Architects registration

The Isle of Man's Architect Act makes provision for preventing unqualified persons from practising or carrying on business as architects and for the registration of architects. 

Only individuals who apply for registration in the prescribed manner, pay the prescribed fee and satisfy the specified qualifications for registration may be registered.

How to register

To apply to be on the register, please complete the Architects Application Form and then send a signed copy to the OFT together with any necessary attachments. This can be done either by post or by email.

Current Fees

• Registration/re-registration in the Isle of Man Register of Architects - £48 (up to and including 31 March in any year)
  
  
• Retention of a name in the Isle of Man Register of Architects - £36 (from and including 1 April in any year)

Relevant legislation 

• Architects Act 1976
  
  
• Architects Regulations 1980

Under section 2(1) of the Act, the Isle of Man Office of Fair Trading (‘the OFT’) shall establish and maintain the Isle of Man Register of Architects (‘the Register’). 

The Regulations prescribe the contents of the Register, however, to ensure compliance with the Data Protection Principles, and in particular the First Principle which relates to the fair collection and the fair and lawful processing of personal data, the OFT would ask that you note that some personal data has not been included in the Register. Contact details supplementary to the prescribed particulars have been included with the permission of the architects concerned.

The current Register is listed above as a Downloadable Document.

Under section 1(1) of the Act, no person shall:

• (a) Practise or carry on business under any name, style or title containing the word architect; or
  
  
• (b) Take or rise any name, style, title or description implying, or otherwise pretend, that he or she is an architect, unless he or she is an individual and is registered in the Register.

There are specified exceptions, e.g. use of the designation ‘landscape architect’.

Any person who contravenes section 1(1) of the Act shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable:

• (a) On conviction on information, to a fine
  
  
• (b) On summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding £5,000

The Regulations prescribe rules of conduct to which individuals registered in the Register are subject and the name of an individual can be removed from the register if he or she is found guilty of misconduct following an inquiry.