Become Accredited with PIA
We’re always ahead of industry changes to keep you ahead in your career.
After South Australia introduced the Accredited Professionals Scheme, planning and building professionals in SA now need to become accredited to maintain minimum standards of professional practice.
The good news?
Your PIA membership is recognised as an equivalent scheme and counts towards your accreditation.
The Accredited Professionals Scheme
It’s here to improve reliability and accountability of decision makers in our industry and give the community more confidence in the way we assess development applications.
It applies to:
- planning professionals who assess development applications, including assessment managers and panel members within councils
- private sector planning professionals who approve planning applications
The accreditation process
To become accredited, you’ll need to demonstrate your skills and experience within your chosen level. You’ll also need to follow a strict code of conduct with legislative status.
When it comes to decision making, the scheme includes an auditing and compliance process to make the link between development decisions and outcomes clearer.
Get accredited with us
As a member, you’ll get streamlined accreditation under the scheme at a reduced fee. You’ll still need to apply, but your member certification will show that you meet the requirements of your level.
How it works for our members
| PIA Recognised Equivalent Scheme | |
|---|---|
| Accredited professional—planning level 1 | PIA Registered Planner To apply, follow the steps below and you’ll receive your level 1 accreditation (without any conditions). |
| Accredited professional—planning level 2 | PIA Registered Planner. PIA Full Member If you’re a Registered Planner or Full Member, you meet the requirements to receive your level 2 accreditation. You won’t need to undertake any further competency. To apply, follow the steps below. |
Accredited professional—planning level 3 |
PIA Registered Planner If you’re a Registered Planner, you meet the requirements to receive your level 3 accreditation. You won’t need to undertake any further competency. PIA Full Member - If you’re a Full Member, you’ll need to demonstrate the minimum 3-years’ experience to meet the requirements. To apply, follow the steps below. |
| Accredited professional—planning level 4 | PIA Registered Planner If you’re a Registered Planner or Full Member, you meet the requirements to receive your level 4 accreditation. You won’t need to undertake any further competency. Affiliate* Before moving forward, we’ll need some more information about your qualifications and experience. The requirements are: • PIA accredited course – 1-year experience • Non-accredited course – 2-years experience • Planning related course – 4-years experience • None/Non-related course – 6-years experience |
How do I apply?
1. Click on the purple button below to request a Statement of Member Equivalency from us.
2. Visit Plan SA online to apply and pay the fee via SA Planning Portal page.
3. Wait for your approval.
Not a PIA member?
Apply directly through DPTI or join today to save on your accreditation fee and get access to exclusive benefits.
Note: If you’re a Level 1 Accredited Professional who isn’t a PIA member, you won’t be able to gain Registered Planner status.
Find more information
Get in touch to learn more about the Statement of Membership Equivalency
Email: membership@planning.org.au; or
Phone: (02) 6262 5933