Apply for design or building practitioner registration for a body corporate

Body corporates need to register as design practitioners or building practitioners under legislation to:

• make compliance declarations for class 2 buildings or buildings with a class 2 part
• lodge regulated designs on the NSW Planning Portal for class 2 buildings or buildings with a class 2 part.

Class 2 buildings are residential apartment buildings. They’re typically multi-unit, multi-storey buildings where people live above and below each other.

Note: You must be the director or public officer of a body corporate to apply for this registration.

Registration classes include:

• design practitioner – body corporate

• building practitioner – body corporate

• principal design practitioner – body corporate.

You can register for 1, 3 or 5 years. Fees are applicable.

To be eligible to apply, you (and each member of the body corporate) need to:

• be aged 18 or over
• be a director or public officer of a body corporate
• have a current National Police Check certificate that is valid for 4 months when you submit your application (Name and Date of Birth Check only).

• a MyServiceNSW Account – you can create one when you start your application
• proof of identity such as an Australian driver licence, passport or Medicare card
• a signed and completed declaration form – PDF for each director of the body corporate, other than the applicant
• National Police Check certificates that are valid for 4 months when you submit your application for each director of the body corporate (Name and Date of Birth Check only)
• the body corporate’s details
• contact details for each director of the body corporate
• your contact details
• a current credit card for payment.

In addition, for:

• design practitioner – body corporate, you need:
  • an employee who’s registered as a design practitioner in the appropriate class(es)
• building practitioner – body corporate, you need:
  • a contractor licence to do general building work under the Home Building Act 1989
  • an individual who’s registered as a building practitioner in the general class or body corporate nominee class.
•  principal design practitioner – body corporate, you need:
  • an employee registered as a principal design practitioner – general class.

1. Check the eligibility criteria for the registration type you want to apply for.
2. Gather director declaration forms and other documents such as National Police Check certificates for all other directors
3. Select the ‘Apply online’ button.
   Note: You can save and resume your application, but if you have not submitted it within 60 days, any details you’ve entered will be deleted. 
4. Log in, or create your MyServiceNSW Account.
5. Select and verify your 2 identity documents.
6. Enter your contact details.
7. Confirm your role in the body corporate.
8. Enter the details of the body corporate.
9. Enter contact details for other directors of the body corporate.
10. Select the registration types and classes you’re applying for.
11. Select the duration of your registration.
12. Answer all questions in the digital form including your suitability to perform the work and your background.
13. Upload all director declaration forms and other supporting documents.
14. Review your answers and give consent to process the application.
15. Enter your payment details.
16. Select ‘Submit’.

When you apply for registration, you’ll:

• need to wait for your application for registration to be assessed and approved before you can declare or lodge designs for the body corporate
• be contacted by NSW Fair Trading if further information is needed

• be notified about the result of your application within 28 days of submitting it (unless placed on hold, pending further information)
• receive your registration ID if approved.