Initiatives / APER / Vic / APER v BLA
APER vs BLA
APER
AIRAH Professional Engineer Register
BLA
Business Licensing Authority
What is BLA?
In Victoria, registration of engineers came into effect on July 1, 2021, and will be administered by the Business Licensing Authority. It is a staged implementation focused on five areas of engineering: fire safety engineering; civil engineering; structural engineering; electrical engineering; and mechanical engineering. The Victorian government has outlined that, under its timeline for mandatory professional engineer registration, mechanical engineers must be registered by December 1, 2023.
How do I get BLA assessment?
The Victorian Engineers Registration Scheme is a regulatory model where assessment is undertaken by an approved assessment entity prior to the engineer applying for registration with the Building Licensing Authority.
AIRAH is an approved assessment entity for the Business Licensing Authority (BLA) to undertake assessments for mechanical engineers seeking registration in the state of Victoria.
You can view more information on the Victorian scheme here.
What is the difference between BLA and APER?
Registration with the Business Licensing Authority (BLA) and the AIRAH Professional Engineer Register (APER) are different.
The Business Licensing Authority is state-based administrator of the professional engineers registration scheme in Victoria . To achieve registration, you need to have your qualification and competency assessed by an approved assessment entity such as AIRAH.
APER is the professional accreditation for mechanical engineers operating in the HVAC&R building services industry. It is administered by AIRAH and has been designed to meet the requirements of the BLA.
The APER is open to both AIRAH members and non-members.
AIRAH members on the register may carry the post-nominal of AIRAH Registered Professional Engineer (ARPEng).
The assessment eligibility requirements are the same for APER and BLA.
Please read the APER Victoria guidelines for more information on the accreditation program.
You can view information on how to apply for the APER here.