We'll help you through the Chartership process – from adding your work and CPD records to completing the self-assessment and understanding how we define engineering complexity.
Read more on getting Chartered
Our process
If you’re completing a Chartered assessment, your application will go through all six stages of our process.
Stage 1: Eligibility – To be eligible to apply to be a Chartered Professional Engineer, you must have a Washington Accord-accredited qualification (in New Zealand this is an accredited 4-year Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)) or be able to demonstrate equivalent knowledge.
Stage 2: Preparation – It usually takes between four and six years to gain enough experience to be ready to apply for CPEng. To meet the minimum standard for registration, you need to demonstrate that you're able to practice competently in your practice area to the standard of a reasonable professional engineer.
Stage 3: Apply online – Engineering New Zealand carries out first-time Chartered assessments during defined periods throughout the year. The list of applicants in upcoming assessment rounds is published on the Engineering New Zealand website.
Stage 4: Validation – One of our Competence Assessment Advisors will check the information you’ve provided and will aim to give you feedback within 10 working days. They’ll let you know if you need to make any changes before your application is sent to an Assessment Panel.
Stage 5: Evaluation – Once your application is finalised, an assessment panel will be assigned to you. They’ll review your application over 8–10 weeks and as part of this, may meet with you to discuss it as well.
Stage 6: Decision – Your advisor will let you know the proposed outcome of your application. If successful, your name will appear on our Find an engineer public register. If your application is unsuccessful or the CAB made an alternative decision, you'll have the opportunity to respond.
Before you start
- Make sure your work and CPD records are up to date.
- Get familiar with the assessment criteria.
- Talk to people who have been through the process before.
Top tip: write in the first person, eg ‘I’ or ‘me’.
Guidance documents
If you're applying for a first time assessment or a reassessment, you can use the guidance documents below to help with your application. There's specific guidance for you if you're a structural engineer, engineering geologist or academic.
Recognised Engineer (Dam Safety) Guide to Assessments | 691.1 KB
Recognised Engineer Competency Framework (Dam Safety) Knowledge Base | 694.0 KB
Let's get you Chartered – Guide to assessments | 3.3 MB
Maintaining your CPEng registration – Guide to reassessments | 2.9 MB
Structural engineer guidance | 224.6 KB
Guidance for structural reassessment | 168.6 KB
Guidance for CPEng referees | 99.6 KB
Engineering geologist guidance | 240.1 KB
Engineering academics guidance | 250.6 KB
Knowledge assessment guidance | 1.1 MB
CV template – option 1 | 16.5 KB
CV template – option 2 | 16.9 KB
Self Assessment Form – First time CPEng applicants only | 45.5 KB
Summary Statement Form – Knowledge Assessment applicants only | 145.9 KB
Webinars
We have a range of webinars scheduled for 2023 to help you throughout your CPEng journey, that you can register for now, whether you're just getting started through to maintaining your Chartership.
