18.—(1) Where a registered architect desires to engage in the practice of architecture in Singapore after 31 December of any year, he or she must, not later than 1 December of that year and in such form and manner as may be prescribed, apply for a practising certificate authorising him or her to engage in the practice of architecture in the succeeding year.
(2) Despite subsection (1), where a registered architect applies for a practising certificate for the first time after registration under section 15, the application may be made at any time during the year and the registered architect may be issued a practising certificate for the remainder of the year in which the application is made.
(3) Any application by a registered architect under this section must be accompanied by —
(a)
a written declaration stating —
(i)
his or her full name;
(ii)
the name of the architectural practice under which he or she practises, or by which he or she is employed; and
(iii)
the principal and any other address or addresses of the architectural practice under which he or she practises, or by which he or she is employed;
(b)
such evidence as the Board may require that the applicant has complied with or is exempt from the rules relating to insurance against professional liability; and
(c)
the prescribed fee,
and the Board must, subject to subsection (4), thereupon issue to the registered architect a practising certificate.
[20/2017]
(4) The Board may refuse to issue a practising certificate if —
(a)
the applicant is an undischarged bankrupt;
(b)
the applicant has entered into a composition with his or her creditors or a deed of arrangement for the benefit of his or her creditors;
(c)
the applicant does not intend to practise either on his or her own account or in partnership, or is not or not about to be employed by an architectural practice;
(d)
the declaration under subsection (3) contains a statement that to its knowledge is false in a material particular;
(e)
the conduct of the applicant provides reasonable grounds for believing that he or she will not engage in the practice of architecture in Singapore in accordance with any written law and with honesty and integrity;
(f)
the Board is not satisfied that the applicant has complied with the prescribed requirements relating to continuing professional education;
(g)
the Board does not approve the name of the architectural practice under which the registered architect intends to carry on his or her practice or by which he or she is employed;
(h)
the applicant’s qualification for registration under section 15(1)(a), (b) or (c) has been withdrawn or cancelled by the authority through which it was acquired or by which it was awarded or granted;
(i)
the applicant has failed to comply with any of the conditions imposed by the Minister under section 15(3); or
(j)
the applicant refuses or fails to comply with —
(i)
an order made (whether before, on or after 6 October 2017) by the Board under section 31B(1)(a) (pursuant to the recommendation of an Investigation Committee under section 31A(d)), or under section 31B(1)(c);
(ii)
an order made (whether before, on or after 6 October 2017) by a Disciplinary Committee under section 31G(2)(c) or (3) to pay a penalty or sum, or under section 31G(2)(e); or
(iii)
any prohibition, restriction or condition imposed by the Board under section 15(2B).
[18/2003; 28/2005; 20/2017]
(5) Any registered architect (not being a registered architect who is applying for a practising certificate for the first time) who fails to apply for a practising certificate in the manner and within the period specified in subsection (1) may, on the making of an application in such form and on payment of such additional fee as may be prescribed, be issued a practising certificate for —
(a)
the succeeding year if the application is made during the month of December of any year; or
(b)
the remainder of the year if the application is made on or after 1 January of that year.
(6) Subject to subsection (9), a practising certificate is, unless earlier cancelled, in force from the date of its issue until 31 December of the year in respect of which it is issued.
(7) A practising certificate must specify the name, the principal address and all other addresses of the architectural practice under which the registered architect is practising or by which he or she is employed.
[28/2005; 20/2017]
(8) Any change in any name or address mentioned in subsection (7) must be notified by the registered architect concerned to the Registrar within 2 weeks of the change and an endorsement of the change must be obtained from the Registrar.
[28/2005]
(9) Where the registration of a registered architect is cancelled under section 17B(2) or 31G(2)(a), the practising certificate (if any) of that architect for the time being in force expires forthwith and the Registrar must enter the date of the expiry on the register of practitioners and remove from that register the name of that architect.
[28/2005]
(10) Any person whose application for a practising certificate has been refused by the Board may, within 30 days after being notified of such refusal, appeal to the General Division of the High Court whose decision is final.