is a key responsibility for public safety, Chartered (i.e. professional) Structural Engineers are qualified properly through IStructE membership procedures, and maintain their competence by submitting annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD) returns. This initial qualification plus annual maintenance of the competence leads on to the ability to be on a register for the professional design of structures, either under the government's highway regulations, or the government's building regulations.

Scotland

In Scotland, Chartered Civil or Structural Engineers are able to certify designs that comply with the Structure part of the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (as amended) provided they are members of the Structural Engineers Registration Ltd (SER) Scheme for Certification of Design (Building Structures). This scheme was established as a result of a joint initiative by the Institution of Structural Engineers and the Institution of Civil Engineers. More information about SER and the scheme may be found at www.ser-ltd.com

Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, local building regulations are currently being reviewed. It is expected that a system and register of competent approved inspectors will be established, facilitating the self certification of structural designs. IStructE is currently discussing this matter, with a strong possibility that it would be able to operate the register.

England and Wales

In England and Wales,,a Scheme for Certification of Plans (Building Structures), similar to the scheme operating in Scotland, is currently under consideration.