Role of a building inspector

Registered building inspectors carry out regulated building control activities, which are:

• assessing plans
• inspections
• giving advice to building control bodies that carry out regulated functions

Building control bodies

Registered building inspectors (RBIs) work for building control bodies, either as employees or contractors. Building control bodies are:

• the Building Safety Regulator (BSR)
• local authorities
• registered building control approvers

Before you apply to register as a building inspector

You will need to decide:

• the building types you are competent to work on
• the registration class you should apply for
• if you are competent to assess plans or carry out inspections, or both

To help you decide, you should read the building inspector competence framework for the country you are applying to work in:

• building inspector competence framework for England
• building inspector competence framework for Wales (on GOV.WALES)

The competence framework sets out the skills, knowledge and qualifications required for your registration application.

To apply to register as a class 2, 3 or 4 building inspector, you will need to complete, or be enrolled on, an independent competency assessment. If you apply to register without being assessed, you will be registered as a class 1 building inspector and can only work under supervision.

Building types 

To apply to register as a building inspector, you will need to decide which types of building you are competent to work on. There are: 

• standard and non-standard buildings 
• 8 different building categories

Standard buildings    

A standard build is designed and constructed from common industry recognised standards and codes.

Non-standard buildings   

A non-standard build are buildings that include anything outside of common construction techniques in England or Wales. They do not follow industry recognised design principles set out in relevant building guidance codes, such as:    

• approved documents in England, or approved documents in Wales which provide guidance for some common building situations    
• British Standards    
• technical documents, for example the Health technical memoranda (on NHS.uk) or the Welsh Health technical memoranda (on NHS Wales)

Non-standard building work can include:    

• difficult ground conditions   
• buildings with unusual occupancies or high levels of complexity, for example shopping centres occupied by shoppers and workers, conference centres and hospitals     
• very large or very tall buildings and large timber buildings     
• some buildings that incorporate modern construction methods     

Before a building project starts, building control bodies should identify if a building is non-standard, due to being:     

• very large     
• very tall     
• large timber buildings

Building categories

The 8 building categories you can register to work on are: 

• category A, residential dwelling houses (single household) under 7.5m
• category B, residential flats and dwelling houses under 11m
• category C, residential flats and dwelling houses, over 11m but under 18m
• category D, all building types (including residential) under 7.5m
• category E, all building types (including residential) over 7.5m but under 11m
• category F, all building types (including residential) over 11m but under 18m
• category G, all building types (including non-standard), with no limits on floor heights, excluding higher-risk buildings (HRBs)
• category H, HRBs as defined in the Building Act 1984 (as amended)

Registration classes 

To apply to register as a building inspector, you’ll need to decide which registration class you are competent to apply for. There are 4 classes of RBI.

Class 1 

Must only work under supervision. You do not have to complete a competency assessment to register as a class 1 building inspector. This class is suitable for anyone new to the profession who is undergoing training. 

Class 2 

Can work unsupervised on building categories they are registered to work on, which may include: 

• category A 
• category B 
• category C 
• category D  
• category E 
• category F

Class 2 does not include non-standard buildings or HRBs.  

Class 3 

Can work unsupervised on building categories they are registered to work on, which may include category A to F buildings and: 

• category G 
• category H 

Class 4 technical manager 

Technical managers are class 2 or class 3 building inspectors with additional responsibilities for the technical management of teams and processes. 

A class 2 building inspector, who is also a class 4 technical manager, cannot carry out any class 3 activities unless supervised. 

Someone who is not a registered building inspector can administratively manage a building control team, but not on technical matters.

Competency assessment

To apply to register as a class 2, 3 or 4 building inspector, you must complete a competency assessment from an approved scheme.

You can get a competency assessment by contacting one of the providers of the approved schemes:

• Building Safety Competence Foundation (BSCF)
• Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE)
• Total Training Development Ltd

The assessment evaluates your skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours against the relevant building inspector competence framework:

• building inspector competence framework for England
• building inspector competence framework for Wales (on GOV.WALES)

As part of the assessment you will need to submit a portfolio of your work and pass an exam or an interview. You must be re-assessed at least every 4 years.

After you complete your assessment you will receive a certificate number. You will need to provide the number when you register as proof of your assessment.

After passing your competency assessment

Once you have successfully passed your competency assessment and received your certificate number, contact BSR to upgrade your registration. You will not be charged for this.

Applying to register as a building inspector

You can apply to register as a building inspector online.

Registrations will usually be valid for 4 years, unless varied, suspended or cancelled by BSR.  

If you registered before 6 April 2024, the 4 years begin from 6 April 2024.

Information you will need

To complete the registration, you will need to provide:

• your name, date of birth and contact details
• your National Insurance number to cross-check with your competency assessment
• the building inspector class you want to register as
• the categories of buildings you are competent to work on
• details of your independent competency assessment, if you have want to register as a class 2, 3 or 4 building inspector
• membership details of relevant professional bodies, if you have any
• your employment status

Code of conduct

As part of your application to register, BSR will ask you to confirm that you comply with the code of conduct for registered building inspectors in the countries you are registered in.

Read the:

• code of conduct for England
• code of conduct for Wales (on GOV.WALES)

If you register for both England and Wales you will have to confirm that you comply with both codes of conduct.

Payment information

You will need to provide your credit or debit card details to pay the £336 registration charge - whether you register for one country or both.  

In addition to the registration charge, from the first anniversary of your registration you will need to pay an annual maintenance charge of £216.

You can find out more about the:

• BSR charging scheme for England (on hse.gov.uk)
• BSR charging scheme for Wales (on GOV.WALES)

Application decision

BSR will tell you if your application is approved, approved subject to conditions, or rejected. 

In cases where the application is subject to conditions or rejected, BSR will tell you why.

You can challenge the decision. The process is different depending on whether you applied to register in England, Wales, or both.

To request a review of an English registration decision, you should contact BSR within 21 days of receiving your decision. You will need to tell us: 

• your application reference  
• the date the decision was made  
• the reasons why you want us to review the decision  
• any further information that may be relevant but was not available at the time of the original decision

If at the end of a review the decision is upheld, you can appeal to a First-tier Tribunal.

To appeal a Welsh registration decision, you can lodge an appeal with the Magistrates’ Court within 21 days of receiving the decision. This time limit can be extended with the written agreement of BSR.

After you register

After registration, you must maintain and develop your competence as a building inspector. This means you must:

• abide by the code of conduct
• continue to develop your skills and knowledge, this can be evidenced by maintaining an up-to-date portfolio of work
• complete an independent competency assessment at least every 4 years
• have appropriate supervision if you carry out work outside of your current registration class or competence

Progression

If you want to expand the range of work you are registered to do, you can:

• develop your competence within your class under the appropriate supervision, to work across more building categories
• pass an independent competency assessment to change your registration class

Supervision

When you work under supervision, it means that your work is overseen by a suitably competent RBI. A suitably competent RBI is someone of a relevant registration class who can carry out the work. 

Working under supervision: class 1 trainee building inspector

Work you could be supervised on, as a class 1 trainee building inspector, includes:

• checking plans for compliance with building regulations where the plans are re-checked by a suitably competent class 2, 3 or 4 RBI
• inspecting building work alongside a suitably competent class 2, 3 or 4 RBI, this will include discussing findings and having your decision-making overseen
• gathering information to show a suitably competent class 2, 3 or 4 RBI for a decision on compliance

Working under supervision: class 2 registered building inspectors

Work you could be supervised on, as a class 2 building inspector, includes:   

• checking plans and specifications for compliance with a suitably competent RBI against building regulations for class 2 work, which you are not registered for
• checking plans and specifications for class 3 work where the plans are re-checked by a suitably competent class 3 RBI
• inspecting building work alongside a suitably competent class 2 or 3 RBI, this will include discussing findings and having your decision-making overseen
• gathering information to show a suitably competent RBI of a class 2 for which you are not competent, or class 3 for a decision on compliance

Working under supervision should form part of your professional learning and development.

You should keep evidence of your work, including work done under supervision, in your portfolio.

Supervising registered building inspectors

If you supervise the work of another building inspector, you are responsible for the work and must make sure it is done correctly.

You can only supervise work you are competent to carry out.

You can find out more about your responsibilities in the relevant code of conduct. 

Finding a supervisor

The building control body you work for must provide you with a supervisor. This is the same whether you are employed or self-employed.

The building control body must have a process in place to make sure all supervised work is up to standard.

Public register

There are 2 public registers of building inspectors, one for England and one for Wales.

Search the:

• register of building inspectors in England
• register of building inspectors in Wales

Your details will appear on one or both registers depending on which countries you are registered to work in.

The registers allow people to verify who is a registered building inspector and the work they are registered to do.

The registers show:

• your name
• if you are employed by a building control body, your employer’s name and address
• if you are self-employed, the business address you submitted in your application
• your registration class
• which categories of buildings you are registered to work on
• the start and end date of your registration
• details of any conditions attached to your registration, such as limits on the type of work you can do

Removal from the register

Your details can be removed from the register if you:

• ask to be taken off because you no longer want to work as a building inspector
• do not renew your registration before it expires
• are found to be in breach of your responsibilities and your registration is suspended or cancelled

If your details are removed from the register, BSR will continue to keep your details in line with our data retention policy.

Making changes to your registration

You must notify BSR within 28 days of any changes relevant to your registration, such as:

• your name
• your home address or contact address
• your contact details
• your employer and employer details
• if you want to change your registration class or categories of work
• any relevant criminal convictions
• if you are sanctioned by a professional body
• if you are declared bankrupt, or subject to other action as detailed in the code of conduct for registered building inspectors
• if you no longer wish to be on the register

If you are changing class, only notify BSR once you have your competence assessment certificate, or it will be rejected.

You can read more about the rules of registration for for registered building inspectors in England in annex 3 of the code of conduct.

Conflicts of interest

You must not undertake work, or continue to undertake work, where a conflict of interest is identified. 

A conflict of interest can include: 

• political, such as holding the position of councillor in the area you are allocated to complete a building project 
• financial, such as ownership in a company you are called to inspect 
• relationships, such as completing or contributing to building control work with a friend or relative 
• personal, such as not wanting a certain type of building near your home 

You must take steps to identify potential and actual conflicts of interest, prior to you starting work, and during work activity. If you identify a conflict of interest, you must notify your employer immediately.

Professional misconduct and complaints

If you are found to be guilty of professional misconduct you could face sanctions. A breach of the code of conduct may be used as evidence of professional misconduct.

You are committing an offence and could be prosecuted if you:

• carry out work that you are not registered to do without supervision
• work as a building inspector after April 2024 without being registered