The Architects Registration Council of Ghana (ARC) is the government regulatory body for the architectural profession established through the Architects Decree 1969, NLCD 357.
The Council, an Agency of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing (MWRWH), is responsible for the registration of persons within the Architectural Profession, guiding the profession and promoting the standards of education, training and practice towards a sustainable Built Environment.
Mandate
The ARC was established to uphold the integrity of the architectural profession, ensuring the development, maintenance and enforcement of high standard of technical and professional education at all levels, promoting best practice and sanctioning all who fall short of the expected standard
Improve management performance through a highly skilled and well motivated staff and efficient administration and information management system concerning the architectural profession and protection of the public Regulate the building draughtsmanship vocation
The Council fulfils its mandate through;
• Ensuring quality education of the nation’s manpower needs in the architectural and built environmental professions and vocations at all tiers including lower, middle and higher levels.
• Maintaining high standards of professional practice, ethics and code of conduct by all practitioners.
Promoting and assisting Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in the enforcement of the National Building Regulations 1996 (L.I. 1630)
• Ensuring adherence to planning and environmental protection regulations and promoting good and sustainable urban development
• Supporting and promoting policies aimed at national poverty reduction and access to decent housing for all
• Formulating programs aimed at greater affordability of housing provisions being delivered by public and private agencies
• Promoting research into and use of local building materials while finding good and durable local substitutes to costly imported building materials.
Functions
The Council shall be concerned with the architectural profession and shall be charged with the responsibility of securing the highest practicable standards in the practice of architecture in Ghana.
It shall be the duty of the Council to-
• Prescribe or approve courses of study for, and the conduct and standards of qualifying examinations for registration as a registered architect under this Decree;
• Maintain and publish a register of architects;
• Prescribe and uphold standards of professional conduct and ethics, and
control the practice of architecture.
Local Applicants
• Applicant should have completed school ten years and also should have passed the PPE 5 years before application
• Pick an application form from the ARC secretariat or download from ARC website www.arcghana.org
• Attach the following after completing the form and submit to the ARC Secretariat.
a) CV of partners/directors
b) Certificate of registration of business
c) Details of directors if it is a limited liability company
d) Details of shareholdings of directors
e) Two passport size pictures of partners or directors
f) School/academic certificates
g) Two letters of reference
Foreign Applicants
• Applicant should have a residence permit in Ghana.
• The Registration of a temporary firm is tied to a project
• Applicant have an offer letter / contract to carry out that project
• Applicant should be registered architect in his home country
• The foreign firm should have a Joint venture agreement with a local registered architectural firm with a seal from the court.
• Pick an application form from the ARC secretariat or download from ARC website www.arcghana.org
• Attach the following after completing the form and submit to the ARC Secretariat.
a) CV of partners/director
b) Certificate of registration of business
c) Two passport size pictures of partners or directors
d) School/academic certificates of partners / directors and proof of membership of professional body in home country
e) Two letters of reference
f) Details of project to be executed in Ghana
• Fees for individual : $ 5,000.00
• Fees for individual renewal : $ 2,500.00
• Fess for Firm : $10,000.00
• Fess for firm renewal: 5,500.00
