The register is a book with up-to-date information in which the name of any person entitled to have his or her name entered shall be so entered showing against that name.
The Register keeps the entire record of all registered architects (living and deceased) who have ever been registered by ARB and it is kept and maintained by the registrar at the Board’s secretariat.
According to section 32 of the Architects Registration Act, Cap 269 (ARA), every person whose name has been entered in the register shall so as his or her name remains in the register shall be entitled to adopt and use the style and title “architect” and to offer his or her services to the public for gain or reward or by way of trade as a professionally qualified architect.
The use of the title 'architect' is protected by law and only persons registered with the Ugandan Architects Registration Board may use the title Architect. To check a person's registration status, the Register of architects can be inspected at the Board Secretariat.
According the S. 10 and S.12 of the Architects Registration Act Cap 269, one is eligible for registration upon the fulfillment of these requirements below;
FOR UGANDANS AND ALL MEMBERS OF COUNTRIES PARTY TO THE E.A MUTUAL RECOGNITION AGREEMENT (UGANDA, KENYA, RWANDA, BURUNDI)
In line with the above requirements, please furnish the Board with these during registration
The Register keeps the entire record of all registered architects-living and deceased- who have ever been registered by ARB and it is kept and maintained by the registrar at the Board’s secretariat.
FOREIGNERS (TEMPORARY REGISTRATION)
N.B Please note that upon approval of your application by the board, you are required to pay for the practicing certificate for that year as well.
To stay on the register, a registered architect is required to pay the annual subscription (UGX 300,000).
According to Section 13 of the Architects Registration Act, a registered architect may be struck off the register(deregistered) where he/she:
Except as in the circumstances provided under subsection (2)(a) and in the case of a deceased person, any person whose name is struck off the register shall be notified by the registrar by registered letter.
The registrar shall issue a practicing certificate to every architect whose name is on the register and who applies for it on the prescribed form and pays the prescribed fee.
A practicing certificate shall remain valid until the thirty-first day of December next after its issue and shall be renewable annually on application being made on the prescribed form and payment of the prescribed fee. So it is valid between its date of issue till 31st December of the year of issue.
Subject to the Architects Registration Act, no person shall engage in or carry on the practice of architecture, by whatever name called, unless he or she is the holder of a valid practicing certificate granted to him by the Board.
In the 116th meeting of the 10th Board, it was resolved that all registered and practicing architects must have Professional Indemnity Insurance. This is in alignment to the Mutual Recognition Agreement for the profession of Architecture under the Common Market that Uganda is party to.
Architects who have been on the ARB Register of Architects at any time may choose to change their status to non-practicing. This category will include architects who may have retired from practice or those who are not practicing architecture nor will be for the foreseeable future. Individuals who have removed their name from the Register may apply to be restored in this category.
Any architect who would like to change their practicing details should write to the ARB Registrar and clearly state their new practicing details
1. | Initial Charge for up to 200 square meters (m2) | UGX 200,000 |
2. | Every additional square meter | UGX 1,000 |
3. | Maximum charge for very large projects | UGX 1,000,000 |
All architects in Uganda are required to comply with the Architects Code of Professional Conduct. The Code is included in the Architects Registration Act and a person contravening a provision of the professional code of ethics commits professional misconduct and shall be dealt with by the disciplinary committee as appropriate.
Upon submission of the return forms and upon approval of the architect's work by the approving/local authority, the supervising architect shall be entitled to a sticker that will be displayed on the sign board for purposes of legality as regards both the construction site and work.
The board from from time to time conducts inspections of architects' work offices to verify compliance with accepted minimum professional standards. You can view the checklist and general guiding points for Office Inspection in the Downloads section of our website.
ARCHITECTS REGISTRATION BOARD PRACTICE NOTES
The Board is empowered by the Architects Registration Act Cap 269 and its Bylaws from time to time to guide and regulate activities and conduct of registered Architects. Once such notes are issued, they become part of the Code of Professional Conduct. Practice Note No 1 to 12 have so far been approved by the Board Members and consequently all registered persons are urged to adhere to them in the course of conducting their professional business.
No |
Description |
Minute |
1 |
All work to be done under a written contract
The Board recommends that clients should be made fully aware of the duties of the Architect and fees payable. Architects shall provide services under any contract only with an express written contract specifying clearly offer and acceptance as per the law of contract. Vague agreements with indefinite or open- ended conditions shall not be acceptable and will be treated as a ground for inquiry. Verbal contracts will not be permitted. For minor works a letter of engagement and confirmation of terms shall apply. |
139th Board meeting held on 02.02.2017 |
2 |
Unapproved Competition
Second Schedule Item 14 of the Architects Code of Professional Ethics; states that “No Architect shall take part in any architectural competition unless the conditions of the competition have been approved by the Board”. Activities that amount architectural competition include but are not limited to preparing designs proposal for clients knowing that other persons are invited to provide the same service, The Board hereby warns all professionals from such acts. |
140th Board meeting held on 06.04.2017 |
3 |
Advertisement on Social Media The Practice note seeks to guide registered architects about posts on social media. While posting on Facebook, twitter and any other social network, the architect must exercise utmost discretion in the choice of material which they allow to be published against their names or registered entities to ensure that such posts do not infringe the Code of Professional Ethics of the Architects Registration Board Cap 269. The Board reserves the discretion to determine whether a post conflicts with the reasonable interpretation of the Act. |
|
4 |
Administration of penalties (Subscription fees should only be received by the Board after an Architect has cleared penalties previously charged) All architects are required to first remit unpaid outstanding penalties before payment of annual subscription fees and issuing of a Practicing certificate. The Board shall remove all outstanding penalty charges first from any remittances made to the Board account by the architect. |
139th Board meeting held on 02.02.2017 |
5 |
Continuous Professional Development Architects shall have the obligation to ensure that they score minimum of 20 points per year from the Board’s CPD approved activities. |
139th Board Meeting held on 02.02.2017 |
6 |
Professional Charges by Architects (Scale of fees) The Architects Conditions of Engagement and Scale of Fees determine the minimum fees for which a registered architect may undertake to work and describe the professional services, which the client may expect in return. It the duty of the Architect to uphold and apply the conditions of engagement adopted by the Architects Registration Act Cap 269. The Engagement of the architect shall therefore be in accordance with the conditions and scale of fees and charges prescribed in Schedule. Registered architects are therefore reminded not to work speculatively nor compete outside the range and scale it provides. Where a client is considering the engagement of one of a number of firms, the registered architects concerned may give guidance on the engagement of architects but shall not submit estimates of fees for competitive purposes. It is illegal to offer services below the scale of fees. Offenders of this provision should be brought to the notice of the Board. |
138th Board Meeting held on 25.11.2016 |
7 |
Display of Site signboards and Notice boards Second Schedule Item 12 of the Architects Code of Professional Ethics; provides that “an Architect may exhibit his or her name or the name of his or her firm in lettering not exceeding Seventy- Five millimeters (75mm) in height outside his or her office or on a site notice board at a building under construction, alteration or extension, for which he or she has been commissioned”. Contravention of this provision in whatever innovative graphic or physical form will invoke disciplinary action. |
140th Board meeting held on 06.04.2017 |
9 |
Professional Indemnity Insurance The Board notifies all registered Architects, that it is professional misconduct to practice as unlimited or limited companies or firms without valid professional indemnity insurance. |
116th Board meeting held on the 16.08.2013 |
10 |
Professional Contributions to the Media The Practice note seeks to guide registered architects about the requirement for contributions to media including articles, opinions, interviews and group discussions in the print media, radio, television and internet.
All articles and opinions contributed to regular and online newspapers must be peer reviewed by any of the ARB selected peer reviewers. Architects who make professional contributions must always state that a list of registered and practicing architects is available at the ARB website on www.arbuganda.org and at the secretariat so that they give the public the option of engaging any registered architect of their choice.
Registered Architects who contribute to interviews, group discussions in print and electronic media must make sure that the information they give is factual and can be checked and that one does not exploit the public’s lack of expert knowledge in the field for personal gain. |
139th Board meeting held on 02.02.2016 |
11 |
Penalties administered to repeat Offenders
The Disciplinary Committee of the Board shall have the discretion to recommend the suspension or deregistration of an architect for continuous breach of these practice notes. |
139th Board meeting held on 02.02.2017 |
12 |
Signing Unsupervised drawings (Stamping) |
140th Board meeting |
|
Second Schedule Item 9, of the Architects Code of Professional Ethics; prohibits an Architect from putting his signature to drawings, specification or certificates not prepared by him or her or his or her staff under his or her direct supervision, for purposes of obtaining approval of any building authority.
An architect shall not offer the use of his or her stamp to anyone for a fee or for free. The frivolous and / or proliferous use of the architect’s stamp for works not under the demonstrable responsibility of the architect in question is a serious breach of the code of professional ethics and significantly distorts the provision of professional architectural services.
Registered architects who continue to contravene this code will be suspended or deregistered. |
held on 06.04.2017 |
ARB FEES STRUCTURE |
|||
ITEM |
LOCALS |
FOREIGNERS |
TEMPORARY |
Application Forms |
UGX 10,000 |
UGX 10,000 |
UGX 10,000 |
Application for Registration |
UGX 50,000 |
UGX 500,000 |
UGX 1,000,000 |
Registration |
UGX 200,000 |
UGX 200,000 |
UGX 500,000 |
Gazette Fees |
UGX 300,000 |
UGX 300,000 |
Not Applicable |
Practicing Certificate |
UGX 300,000 |
UGX 300,000 |
UGX 300,000 |
Annual Subscription (current year) |
UGX 585,000 |
UGX 585,000 |
USD 5,000 |
Office Inspection |
UGX 100,000 |
UGX 100,000 |
Not Applicable |
OTHERS |
|
ITEM |
LOCALS |
Certification of ARB Documents |
UGX 5,000 |
Design Competition Guidelines |
UGX 100,000 |
Architects Registration Act Cap. 265 |
UGX 15,000 |
Scale of Fees(Prescription of Forms and Fees Regulations 1998 |
UGX 20,000 |