Introduction
Under the design and building practitioners scheme a body corporate is a corporation or an incorporated association. It is not a trust, partnership or owners' corporation.
Purpose
It is not mandatory for businesses to register as a design practitioner – body corporate or principal design practitioner – body corporate. This registration class is offered to design companies that provide regulated designs and design compliance declarations as part of their consultancy services.
A body corporate needs to register as a design practitioner or principal design practitioner to make building compliance declarations and lodge documents on the NSW Planning Portal for regulated buildings:
- class 2, 3, or 9c buildings
- buildings with a class 2, 3, or 9c part.
A body corporate can register as a design practitioner or principal design practitioner for 1, 3 or 5 years. Registration application fees apply.
If your application is approved by Building Commission NSW you will receive a certificate of registration by email.
Requirements
A body corporate can register as a design practitioner to prepare regulated designs and make compliance declarations provided they:
- have an employee registered as a design practitioner in the relevant class, and
- only prepare designs and lodge declarations in the class the design practitioner is registered in.
If a body corporate has an employee registered as a principal design practitioner – general class they can register as a principal design practitioner to coordinate the provision of design compliance declarations and make a principal compliance declaration .
A body corporate can have several employees who are registered practitioners.
Eligibility
You must be the director of a body corporate to apply for this registration.
To be eligible to apply each member of the body corporate must:
- be aged 18 or over
- be a director of a body corporate
- be registered as a design practitioner in the relevant class
- have a current National Police Check:
- completed 4 months or less before you submit your application
- name and date of birth check only.
Note: You cannot register if you are an undischarged bankrupt.
What you need
To apply for design practitioner – body corporate or principal design practitioner – body corporate registration you need:
- a MyServiceNSW Account
- if you do not have an account you can create one when you start your application
- you may need details from 2 identity documents (such as Australian driver licence, Medicare card, passport)
Note: For assistance with your account go to MyServiceNSW Account help topics.
- a current ASIC extract listing all directors of the body corporate
- for each director of the body corporate other than the applicant, a signed and completed declaration form – PDF
- National Police Check certificates
- the body corporate details
- contact details for each director of the body corporate
- your contact details as the applicant
- the registration application fee.
How to apply
- Check the registration type and class qualifications and experience.
Note: If you worked on two or more building sites at the same time, it will be counted as one period only when calculating your equivalent full-time work experience. - Gather the certificates and other required documents.
- Select the ‘Apply online’ button.
Note: You can save and resume your application within 60 days. After 60 days any details you entered will be deleted. - Log in, or create your MyServiceNSW Account.
- Follow the prompts to:
- complete your application and
- pay the fee.
Privacy and personal information
To apply for design practitioner – body corporate or principal design practitioner – body corporate registration with Building Commission NSW you need to create or log in with a MyServiceNSW Account.
More information
Visit the Building Commission NSW website to find out more about:
- requirements for design and building practitioners working on regulated buildings
- continuing professional development guidelines
- reviews of Building Commission NSW decisions.